HOLIDAYS. Sue Trautman, MA, OTR/L and Holly Willis, MA, OTR/L Ideas generated from the Foothill Autism Alliance October 14, 2009 meeting

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1 HOLIDAYS Sue Trautman, MA, OTR/L and Holly Willis, MA, OTR/L Ideas generated from the Foothill Autism Alliance October 14, 2009 meeting Possible Barriers Vision Too many people Unfamiliar people Different ages New location Desired room that is not available Breakable trinkets Busy table Touch Hugs, kisses from others Appropriate touch Solutions to Consider Show pictures of the people who will be at the gathering with their names. Add the names of the people that will be seen under the picture and practice saying hello. Show pictures of the house, or apartment. Create a social story. Use a digital camera and print on regular paper; you can bind it into a spiral book for a social story at a place like Kinkos. Have a separate, quieter table for some of the guests that your child can sit at. Bring your child s favorite plate, cup, silverware, etc. Practice managing a busy table at home i.e. role-playing. Go into any store with sensory overload and either spend a few minutes there or take pictures. Use a calendar showing when the day is going to occur and convey that it is just one day that things will be different. Arrange an escape physically, such as seat the child by the door and have an area set up with a familiar preferred task or an area with familiar toys, books, etc. Have a phrase to use, Do you need a book break? Have the child help set the table. Muscle joint action dampens the impact of unpleasant touch so jumping and heavy work such as

2 Avoids by going under the table or curling up Touching inappropriately Sound Too loud. Barking dogs. Crying babies. Body Position, balance and movement Internal Sensation The need to jump, move, rock. Squeezing or body slamming others. Withholding bowel movements. Anxiety. doing chores might help. Teach the child to say, No thank you when approached. Teach the family member to get down to eye level as that is much less threatening. Have the family member have something the child wants so that the child will go to the family member instead of being threatened by an approaching person. Give your family member the cues to talk with your child about, such as a recent success they might have had at school or home. Social cuing for touching someone between the shoulder and elbow. Have child wear familiar clothes on the special day to reduce the stress of new touch sensation. Headphones ipods or mp3 players Ear plugs Tight ski caps to muffle sound. Turn down music. Dog in another room. Go to pet store to increase familiarity with animals. Set up the chairs. Help with lifting, pulling type chores. Provide oral snacks for chewing. Ask, Do you need a hug? Verbal cue to stop squeezing or pushing into another and provide pressure at the elbow joints, which may minimize the need for the pressure. Practice hugs. Run around the yard play kick balltype game outside. Probiotics. Supplements. Dietary. Medical. Use of music, rocking, calm

3 environments. Try to build positive emotional memories by helping others understand and respect your child s needs perhaps calling ahead of time and letting others know you are trying a certain approach so everyone can be comfortable and feel successful. Smell Strong odors Provide sour candy or food with an acceptable smell to ease the transition. Chew gum. Taste Does not like food Bring along food that the child enjoys. Practice saying, No thank you. Work Nothing to do. Provide chores for the day using Unsure of what is pictures. going to happen. Give choices of chores. Rest Overtired Give frequent breaks away from the Anxious activity. Excited Anticipate and provide a break before Not Tired the child needs it. Have a quiet corner or room with favorite books or toys and perhaps the favorite pillow. Keep to the typical bedtime schedule as much as possible. Provide calming activities such as swinging, jumping, or hand activities such as play dough to assist in calming. Respiratory activities are calming so either deep breathing or blowing bubbles may help. Play Not having fun Doesn t want to play with other children or others don t want to play Take a new toy. Spend some of the time only with your child reading or going outside. Explain, first visit, then home. Give choices. Bring a desired game or activity that all children like such as play dough or a ball game so that all the kids can be together.

4 TRAVEL Destination Airports See Prior to leaving, simulate the vacation as much as possible by showing pictures or movies of the location. Seacher the internet together to see pictures. Make a calendar to count down. Return to the same destination and show video or pictures before going the next year. Have your child help pack the suitcase they will pull or take on the plane. Things in the suitcase can relate to the travel. Breaking things down into sequences for car trip to the airport, security, plane, etc. See Security Some airports allow you to go through the express lane. Call in advance to got through the express lane. Inform the Security Officer if you need help getting your items onto the X-ray belt. Inform the security officer that you child may become upset and offer suggestions that might minimize confusion for the child. Tell the security officer what your child s abilities are. At no time will you be separated from your child. Prepare that a suitcase might be opened and checked. Make sure your child knows they will take off their shoes. Practice at home putting on shoes and items into a bin, practice suitcase being opened and checked. Break things down into sequences. Waiting Walk around the airport. Can pull the suitcase. Use the suitcase filled with things have items wrapped up that can be opened each hour and use a timer. This will take you into the hours you are on the plane. Visual schedules for example, when we sit down and wait for the plane, we eill have a snack. Airplane pressure

5 Chewing Drinking with a straw. Earplanes look like a spirally ear plug that helps with pressure. Airplane seating Take theraband and tie around arms of feet of airplane seat for feet or hands to push against. Use a timer for time on the plane. Teach flight attendants and pilots procedures for when you are allowed to get up to use the bathroom. Practice at home in the car or elsewhere pretending you are buckling up. Use visual schedules. Hotels Small portable TV to show DVD s. Portable magnetic alarm on a door. Bring favorite movies. Adjoining room call ahead and get an end room or adjoining room. Use music headphones. Suite set ups set the child up in the back of the suite so as not to disturb others. There are proximity alarms that go for 25 to 50 feet. Allow for rest time in the hotel. Use the blankets and pillows in the hotel room to create a snug space. Take a support bar for swings that goes in doorways from Destination See

6 UNSTRUCTURED TIME Work full-time Weekends are child s time and sometimes you re just exhausted. You would like to do something yourself, or as a couple Since weekends are so far apart, it may take 3-4 months to establish a routine. Routines may include: Exercise routine at predictable times. Chore routine-can use visual schedule Use time timers. Stationary bicycle. Punching bag. Treadmill. Pay time for both of you, such as riding a bike around the block or running in a nearby park or field. Set up a sensory area in your home. Your occupational therapist can help. Also see for home swing supports. Rose Bowl Aquatic Center swim programs. Karate CDK has classes but not on weekends would work for school breaks. Dance CDK has an outside group STAR dance program on Monday nights. Wii fit. Paz naz Church of the Nazarene in Pasadena has events and classes. Challenger baseball leagues. AYSO has leagues for kids with special needs. Aut gym works at Bodies in Motion on Arroyo Parkway is $15 per class. See Autism Power Pak