Supporting Children with Autism during the Coronavirus Outbreak

by Laura Denyel

Tips for developing routines, schedules and an emergency plan:

  • Develop an emergency plan
  • Develop a daily routine and schedule
  • Consider the environmental arrangement
  • Continue working toward goals


During the coronavirus crisis, several families have kids with syndrome spectrum disorder face the suspension of each faculty and essential services that their kid’s area unit wont to receiving. in addition, kids with syndrome might have problem adjusting to changes in their routine and surroundings. though totally different states and districts area unit handling these things in an exceedingly sort of ways in which and each family’s wants area unit distinctive, there area unit some common beginning points for folks to think about as we tend to all comply with this “new traditional.”

Develop an emergency plan

Think safety first! several oldsters might have already got AN emergency set up and a solid network of supports they need counted on to assist them, however as news, health standing and precautions amendment daily, it's vital to re-evaluate one’s set up. 

Consider

  • Supervision and caregivers- Would your kid stick with and wherever if a primary caregiver were hospitalized or otherwise physically ill/quarantined?
  •  An emergency plan placed in a plain spot within the home. this could embrace updated contact data enclose emergency personnel have to be compelled to get the house and want data quickly. The set up will have photos with names of individuals with associated phone numbers and pertinent data thereon. This data ought to even be shared with shut contacts and people concerned within the set up (such as suppliers, relations members, sure neighbors, etc.)
  • Regular check-ins: establish and coordinate with a family or community member to check in with the first caregiver and/or kid on an everyday basis. Then, if an everyday check in is not possible, that person has AN emergency plan to follow.

Available resources: Fathom accessible resources just like the syndrome Response Team, that is approachable by phone at 888-AUTISM 888.288.4762) or by email at help@autismspeaks.org. If you’re around Kuala Lumpur area and its surroundings, ODDS Autism Consultancy is highly recommended for their tailored care and assistance, contactable at +60 17 4654 038, Mr. Mark Royston.

Develop a daily routine and schedule

For children with ASD, amendment and new routines will be onerous. Your solutions are totally different betting on what is smart for your family without delay, however the maximum amount as you'll be able to, it is useful to use constant varieties of reward systems and behavior plans that your kid relied on before coronavirus. To determine a schedule that is a manageable reception, have a begin time and alternative cues that the day has begun. Continue routines like hygiene, obtaining dressed and organizing materials required for the day. This may maintain the apply of activities of daily living and supply cues for various elements of the day. As activities and days pass, give a chance to envision off or otherwise indicate completed activities and tasks.

Build off older or existing routines

Contact lecturers and suppliers and see what schedules they need. it's probably they have already got a visible schedule in place; raise them to send you photos of what they use to represent totally different subject or activity times. they'll even have words or terms they use certainly times of day (for example perhaps they need a special selected “Reading” time, that you may otherwise decision “English.”) Incorporate physical breaks, as well as fine/gross motor activities. Use an activity your kid likes to include physical breaks throughout the day. Schedule in breaks for yourself. Taking care of a toddler 24/7 with no support of a community and faculty places even a lot of responsibility on a parent.  Schedule breaks throughout the day once your child’s schedule permits it. As an example, you may consider some activities they will do alone. Or, if attainable, have another caregiver take over. throughout this point off, be intentional concerning what you may do. Schedules do not need to be fancy. Work with what you have got in your home to form a schedule that incorporates a visual part (like photos or drawings). Tape and Post-it’s on a wall work conjointly well. The foremost vital issue is to develop a transparent structure and routine that the kid understands. Place the schedule in an easy-to-access place and guide your kid through it day after day. 

Be realistic and patient.

It will take a while for you and your kid to induce wont to it. undergo it many times every morning and throughout the day and preview future day. Remember the ABCs of behavior and behavior plans. originated a transparent system that has immediate, tangible rewards when the completion of a desired behavior. this may be exhausted tiny steps like First-Then (e.g., presentation for ten minutes, then one minute of YouTube). Or they will be a lot of advanced, like earning points throughout the day that add up to an exact menu of rewards at the tip of the day like screen time, cuddle time or a recreational activity of their selection.

Here’s a sample of what a schedule will seem like. you'll be able to add your own activities and photos pro re natal. And keep in mind, {this is this is often this will be} only 1 plan — it’s vital to line realistic expectations for what you and your family can manage without delay. Any little bit of structure helps, however there’s no got to aim for perfection!

7:30am – Wake Up:  Breakfast, shower, dress, brush teeth

8:30am – Faculty Start: Create faculty day schedule supported assignments in virtual room

10:30am – Movement Break:  Dance break, yoga, short walk outside, stretching

12:00pm – Lunch: create and eat lunch

1:30pm – Faculty End/Reward Break: will endure social media, speak with friends

3:00pm – Exercise:  Walk outside, exercise video, visit the park, yoga

4:00pm – Free Time (No Screens):  Reading, puzzles, games, rest, drawing, crafts, cooking

7:00pm – Dinner:  Family time for dinner

7:30pm – Free Time (Screens Allowed):  TV, video games, reading, art, talking with friends

9:30pm – Prepare for Bed:  Nighttime routine

Consider the environmental arrangement

In addition to making a schedule, {try to| attempt to| try and} foster surroundings that works for you and your kid.

Try to produce totally different activity zones. put aside elements of the room for educational activities, eating, recreation and sleep. If you can, designate provides and storage also. a toddler will still be expected to stay their assignment within their backpack and place it in the front of the house every evening. If your kid has robust tactile sensory interests, keep several sensory toys that they will move with in an exceedingly specific space. This way, you'll be able to make certain that these toys area unit often change, and you'll be able to teach your kid what things they must and will not get sensory input from. Having physical reminders and prompts, also as incorporating physical movement (having to induce up and place various things in numerous places), will increase activity.

Promote social communication and private independence.

This encourages kids to by choice communicate their desires. At constant time, if you would like your kid to continue active skills (for example, creating their own lunch), increase quick access by going away materials inside simple reach or putting in clear labels and stations for them.

Practice new concepts throughout low-stakes moments. It will take time to regulate to all or any these changes. To start out, strive throughout the weekend or sometimes once demands area unit low to apply implementing a number of these concepts. Preview and discuss what these changes are together with your kid before starting. One amendment could be what quantity access a toddler should their parent throughout the day. consider times you're accessible and times you're not. Indicate these on a visible schedule and use visual cues. victimization traffic lights or alternative visual signals will facilitate your kid learn once you are responsive and once you won’t. Don’t expect these new systems to figure quickly. Apply them throughout low-stakes times (not right before your important work call), and reward compliance forthwith.

Set clear limits on once technology will be used

 Screens could also be a necessity as several resources area unit attending to be accessed via phones, computers and tablets. Get to understand useful applications that limit access to non-academic material at bound times. Use visual cues and schedules for once technology will be used and for what purpose.

Continue operating toward goals

It is particularly onerous that useful therapies and interventions could be paused or otherwise interrupted. However, there are unit a great deal of choices to assist continue creating progress reception throughout this point. simply because in-school or community-based services have stopped, it doesn't mean services and progress must be compelled to. begin with tiny steps:

Contact your service suppliers

Several supplier’s area unit still giving services via telehealth through the utilization of video and phone conferencing. Reach out and see if they're. If they're not, raise if they recognize anyone World Health Organization is. Have calls with the suppliers to run you thru the goals and see however you'll be able to regulate your home surroundings and daily routines to stay performing on them.

Use your network

Contact alternative oldsters and support teams to envision however they're extending their services within the home. they'll recognize of suppliers World Health Organization area unit operating via telehealth and might give you with those resources, too.

Still would like to facilitate or need specific consultation? Reach ODDS Autism Consultancy and see their team of highly recommended specialists, contactable at +60 17 4564 038, Mr. Mark Royston.

#MOJOKitabySM , #SuaraMasyarakat #CommunityVoices #pandemicsurvivalguide #pandemic #autism #supportingautism 

Disclaimer: This MOJO content was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, Internews,or SOLS 247 or NGOhub.

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