When Sensory Sensitivities Affect Self-Care Autistic children are overstimulated by input - sensory, emotional, information, and demands - so they spend a lot of energy trying to navigate a traffic jam of processing. They are often overwhelmed by having their nails cut, hair cut, hair shampooed, or other care tasks. Remember: Input plus Traffic Jam of Processing plus Increased Force and Demands Equals Resistance, Meltdowns, and Reactions So what we need to do is: Input plus Traffic Jam of Processing plus Calm Compassion plus Reduced Demands plus Recovery Time plus Lets Figure Out a Solution Together Equals Success 1. Understand that Sensory Sensitivities Are Real Our children arent being controlling or defiant. They feel overwhelming input from the physical act of self-care. Sensory input can be so overwhelming that they go into fight/flight/freeze. Their brain goes into survival mode because it feels under attack. Autism is a disability. It is not a child trying to get their way. It is a child who feels so overwhelmed by the physical feeling that its as if they need to defend their very life. If we intensify our emotions or try to use force, it only makes it worse. Not only is the physical and psychological experience worse for your child, but it wears down the connection. Your child will feel more distrust of their environment and of your actions. So reduce the demands of your voice, tone, demands, or emotions. 2. Break Tasks Into Steps We dont have to do everything at once. Reducing the number of self-care steps in one day reduces the load. If youre washing your childs hair, dont also cut their nails. But not just sensory issues around self-care. They may also need to have reduced demands in general on the day of a self-care task - like no school or reduced school day, more downtime, no supermarket, etc. If you need to cut your childs nails, for example, you can cut only one nail a day. There is no rule that says you have to cut all of them at once. Or you can break toothbrushing down into four parts and do one part at different times of day. Reduce the actual tasks into the smallest steps possible. 3. Include Their Interests Involve your childs interests as much as possible. Dont use it as a bribe or a reward because external motivators dont last long and wear our connection down. Rather, use their interests as a way that they can distract themselves from the overwhelming physical input. Use videos, audio, physical objects, and talk about their favorite things. Engage them in a lively discussion about their interests. Ask questions, wonder out loud about possibilities, engage their curiosity. 4. Play Games Your child is anxious about the physical input and about their loss of ability to defend themselves from a physical onslaught. You can help relieve their anxiety by playing through their fears. Find a fun connection game to release the fears, before, during and after the task. For example, if a child has problems with their nails being cut, tell them youre going to play a Nail Cutting game. You can use the nail clippers in the game, but only if this doesnt frighten your child, otherwise substitute your hands or a giant version, like a grabber or tongs. Make the game an anticipation game, allowing your child to see you and to tell you to freeze. Sneak up on the very slowly, in their full sight, while they sit or stand in place. Say, Im going to get you, or something playful. And when you finally reach them, playfully tickle or use physical contact that they enjoy - just the right kind of pressure, touch, as in play wrestling. Then back off and do it again. This sounds like a game for younger child, but it is a game of connection and release of fears for every age. Invent your own game around these overstimulating tasks - like Volcano Lava Nail Clippers - in which the nail clippers are the bad guys or the hero. Give your child their own set of nail clippers - toy or safety set if youre worried about safety. Encourage them to cut the nails of a stuffed animal, doll, plant, or paper doll. Let them be in control of the nail clippers as much as possible. 5. Provide Recovery Time After the self-care task, make sure to spend time with your child with no demands or directing, just hanging out, playing or enjoying their interests. They need this time for their body and brain to recover. And they need this time reconnecting with you. 6. Talk About The Challenge and Solutions At a time when you are not doing the self-care task, and when your child is not under stress, talk about the particular task that is challenging. Do a Thought Bubble drawing with them, showing the task, and asking what they feel or think when it happens. This is not a task to explain to them right or wrong ways to feel or to act, but a way to explore their challenges and their sensory processing. You can do Thought Bubble, or puppets, stuffed animals, or dolls, or re-enact the task yourself - whatever works for your child. Talk about different things that bother you and what youve had to do. Wonder aloud about possible solutions - the more you can think of the better. Ask your child if they have any solutions and what they might choose to do. Remember that the more support we can give our child around these very difficult challenges, the less frustration and fear they feel, the more supported they feel, and the better your connection. Everyone wins.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 14:43:44 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015