All children have their fair share of meltdowns. After all, they are just tiny humans navigating through an abundance of new experiences. Children with autism can struggle more often with challenging behaviors, particularly in new or public places. Restaurants, stores and other public places or events can overstimulate and induce stress in autistic kids, contributing to meltdowns or other difficult moments. These situations can become upsetting and overwhelming to parents or other caregivers, making the atmosphere even more tense. Luckily, there are strategies you can put into play to help manage these scenarios more effectively to shift to more positive experiences.
Prepare Ahead Of Time
One of the best ways to prevent something from happening is simply to prepare. Before even leaving your home, try the following methods to ease your child into the situation:
Set Expectations: Explain clearly and simply what is going to happen. For example, “We are going to the grocery store. When we get inside, we will walk together to get what we need for dinner. Then we will pay and head back home.”
Use Visual Aids: Some children communicate better with something called a social story. Using photos or written words, explain where you’re going or what will be happening in a way that helps them know what to expect.
Bring A Comfort Item: Allowing your child to bring a familiar item - a stuffed animal, fidget toy, small blanket - can give them a stronger sense of security.
Offer Choices: Choices allow a child to feel more in control of a situation, easing anxiety. For example, “Should we get milk first or eggs?”
Use Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is a pillar of ABA Therapy, and is a great way to encourage more appropriate behavior in all aspects of a child’s life. When your child is following the given expectations, be sure to acknowledge it with praise, such as “You’re doing an amazing job holding my hand as we walk through the store!” Small rewards following good behavior, such as a sticker or small toy, can also reinforce positive behavior in public.
Plan For All Scenarios
Sometimes, no amount of preparation can stop unfortunate behaviors from taking place. Create a plan to implement in case your child becomes too overstimulated, mapped out with precise methods to use to diffuse the situation. Having a structured plan already in mind will help keep you calm and collected to manage things efficiently.
Stay Calm: Give yourself a moment to collect yourself, take a deep breath, and address your child in a neutral, reassuring tone of voice.
Redirect & Distract: If possible, engage your child in a new conversation or activity to attempt to shift their focus and attention.
Take A Break: Find a quiet area to relax and regroup. Your child may just need a bit of time away from the excitement.
Work On Coping Skills
Work on helping your child develop self-regulation skills that work well for them, helping improve the success rate of outings over time.
Deep Breathing: Learn simple breathing exercises together that can be used in moments of overwhelm.
Calm Down Plan: Create a step-by-step plan on how to calm down during times of frustration in public. Do this with your child and incorporate their preferred coping skills, discussing and practicing frequently.
Role-Play: Practice common scenarios at home to prepare them for real-life situations in a more comfortable, non-threatening way. This is a good time to go over and practice the calm down plan mentioned above.
Know When To Walk Away
There are times that no amount of effort is going to diffuse a situation, and that’s okay! When things become overwhelming, it’s completely acceptable to leave - you can always try again another time. Reflect on the dynamics that may have caused a negative response and come up with solutions to ease their anxiety the next time.
Seek Professional Guidance
Children that often struggle with public situations may benefit from professional guidance through ABA Therapy. An ABA therapist can provided strategies that are custom to your child, intended to address specific behaviors while considering their unique strengths and challenges. ABA Therapy helps identify triggers, teach coping mechanisms and use personalized behavior plans to improve experiences in community settings, educational settings and even at home.
If you are currently struggling with handing challenging behaviors in public, don’t be discouraged. Patience and preparation, combined with consistency and practice, can lead to a more successful experience navigating outings. In the meantime, it’s okay to do what’s best for your child and yourself and skip out on unnecessary events or outings while you’re learning more about your child’s needs.
If you’re looking for personalized strategies for your child, working with an ABA therapist like those at Bloom Behavioral Healthcare can help provide valuable support tailored to your family’s needs. Contact us today to learn more!
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