Holiday Calming & Planning Techniques for your child with autism/ASD
Here is a list of some possible calming/planning techniques that may assist over the holidays or any other time of the year as well.
- Prepare your child for a change in your routine
- Tell your child what your plans are ahead of time
- Use Social Stories if your child is familiar with this technique
- Show your child pictures of relatives/friends/places you will see and attend
- Read familiar/favorite non-holiday books to your child
- Play familiary/favorite non-holiday music that is calming to your child
- Take food that your child will eat when going to relatives/events
- Take the child’s favorite toy when going to relatives/events
- Buy the child his/her own camera to take pictures (if appropriate)
- If the lights bother your child let him/her pick out a pair of sunglasses
- A flashlight is often calming so that the child can focus on only one item
- Don’t force your child to sit on Santa’s lap – let him/her tell you and you can tell Santa so that they don’t feel left out
- If loud noise is an issue – provide a headset, iPod, earmuffs, etc.
- Take a washcloth with you so that your child can cover his/her face if the stimulus becomes overwhelming or if a tantrum develops
