As all children are unique, all children with autism are also unique. However, children with autism often are comforted by activities that include deep breathing, deep pressure, quiet, and big motor movements. Because fine motor movement can be challenging for some children with autism, the ability to work their muscles hard is often soothing.
1. A Quiet Space
We all need a little alone time. To help your child calm themselves set up a spot for them to be alone. This doesn’t have to be a big area; oftentimes a spot behind a piece of furniture can serve as a quiet corner. Provide the child with a spot to sit or lay down. Encourage them to take a favorite toy with them, or offer noise-canceling headphones as a way to enjoy a little quiet in their corner.
2. Deep Breathing
Everyone can benefit from a few deep breaths. Adults can count to ten, using 5 beats to inhale and 5 beats to exhale. However, children often need more distractions. Encourage the child to blow bubbles outside or try lighting a candle and have them blow it out for you on a day when they’re having fun. This way, you plant the seed for this activity so you can use it on a rough day.
As your child gets older, they may benefit from a bracelet of prayer or worry beads. Using beads as a form of meditation is common and popular in many religious traditions. By allowing your child to create their own calming ritual with beads they can carry on their person, they can take a quiet, personal break from a stressful situation and find their own calm.
3. Deep Touch
When considering deep touch, it should be noted that there are many children with autism who hate touch and find deep touch to feel as though they are trapped. If touch causes an autistic child discomfort, then deep touch will not work.
However, for some children with autism, sensory limitations mean that a regular hug is either ineffective or off-putting as a method of calming. Deep touch, such as a bear hug that lifts them off the floor, can actually be very soothing to some children with autism. This activity should only be undertaken if the child asks for it, trusts the person, and can define the length of the hug.
This method can be soothing to some children with autism and might cause them to seek out deep touch contact from a parent or teacher when they feel themselves getting upset. By this method, the child learns to be in control of their emotions and find ways to adjust to their feelings before a full-blown meltdown occurs.
4. Detailed Listening
Children with autism can develop obsessive attachments to toys and activities. For example, the connection between autism and trains ties into several methods of calming a child with autism. The visual stimulation of watching a train circle a track can be calming, as can the act of pushing a train. The rhythmic sounds of the wheels on the track may soothe your child.
If you notice your child is getting upset or struggling with a situation, try playing a recording of a train whistle or of the chugging of a train on the tracks. It may be enough to distract them from a meltdown and remind them that they know of ways to soothe themselves.
5. Physical Activity
Some children with autism can calm themselves with hard, deep muscle physical activity. This may mean pushing something heavy across the floor, lifting a weight, or working with a medicine ball.
It must be noted that hard or vigorous forms of physical activity must be monitored. While your child needs physical activity, their behavior can’t put themselves or others in danger, and you’ll need to give them a setting where the hard physical work can’t damage any possessions.
Oftentimes, children with autism need physical touch to help them calm themselves down. Time spent talking to and petting an animal can be very soothing to all humans. Until the child is accustomed to the pet and the pet to the child, be sure to monitor their interaction
