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Dear
Melissa,
Any
ideas to help make the holidays run smoothly for my son with Sensory Processing
Disorder?
Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New
Year's...the holiday season is upon us! The
holidays are a time of big changes in routine for most families. These changes can be particularly difficult
for children with Sensory Processing Disorder. With new foods, new clothes, new smells, new people, new routine…it can
be the perfect recipe for a meltdown! Here
are a few ideas to help set realistic goals & expectations for this holiday
season.
1. Keep to your standard routine as much as
possible.
Great
fluctuations in sleeping habits and meal times can create hungry, cranky, tired
children (and adults!). The more you can
stay with your typical nap, bedtime, and mealtime routine, the better. If your child tends to sleep well in the car,
it may be helpful to plan car trips during nap time or to pack PJs and
toothbrush so that your child can complete the bedtime routine at Grandma’s
house BEFORE you take the long trip home. It may also be helpful to keep healthy
snacks handy if mealtimes get delayed.
2. Consider clothing requirements with holiday
outfits.
Many
children who have tactile defensiveness are defensive toward various
textures/styles of clothing. A child who
only wears sweatpants and t-shirts is not suddenly going to be happy wearing a
button up shirt tucked in with a belt, just because it is Christmas Eve! Consider choosing holiday outfits with softer
fabrics...as close as possible to the style that the child prefers. A happy child in soft khaki pants and a
polo-style shirt looks much more appropriate than a child throwing a tantrum in
a suit. For girls, consider soft cotton
dresses and avoid excess lace, taffeta, tulle, tights, and other scratchy
fabrics. If you have a special outfit in mind that you think may be
troublesome, try having the child wear the special outfit around the house on a
calm afternoon so they can get begin to get used to it in a less stressful
environment. Another good idea is to
purchase 2-3 appropriate outfits (keeping receipts and tags) and let your son
choose his favorite. Again, it is
amazing how a bit of control can greatly improve a child’s compliance!
3. Remember special diets and food allergies.
Make sure you inform all people preparing
food of these restrictions so that you can learn ahead of time what your child
can/can’t eat, and you can bring additional dishes if needed. No one wants to
end up in the ER during the holidays because of a food reaction!
4. Remember your picky eater’s preferences.
In general, it is good to encourage trying
new foods. However, this is NOT the
time. Simply dealing with the change in routine of the holidays is enough. Make sure that there is something on the menu
that your child will eat, or just bring a lunchbox!
5. Consider alternate traditions surrounding
presents.
Many
children with sensory processing disorder love routines and
hate surprises. This often makes the
idea of opening presents very stressful. Some of these children prefer for presents to not be wrapped. Other children prefer to unwrap presents at a
time other than in the middle of the chaos of the holidays.
6. Set realistic expectations for social
interaction with extended family.
A child who has social anxiety won’t suddenly
warm up to Aunt Susan who the child hasn’t seen in 6 months. This can be a source of hurt feelings for
both the parent and the extended family member. If you think this may be a problem, it is
important to let Aunt Susan know that her nephew has difficulties with social
skills, and this is an area that you all are presently working on. But then actually work on it! Consider having your child practice an
appropriate greeting (such as a “high five”) prior to family arriving and role
play how he should interact with various family members.
7. Set realistic expectations surrounding holiday
ceremonies.
Consider how long your child can reasonably sit in one location, the
level of noise involved, how crowded the situation will be, what will be your
escape strategy, etc. A little planning
can help set your child up for success.
8. Designate a quiet “safe zone.”
This can be a quiet closet, inside tent, or
bedroom away from all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday. Line the space with blankets, pillows, and
stuffed animals and allow for quiet music and soft lights. Ideally, this is NOT a space for electronics,
as they can be too stimulating. More
appropriate activities for this space include books, fidget toys, or
coloring. Your child should be allowed
to go to this space anytime they feel overwhelmed by the chaos of the holidays.
(Don’t we all wish we had a space like this!)
9. Create a social story.
Your speech therapist or occupational
therapist can help with this. A social
story is simply a story that you create with your child to describe a
setting and/or task of particular difficulty. This story book depicts a situation with your child as the main
character and then describes the proper way to act. These stories work because they help inform the child concerning expectations and proper responses to the situation. The story is stronger if it contains pictures
of the child being successful in these situations.
With a little planning and preparation, the
holidays
CAN be an enjoyable time for everyone!
CAN be an enjoyable time for everyone!
What holiday survival tips have worked for your
family?
I would love to hear your tips/ideas!
I would love to hear your tips/ideas!
You can send questions to share@ChildrensTherapyTEAM.com
Resources:
4 Tips for Preparing your Child with Autism for Holiday Celebrations, Huffington Post
Holiday tips for Children with Autism,Siblings, Psychology Today
