How to Help Children With Autism Make Transitions

Autism has been classified as a neural development disorder and developmental disability that is characterized by repetitive and restricted behavior patterns as well as impaired communication and social skills. One of the more critical aspects of the disorder that parents of children with Autism are confronted with is transitioning from activity or task to another. The autistic child has a great deal of difficulty with this as it creates anger and confusion for them which oftentimes results in them throwing some hideous tantrums.

Consider the following 6 suggestions for helping your autistic child through these transitions so that it goes as smoothly as possible:

Always plan ahead - make sure that you always have the alarm, hourglass, or timer set up in advance so there is no confusion. You should always insist on consistency whenever babysitters, family members, teachers, or therapists are watching your child. This helps the child to understand the concept better.

Children with Autism need consistency - by using the same amount of warning time and words consistently, the child will have an easier time of adjusting to and understanding the transitions from one activity to the next. The child will also transition easier once they understand exactly what you expect of them.

Employ the reward system - making the transition from the current activity to the next one is extremely difficult for children with Autism. Offer the child some sort of incentive or reward for making a smooth transition between the activities that are on the day's agenda. The reward could be as simple as a favorite activity or one of their favorite foods.

Evaluate difficult situations - if you notice that there is a certain degree of difficulty involving the transition from one activity to the next, you can avoid any major problems (e.g. temper tantrums) by first evaluating the circumstances surrounding the transition. An example of this is a child's refusal or resistance to transitioning between activities due to certain sensory issues that upset the child. Simple accommodations or adjustments can help to correct this.

Invest in a timer if you don't have one - make sure that you purchase one that your autistic child will have an easier time of understanding when they should change the activity they are engaged in. If the child is younger an hourglass or sand timer may be easier for them to comprehend whereas an older child might be able to handle a digital clock alarm.

Respect the child's need for being warned - it is extremely difficult for children with Autism to move from one activity to the next especially if they are deeply engaged in the current activity. It's going to take a considerable amount of time and all the patience you can muster to teach them how to transition between activities. If you gently warn them that a change is coming, it will make it easier for the child to make that transition.

Remember that the goal here is to not only make transitioning easier for any children with Autism but to make them understand why it is necessary as well. Things will go a lot smoother for you overall.

For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on Autism please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.

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Autistic Children and Transitions - How To Make It Easier

Autistic children have great difficulties in changing from doing one thing to the next. To say they have issues dealing and coping with transitions is an understatement. In fact, some transitions can be downright difficult for the autistic child. So how can you ease the upset of a transition for them?

Prepare them well ahead of time. If their schedule is going to be different from what it normally is, or if they have to move from doing one thing to doing another thing you need to prepare them for it, to make it as easy as possible on all parties involved. You can do this through talking to them, showing them pictures of what's going to happen next, and allowing yourself and them extra time for the change in routine.

Try to maintain normalcy in as many other parts of their day as you can. Giving them a grounding point in the day where things are as they always are will help them to better cope, during times like holidays, when things are out of routine.

Reward them for a good transition. Give them their favorite toy or treat for transitioning without having a meltdown. Reinforce the good behaviour in transitions and you may find with time they get better at transitioning as a result.

Allow the child to stim if need be to cope with the transition. Many times you'll find if something is out of the normal, or out of routine, your child will stim to try and establish a level of control over their environment. Allow them to do this, as long as they are safe doing it and won't harm others with their behaviours. By stimming they may be better able to cope with what is going on around them and therefore be better able to transition.

Does your child enjoy music? Try playing some calming music to help them ground themselves and be able to move through the transition. Even something like allowing them an ipod loaded with their favorite music to listen to while changing from one thing to another may take their focus off the change, and allow you to move them through the transition better.

Transitions can be one of the most difficult things to cope with for an autistic child. With a little preparation and a whole lot of understanding, both you and your child will be able to overcome the issues and begin to make smoother transitions.

Autistic children can be wonderful to be around, to care for and to love if you give them the extra care and attention they need. For more tips and tricks to help you with your autistic child, click here!

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