Putting up a series of pictures that show a good bedtime routine on the wall will help them during this process. Visual InstructionĬhildren with autism understand visual step-by step instructions much better than spoken instructions. It’s a great way to help them recognize that it’s almost time to sleep and to create a relaxing environment. One classic way to help your child wind down and get ready for bed is to have storytime right before they go to sleep. This way, they can start to associate those activities with sleep time. Instead, it’s important to choose activities that are less stimulating and calming for your child before bedtime. You should also try to avoid activities like playing video games or watching high-energy movies or TV shows, as they can keep your child’s brain active and make it harder for them to fall asleep. These substances can give them an energy boost that you wouldn’t want to deal with when you’re trying to get them to sleep. It’s pretty obvious that you wouldn’t want your child consuming caffeine or sugar within an hour of their bedtime. Our Include Autism toolkit contains resources to help autistic young people describe situations that might cause them to feel overwhelmed.Read more: How to Help a Child With Autism Calm Down How To Avoid Bedtime Meltdowns Pre-Bedtime Activities A shutdown can be like a reset for an autistic person. The best remedy for a shutdown is giving the person the space to rest, recuperate and recover without placing additional demands on them. The best way to find out what causes someone to have a meltdown is to ask them or someone who knows them well. It can be very difficult and distressing to support someone during a meltdown, so knowing what to do in advance is key. For example, allowing children and young people to wear ear defenders in noisy rooms or dimming the lights to create a less harsh ambience. Preemptive planning can really help to mitigate against triggers that might lead to a meltdown.įor example, you can reduce anxiety related to uncertainty about certain situations by providing information about what to expect in advance - such as a visual timetable or agenda.Īnother way to reduce the likelihood of a meltdown is to create environments that don't overwhelm the senses. How to help prevent meltdowns and shutdowns As they are at a reduced ability to process what is going on they may struggle to communicate as they normally do, which can mean they are mute or have a lot of difficult forming coherent sentences. In a shutdown an autistic person might not seem themselves because they're so overwhelmed that their focus has shifted to the basic functions. Watch Ambitious about Autism’s Youth Patrons explain what a shutdown is and how to support someone when it happens.Īn analogy for a shutdown is like a computer trying to turn on but it can't because there isn't enough power to do so.
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