Autism

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Autism the Holidays

• Presented by LWASE Instructional Support Team

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The 3 Ps

• Prepare
• Plan
• Practice

3
Supportive Strategies

• Schedules/Activities
• Social Stories/Social Scripts
• Siblings
• Gatherings/Traveling
• Sensory
• Decorating
• Food Issues

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Schedules/Activities

• Present the holiday in a visual manner through
  the use of calendars and schedules
• Plan structured activities and events for each
  day
• Maintain visual daily schedule and incorporate
  any holiday event within the schedule (e.g.
  change in music schedule, rearrangement of
  classes, upcoming family events, decorating,
  etc.) Strive to maintain consistent and familiar
  routines.

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• Rehearse the schedule in advance especially
  changes in routine
• Consider the use of a mini-schedule to prepare
  the child for the days events, particularly when
  making long trips.
• If there is a difficulty with wrapped gifts due
  to the unknown of what is inside, consider
  wrapping gift in cellophane draw the item on the
  gift tag or put a catalog picture on the gift
  tag.

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• Maintain as much of the household routine as
  possible, including consistency with going to bed
  and getting up, taking medications, and
  mealtimes.
• Do not allow the childs room to become the guest
  room.
• Use a transition object/picture to help
  communicate to your child that you will not be
  sleeping/staying at home that evening. A sleeping
  bag could be used to show that they will be
  sleeping at Grandmas house.

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Vacation Activities

• Photo album or Scrapbook
• Take digital photos every day. Place them in a
  small pocket album. The child, perhaps with adult
  help, can write a sentence or two on an index
  card which can be placed inside the pocket.
• Another idea is to use an actual item instead of
  a picture to place inside the pocket. Perhaps
  there was a trip to Dairy Queen. Placing part of
  the wrapper inside the pocket with a sentence or
  two on an index card will serve as a visual
  reminder of the activity.
• This booklet can be worked on each day during
  craft time or special activity time.
• This booklet would be a nice thing to send back
  to the school when the student returns in
  January. Very often, teachers will have students
  work on activities pertaining to the winter
  break. This book would then serve as a visual
  reminder of his vacation activities.

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• Gingerbread House
• Working on a Gingerbread House as part of a
  vacation activity can be broken down into smaller
  parts. These parts can be used as the activity
  during arts and crafts or special activity.
  For example, base, walls, roof, decorating, can
  all be set up for separate days.
• A mini-schedule can be created to describe what
  part will be worked on each day. If you are going
  to work on the walls for one day, make small
  pictures of what things will need to be done to
  complete the steps of the walls. Place them on a
  sentence strip to show your child what will be
  accomplished that day.
• If necessary, once the activity is broken down,
  you may need to identify what days of the
  calendar you will work on each part.

9
Social Stories/Social Scripts

• Utilize social stories that describe upcoming
  holiday changes, as well as special
  celebrations/events.
• Utilize social scripts of tasks to help your
  child participate in celebrations.

10
Siblings

• Maintain traditions and routines for the siblings
  to enjoy
• Encourage their individuality and create special
  time with them
• Allow them to become special helpers by reading
  social stories, helping create photo books, etc.

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Gatherings/Travel

• Put pictures in an album or on a ring of places
  that you will be going and people that you may
  see.
• Phone the host in advance to ask for assistance
  in meeting some of your childs needs. Briefly
  explain any difficulties you may foresee your
  child having and explain what would help. The
  host may also help educate other guests
  (especially younger ones) about your child.
• Gather information from host about any
  circumstances your child should be prepared for
  before visiting (i.e. loud noises, blinking
  lights, areas in the home where child should not
  go, planned activities, pets, sick/elderly
  relative).

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• Be the first to arrive this helps reduce
  anxiety and the overwhelming feeling of a lot of
  people.
• Give your child a job such as hanging up coats,
  passing out snacks, etc. This will help with
  natural social interaction.
• Provide your child a choice board of activities
  to do while at the party.

13
Sensory

• Most people will have increased arousal level due
  to many changes in routine and household.
• Incorporate sensory breaks into daily routine.
• Incorporate sensory strategies into family
  outings.
• Create a calm down routine signal/cue

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Decorating

• Utilize a social story to prepare for changes
• Assign tasks for decorating
• Have the child participate in putting up and
  taking down decorations
• Keep the childs room a preferred space unchanged
  unless they chose to bring decorations in
• Designate one room in the house as the Christmas
  room

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Food Issues

• Eat traditional food at home before going to the
  party
• Have food that your child likes available
• Allow for a separate eating area
• Dont force your child to try new things or to
  eat everything on the plate

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• Remember
• Look for the little blessings along the way.
• Notice the silver lining in the dark clouds.
• Take time to enjoy your kids, to be thankful for
  your job,
• to seize opportunities to meet new people or try
  new things,
• and to appreciate all that today brings.
• Your ability to be content in spite of the
  circumstances can
• also have a powerful effect on others around
  you!
• Happy Holidays!