Holiday Celebrations and Autism
Helping Autistic Kids Cope With Classroom Parties and Special Days
Sep 26, 2009
The holidays are usually a wonderful time of year for children. But for kids with autism who thrive on routine, classroom parties and special days are unpredictable and therefore can cause anxiety and stress. Additionally, social anxiety and lack of social skills are issues facing children on the autism spectrum. During the chaotic social situations occurring around the holidays, autistic children may not cope well despite the heightened mood and excitement of those around them.
Prepare Autistic Child for the Holidays
To help the student with autism transition as smoothly as possible to the change of routine that accompanies the holidays in the classroom, prepare him ahead of time. Talk about what the party might be like, the decorations, activities, food, and costumes. Write down a list of games that are planned for the special day. Also, tell the child with autism if there will be any special guests.
Involve the autistic student in any preparations done in advance, if he seems interested. Decorating, food ideas, and trying out the new games before they are played during the party may help reduce anxiety.
Compare Holiday Activities to Something Familiar
While preparing an autistic child for the holiday celebration ahead, it may be helpful to convert the newness of a celebration with something familiar. For example, a gift exchange with classmates could be compared with a birthday or other gift-giving holiday at home.
If the party is going to be a costume party, ask the student if he would like to come dressed up in pajamas. Pajamas are very comfortable and familiar, and this may ease some of the reluctance about attending a costume party. Or, he may have an intense interest (Star Wars, dinosaurs, etc.) and may be willing to dress up in something he knows well and loves.
Provide Quiet Area for Cool Downs During Holiday Chaos
It helps to provide a child with autism with a place to go to relax when she becomes overwhelmed with the noise and social anxiety of a party. A decorated corner of the room may suffice. In it, place some reading materials, quiet puzzles, and a set of headphones to listen to soft music. Set a timer in the quiet area. When it rings, the student can rejoin the party.
During the holidays, teachers can ease the tension of autistic students by preparing them for the parties, social situations, and potential chaos ahead. Helping kids with autism cope with these special days will not be an easy task. However, by preparing the student ahead of time, providing a quiet, safe place to rest, and relating new activities to familiar ones, teachers should help ease the holiday stress of classroom parties and celebrations.
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