Helping Families of Clients With Autism Handle the Holidays

Many parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report the holiday season as a time filled with stress and anxiety instead of festive fun. Changes in routine, family gatherings and new experiences increase frustration and set the scene for meltdowns—from children and parents alike! Speech-language pathologists use many techniques to set up clients with ASD for success. Try suggesting some of these tried-and-true methods to caregivers to help set up a smooth season.  SLPs prepare clients for social success. We prepare our clients for new situations by helping them create social stories about their expected behaviors. We can help parents to write these stories, too. Advise them to use simple sentence structures and include descriptions of the setting, people attending and appropriate social behaviors. More on helping families handle the holidays: 10 (Non-Tech) Holiday Gift Ideas to Promote Kids’ Language, Learning Tips to prepare clients for a season full of social and sensory stimuli, plus communication and behavioral challenges. Season’s Treating: Using Winter Holiday Traditions in Intervention Build an Inclusive Speech Room If You Give My Picky Eater Some Turkey… SLPs practice effective communication. We help clients communicate important messages. Performing a skill once, however, doesn’t mean they mastered it. Parents can help their child practice identifying situations or times that might cause anxiety and frustration. They can also practice sele...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Tags: Speech-Language Pathology Augmentative Alternative Communication Autism Spectrum Disorder Early Intervention Feeding Disorders Language Disorders Source Type: blogs