People with autism are often overwhelmed by things like touch, sound and too much light. They are also bored and upset by unexpected events such as changes in routine. Children with autism often have crises to understand or experience socializing with others. During a crisis, a child may scream, behave abnormally, damage some household items, or even respond violently to others. Children with autism can often be aroused, so it is important for parents to know how to calm a child with autism.
Step # 1- Discovering Your Purpose Find out what causes a crisis.
Finding the cause can help you stay away from anything that upsets them. This is important in calming a child with autism. Pay attention to your child and understand the reason for your child's specific behaviors. If parents or teachers are aware of children's motivating factors, they can easily prevent them.
Having a notebook to record the child's stimuli will help you prevent recurrences of the crisis. You can also use a smartphone app to record the events and causes of your child's crisis.
Some common causes of crisis in children with autism are changes or disturbances in the normal daily routine, overstimulation, frustration and communication problems with others.
Regular and daily planning
When there is a daily schedule to follow, the child can predict what will happen in the near future. This helps calm the child with autism.
Video programs can help the child visualize the daily, daily and weekly program.
If you know there will be changes to your daily routine on a particular day, make sure you take the time to prepare your child for those changes. Talk to them first and explain these changes clearly and patiently.
When introducing a new environment to your child, it is best to do it when it is less stimulating. This means taking your child out when there is less noise or less crowds.
Speak clearly with your child
Vocabulary and grammar are the source of frustration for many children with autism. Talk to your child with patience, patience and clarity.
Avoiding shouting or adopting an aggressive or aggressive tone may make the crisis worse.
If verbal communication is difficult for your child, try to communicate through pictures or other forms of AAC.
Remember that communication is two-way. Always listen to your child and show clearly that you value and respect his words. Ask him with a smile if you need clarity to avoid crisis frustration.
Distract your child if needed
When your child is upset, you can distract a child with autism to calm them down. Try to play enthusiastically with a favorite toy, watch a favorite movie, or listen to a favorite song. If possible, do one of your child's interests.
Distractions will not always work. For example, asking questions about certain things in a short period of time may be distracting, but for what he is afraid of and always thinks about, this will not be the right solution.
When the child is calm, it is a good idea to talk to them at this time about what makes them angry or irritated. Ask them what happened and work together to find ways to prevent it from happening again.
To calm a child with autism, change the environment around the child.
Your child may be upset because they are very sensitive and very irritated. When this happens, it is a good idea to move the child to a different environment, or to change the environment to reduce anxiety. (For example: loud music is not on in that place)
For example, if your child experiences a radiant environment as a cause of nervous breakdown, it is best to take your child to a room with an alternative lighting so that you do not have to deal with it.
If the child is in a place where the environment can not be easily changed, take precautions. For example, you can give your child sunglasses (to prevent sensitivity to light) or earplugs (to reduce noise) can be used in public places.
Give your child some space
Sometimes children need time to regroup. Let the child with autism sit for a while to calm him down
Consider safety. Never leave a child alone or unattended in their room. Make sure the child is safe and moving when he or she wants to.
After the crisis, discuss it with your child.
Use a solution-based approach:
Instead of trying to stop or punish your child, talk about ways to prevent a recurrence of the crisis and deal with stress.
The following will lead you to a specific goal:
What causes a crisis in a child (listen patiently).
How to avoid similar situations in the future.
More effective coping strategies (relax, take a deep breath, ask if you can relocate Carry out an escape plan to end the future crisis.
Step 2: Calm the baby with deep pressure
Apply deep pressure
Children with autism often have sensory processing disorders, which can be stressful or even painful. Applying deep pressure relaxes the muscles.
Try to easily wrap your child in a blanket or place him between different blankets. The weight of the blankets puts soothing pressure, but make sure you do not cover your face to prevent them from breathing.
Give your child a deep pressure massage.
Massage is a good way to communicate with your child, when using deep pressure, which may strengthen the parent-child relationship. Place the baby between the legs. Put your hands on the baby's shoulders and apply pressure. Then gently move your hand over her arms and shoulders.
If you do not feel comfortable, consider asking a massage therapist for guidance and taking your child to a professional massage therapist.
Try rubbing with a pillow.
Massage with a pillow by placing the baby on a soft surface such as a pillow or a couch cushion. Allow the child to sit or lie down, then use a second pillow or cushion to apply deep pressure to the pelvis, using the arms and legs slowly.
Never cover the baby's face to prevent accidental suffocation.
Step 3: Special exercises to calm the child with autism
Understand how vestibular stimulation exercises work
The vestibular system helps to balance and sense the surrounding space. Calming a child with autism is done using oscillating movements or gentle shaking with vestibular exercises.
Repetitive movements cause the child to focus on his physical feelings.
Rotate back and forth
Swing the baby and push them gently. Adjust the swing speed so that your baby is calm. If the swing seems to make things worse, stop.
Sit the child in a swivel chair.
Spinning is a stimulant exercise of the vestibular. This activity most likely stops the crisis by distracting the senses, and directs it to the physical sense.
Office chairs work best because they rotate easily.
Make sure the child sits in the chair regularly and gently rotates the chair to avoid injury.
Some children prefer to keep their eyes open, while others may keep them closed.
