Everyone has their moments of feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. While it’s normal to have these emotions, how do you cope? If you have a child, then you know the importance of teaching healthy ways of coping with emotional breakdowns, anxiety, and stress. However, this may look different if you have a child with autism. This is because some children with ASD have trouble communicating their needs or wants.
Every child is different, with a complex list of interests, strengths, and areas of opportunity for growth—including children with autism. It will take time to observe and try different techniques to best support your child. What are some good ways to start? Here are four of the best self-soothing methods for children with ASD.
Use Sensory Items
Sensory toys and objects are a great way to self-console during stress, frustration, or other overwhelming feelings. These items range from sunglasses to spinner toys to weighted blankets to slime! Using sensory items can take your child’s mind off the stressor and calm them down. It would help if you could offer a variety of toys and other comfort items they can use in any setting.
Sing the Stress Away
When in doubt, sing it out! If you notice the signs of an impending meltdown, sing a song that brings them comfort and ask them to join. Singing in a calmer tone can aid in regulating their emotions and making them feel comfortable. Adding hand gestures and dance moves to the song can also help your child feel better.
Verbalize Their Emotions
For some children with autism, verbalizing their emotions and wants can be challenging. However, talking out your feelings can be a great self-soothing method for children with autism. Try to read your child’s emotions and put a name to them. Many things change as children with autism get older, and parents should help them learn to address their emotions. This is a great skill that can benefit your child for years to come.
Take a Deep Breath and Count to 10
Whenever emotions are high, one of the best things to do is take a deep breath and count to 10. Teach your child various breathing techniques whenever they feel big emotions coming. Remind them that they can do these breathing exercises anytime, anywhere! Whether excited, happy, sad, or frustrated, they can practice these techniques to ground themselves. Counting to 10 while doing these soothing exercises can calm their breathing and mind, giving them something else to focus on.
Take the time to teach your child various self-regulating techniques to help them regulate their emotions. This is a great way to foster emotional intelligence, allowing them to manage, understand, and use their feelings throughout their adolescence and adulthood. For more tips on the world of motherhood, check out the That’s Total Mom Sense podcast today.
