Others are bothered by the loud hum of air conditioners or the blare of clerks calling to each other over the intercom. For some people with autism, fluorescent lighting is a trigger. Are there certain sights, sounds or situations that tend to produce to a meltdown? You might try visiting the store without your son with an eye for such triggers. In fact, the same goes for you! Being tired tends to shorten everyone’s tolerance. It can greatly increase your son’s chances of success if you make sure he’s well rested before the outing. This can be as simple as time to play with a favorite toy or game with you. It can help to schedule one of your child’s favorite activities following the shopping trip and together enter it on the day’s schedule. Or invite him to add it at the specified time. So on the morning of a shopping trip – or even the night before – sit down with your child as you add a shopping trip to the schedule. Ī morning review of the day’s activities can help your child gain a sense of where he’s going and what he’ll be doing.
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Learn more about visual supports and download the Autism Speaks ATN/AIR-P Visual Supports Tool Kit. Visual schedules are particularly helpful, and the Autism Speaks visual supports guide can help you make one. Many children – and adults – on the autism spectrum greatly benefit from having a clear schedule for the day ahead. At this point, try to incorporate these trips into a regular routine – but always with fair warning – so your child can learn to expect them. Reward any degree of success with praise and perhaps a small prize or favorite activity.Īs you sense your child is getting more comfortable with the short trips, gradually increase the length of time that the two of you are in the store. When you feel your child is ready to make an actual trip to the store, I suggest starting with a short trip and small purchase. You might even take a virtual drive to the store using Google Maps. Sit down and look at the pictures and/or watch the video together so your son can become familiar with the new environment.
This approach is particularly useful for preparing your child to accompany you to a new store. If that’s not available, consider visiting the store on your own to take pictures and/or a cell-phone video. You and your son may be able to take a virtual tour of the store on the store’s website. Whenever possible, I strongly recommend letting him know ahead of time where he is going and what he can expect.
This means resisting the understandable temptation to try to sneak a quick shopping trip into your son’s day. Research and experience tells us that “knowing what to expect” helps children with autism cope with potentially stressful situations. Ideally, you’ll also have the guidance of a behavioral therapist skilled in working with children who have autism.
These strategies involve time and patience. So I’m so pleased for this opportunity to share a few meltdown-prevention strategies that, when practiced ahead of time, can help promote a calmer shopping experience.īut when I say “ahead of time,” I don’t mean right before you head to the store. This, in turn, can contribute to isolation for the whole family. Unfortunately, this prompts many families to avoid taking children with autism to public places unless absolutely necessary. The abundance of sights, sounds, crowds and other sensory stimuli can easily trigger challenging behaviors that seem near-impossible to handle in a public place. For good reason, outings such as shopping can be particularly challenging for families who have children with autism. You are far from alone in this challenge.
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Today’s “Got Questions?” answer is by Lucia Murillo, Autism Speaks’ assistant director of education research.Įditor’s note: The following information is not meant to diagnose or treat and should not take the place of personal consultation, as appropriate, with a qualified healthcare professional and/or behavioral therapist. “How can I help my child avoid meltdowns at the store? Everything is okay with him until he gets into the store.”
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