Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
By Guest Writer: Amanda Henderson ⎸amanda@safechildren.info
The Autism Society reports that a full one percent of children around the world lies somewhere on the autism spectrum, with an autism-positive diagnosis for 1 in every 54 children in the United States. Knowing that the outside world appears as one of hyper-connectivity to your autistic child makes it even more important that you create a home where they feel safe and that is designed to help them flourish. This entails creating an environment of familiar routines and one that is customized to mitigate against the particular stimuli that tend to overwhelm your child.
Despite the prevalence of autism in the U.S. and continuing education past high school, teens with autism are still well behind the accomplishments of their non-autistic peers. Leveling educational opportunities for all disabilities is critical to tap into the world’s pool of human talent. Bookmark traviselearning.net for our progress and developments in accessible instructional design that can benefit your special needs student.
Noise is everywhere
To a child with autism, noise can be prevalent everywhere. That fluorescent light bulb you just changed? If soon after your child is having meltdowns for no apparent reason other than you turning on that light with the new bulb, change it out with a non-fluorescent version and see if that solves the issue — those bulb types are primary culprits for noise sensitivity from lighting.
Your everyday appliances may also be noisy offenders to your autistic child. Washers, dryers, dishwashers, garbage disposals, and vacuum cleaners seem likely culprits, but even the background “hum” of the refrigerator or a ceiling fan can be distracting to them. If you are building or remodeling your home, consider adding another layer of drywall for additional soundproofing. Carpet, cork, or vinyl can absorb sound better than wood or other types of hard flooring and installation doesn’t require a large remodeling effort.
Regardless of your efforts, however, you may not be 100% effective 100% of the time. Particularly if there are other non-autistic children at home, you have to balance their needs with those of your child with autism — for example, if they need to be home-schooled or are watching a video or television program. That’s why it’s a good idea to have high-quality, noise-canceling headphones to limit distractions both at home and in other environments. You’ll find that everyone in the household will appreciate the peace these investments create as they add a layer of quiet comfort to your autistic child’s world.
Colors and comfort
Updating your color to an autism-friendly palette is also an easy feature to accomplish without investing a lot of time or money. Hues of blues, greens, and lighter grays are usually safe choices, but if possible, let your child help pick the colors so you can see their reactions, especially for their bedroom. At night, red night lights may induce sleep while providing just enough glow for some visibility should your child need to get out of bed during the night. Be sure you help your child pick out a mattress that is well-suited to their sleep tendencies, as well.
In general, try to keep your home as free of clutter as possible, and be mindful of things within reach of your child that can be tipped over, spilled, unrolled, undone, or removed. This may mean a home without plants or many things on countertops that are within easy reach of adults and non-autistic household members. If you have the space, consider creating a dedicated “sensory room” for your child with autism that is filled with safe objects for them to maneuver and play with.
Practice and patience
As well as you know your child, you cannot know or understand all of the sensitive processes that are going on in their brain. Some you just become used to — and then a new reaction appears or one you are expecting disappears. Encourage those living in your household to take advantage of learning resources, particularly if your special needs child is engaged in instructional online learning at home. Your child’s online learning environment should be as inclusive, accessible, and welcoming as your home.