Suitable hobbies for autistic son?

Your questions answered by Bill Goodyear of Greatvine.com.

My 7-year-old son is autistic and doesn’t seem to be into anything apart from his computer or Wii. I’d like to encourage him to take up a hobby – any ideas?

Ration the screen time and insist on family time every day. Choose a hobby for him to follow. He may like something cerebral like chess, and he may be willing to have a go at something structured like a martial art. He may also be willing to get interested in collecting, sorting and cataloguing anything from stamps to butterflies.

Teach it to him and only give him the choice when he has achieved some competence. Avoid big noisy unstructured activities but look within your family to find a hobby someone else likes. As far as you can, follow his interests, but if they are screen based, impose a rule that limits all screen time.