December 21, 2020
Canadian Organization Offers Advice on Getting Through the Season
The holidays are upon us. Although this year will not be quite as busy as prior holiday seasons, the change in routine which occurs in December can be stressful for children and adults with autism. In order to make this time of year easier and less stressful, Hands Autism Services in Ontario has come up with six great tips to help your holidays run more smoothly.
- Before decorating for the holidays, explain what will be happening and the changes that will be occurring at home. It’s helpful to start adding decorations slowly so that changes are not occurring all at once. Involve the person with autism as much as possible. If using scents or musical items when decorating, try testing them first to see if they are tolerable to the person with autism before including them in the home.
- Create a visual calendar to show all the events happening during the holiday season and use a visual countdown for Christmas Day. This shows the individual with autism what will be happening and when.
- Family members and friends can be told ahead of time what to expect from the person with autism during difficult times or transitions and what might be helpful to do or not to do during this time. Ask family or friends if there is a quiet space the individual could use if the event gets too overwhelming or loud and show the person where this space is or how to ask to use it.
- It would be helpful to get a schedule of events from family/friends ahead of time to be able to create a visual schedule of events. This could include a simple schedule of pictures in order of events that are occurring.
- Prepare the individual with autism as much as possible to help them understand what will be happening during new events. Social stories are a great way to teach expectations in social situations. These stories could be used for events like decorating the house or going to the mall to see Santa. Create a short story that explains the social do’s, don’ts and expectations from the individual with ASD. It may be helpful to include pictures.
- If travelling, prepare the person with autism about how long it will take and give them favourable items to travel with (favourite shows on an iPad, colouring books, headphones and snacks). It may be helpful to use a visual timer on a clock, phone or iPad to show exactly how long until arrival.
