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13 year old grandson with autism
I have a 9 year old with autism. A lot of his behavior is learned - and can therefore be unlearned. My child, like all children, hates social isolation. Even when he is clearly not able to handle a social setting of more than just 4 people, he still wants to be a part of the group just like any child.
The outburst might be a reaction to being overwhelmed by the noise - it gets people to shut up for a second or so. Or it might not. I suggest sending him to his room and judging his reaction. Does he welcome the isolation or does he resist/resent it? If he is overwhelmed, he should welcome the reprieve. In that case, someone should keep him company and reassure him that it's not punishment.
If not, then ignoring the unwarranted outburst and/or sending him to his room as punishment may eventually curb the behavior. I think I would give him a warning first. Simple comments or questions directed at him during the conversation might give him the feeling of social inclusion without being unduly disruptive. An occasional "do you understand that?" might be enough. You might even work it to your advantage - getting him to pay close attention to what people around him are saying. I'm sure other adults will understand and be tolerant. After all, 13 is about the time when some normal kids start wanting to be treated more like adults (within limits, of course).
IMO, autism does not affect the whole brain - just select parts of it. So we should expect only certain aspects of their behavior be affected. The real trick, of course, is figuring out which is which.
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