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Observing this rough school adjustment period for students with autism year after year since 1974 has taught me several valuable lessons, one of which is to avoid trying to make everything perfect for these youngsters.
Our instincts compel us to make plans for weeks in advance to smooth out every possible challenge a young student with autism might possibly encounter. Granted, we want to help youngsters adapt to new settings gradually, but, in the long run, we don’t do them any favor by removing all challenges.

Here are a few strategies that have worked for some of my friends with autism during the first few months of school as they struggle with transition to a new classroom situation. Keep in mind that every single person has different challenges and different preferences, so adapt to fit the needs of any specific student.

+ Celebrate the new. If our youngsters with autism are particularly upset about leaving their previous school and teachers behind, we certainly want to acknowledge that and give them time and space to grieve and even be angry. At the same time, we can set the tone for the new classroom by speaking positively about the upcoming year. Again, without too much fanfare, we can chat about events in the upcoming week and make positive comments about the new school and teachers and students.

+ Allow for adjustment. When behavior issues escalate at the beginning of a school year, we are likely to trace the cause to our friend’s intolerance for change since transition is challenging for many individuals with autism. Given those circumstances, teachers and parents might want to allow for an adjustment period and balance expectations for appropriate behavior with the need for patience on our part during the first several days or weeks or months of school.

TIP FOR THE DAY: We can inadvertently contribute to the transition problems by our words and actions. In most cases, the challenging behavior attached to transition decreases as the youngster with autism adjusts to the new place, new people, and new daily routine. It can actually be counterproductive in the long-run to try to remove all the challenges or to make the road so smooth that our friends with autism do not ever experience the frustrations of transition to a new school. Sometimes our best strategy is to relax and help them slowly adjust to he new setting.

I encourage you to take time to explore new approaches for addressing challenging issues that can arise in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website for practical, to-the-point resources with workbooks and audio discussion. Our website is http://FAQautism.com

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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Most fifth grade students like recess because it is unstructured free time. But my friend with autism tells me that she feels lost and at loose ends. “I like a schedule,” she said. “All the other kids like to sit around and talk or play some soccer or something random, but I like to have a plan.” Free time is refreshing for many people, but stress increases for this youngster with autism since she feels at loose ends.

Many fifth grade girls are sensitive to other girls in the group – their opinions, their conversations, and their selection of friends. My friend is rather oblivious to all the social issues that are so important to other youngsters her age. Her preference to sit alone under a tree or walk around the playground alone is often interrupted by well-meaning teachers and other adults who spend a great deal of time encouraging her to interact with her classmates during recess. Although the adults are concerned about her being alone, they may not realize that is actually her preference.

This conversation with my fifth grade friend with autism sheds light on some of her opinions about free time events like recess. Future podcasts will provide some strategies for helping youngsters learn to tolerate recess and other free time activities, but the purpose of this podcast is to raise awareness of the unique perspectives often encountered by individuals with autism – perspectives that can be contrary to what we consider common sense.

It is easy to draw false conclusions when we see a child sitting alone or refusing to participate in less-structured activities during recess with their peers. We might assume they are pouting or feeling left out or being uncooperative and anti-social. But in reality, they may literally prefer to spend time alone.

TIP FOR THE DAY: Individuals with autism often have different opinions, choices, and preferences from their peers. Rather than imposing our preferences or assuming the worst, we might want to take time to know the person so we can avoid jumping to conclusions.

It is also wise to take time to explore new approaches for addressing challenging issues that can arise in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website for great resources; http://FAQautism.com

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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Some individuals with autism like to wear only a certain style or color of clothing, or like our high-school super fan, clothing with one theme. With just a few exceptions, this type of preference does not pose any particular challenges as long as family members, teachers, bosses, and other folks don’t make it an issue.

The problem arises when a person literally wants to wear the same clothes every single day, or if they won’t give up clothes or shoes after years of wear. Even if a person wears the same size for years on end, clothes and shoes eventually wear out. So, what are some options that caregivers can implement if they face this dilemma?

1. Buy two of everything. If a person will only wear a certain navy sweatshirt or a certain pair of sneakers, then purchase two or three sets and rotate them every two or three days.
2. Forget style. Don’t worry about what other people think.
3. Avoid extreme styles. When children are young, try to avoid extreme styles so you don’t run the risk of your youngster latching onto that style for several decades. You probably don’t want your daughter still wearing frilly pink pinafores when she is twenty-three.
4. Tolerate the transition. When clothes and shoes literally fall apart, we have no choice but to replace them. We just need to be prepared to tolerate the meltdowns that sometimes occur when old favorites must be replaced.
5. Ease into change. We can sometimes ease the transition by introducing a new pair of shoes several months before replacement is critical. The shoes may be more familiar and acceptable if they’ve been visible in the closet for several months and if they have lost the “new shoe” smell. New clothing is usually more easily acceptable if it has been washed several times and has been in sight for several months. One adult friend with autism said that he still has an extreme aversion to shopping for new clothes, so it helps him if a family member shops for clothes and runs them through the washer several times before putting them in his closet.
6. Keep souvenirs. If the person simply will not part with old favorites, put outgrown shoes or tattered pants in a zip lock bag as a souvenir. You can make a throw pillow out of patches of favorite shirts. Take a snapshot of your youngster wearing their old favorites.

We welcome your stories about favorite clothing and ideas for dealing with this potentially challenging issue. Just click on the comment button or send us an e-mail – talk@FAQautism.com

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

Published on: Mar 7, 2008

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In reality, there are different tiers of loudness and quietness in our lives. Most of the time, we can tolerate a bit of talking and other noise at home, at school, and in the community. Sometimes we simply need people to talk softly when we are listening to the news or conversing with other people. In a few select situations, it is necessary for people to be very quiet and to make very few, if any, sounds. For example, testing situations at school usually require total silence. Because some people with autism will not pick up on social cues in different settings, they may need help learning what levels of noise are appropriate for different situations.

It is more helpful to specifically describe what level of conversation is required rather than just generally saying, “be quiet.” For example, if people just need to lower the volume a bit, we can say something like, “Please talk softly while I talk on the telephone.” On the other hand, if we are at a concert or other event that requires total silence, we can say, “Please listen very quietly. Make no sounds until we stand up at the end of the concert. No sounds, please.”

We must, of course, make certain our expectations are reasonable. If a friend with autism murmurs or hums repetitively, it is unreasonable to expect them to be totally quiet. The same is true with individuals with autism who tend to repeat phrases or to occasionally shout out or make random sounds. Under those circumstances, we cannot expect a person to be totally silent for an extended period of time, so we need to either avoid those situations or to be prepared to tolerate some verbalizations and sounds.

Keep in mind that we only make matters worse by reacting to sounds with a loud “shhhhh.” It is usually better to develop a quiet, unobtrusive system for reminding folks to be quiet. For example, I use a small card printed with the words, “Quiet, please” or a picture symbol of a person signing “quiet” to use as a reminder during a sermon at church or while at plays or concerts. Some teachers and parents use the “red, yellow, green” symbols of a traffic light to help children know if they can make noises freely (green), or if they should keep the noise level down (yellow), or if they should be totally silent (red).

We welcome your ideas for helping communicate different levels of loudness. Just click on the comments button or send us an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

Published on: Jun 23, 2010

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Autism Speaks, founded in February 2005 by Bob and Suzanne Wright, grandparents of a child with autism, has grown into the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. The web address is http://autismspeaks.org

Recently, Autism Speaks invited the public to submit questions to their science team about autism research. They received over 3,000 questions in a short period of time, making it impossible to answer every single question. But they did combine the question topics and provided answers to seven most frequently asked questions. I encourage you to click on this link to see the answers the science team at Autism Speaks provided on their website:

http://bit.ly/9muWxE

The questions addressed by Autism Speaks in this link are:
1. Are you finding that autism is increasing at the same/similar pace worldwide?
2. Is there empirical evidence that parental age is a contributing factor to giving birth to a child with autism?
3. Has the rate of autism truly increased in the last 50 years or so or is it just that the classification of autism has gotten broader and as such the prevalence seems larger?
4. Any link between vaccines and autism? Put this issue to rest once and for all, one way or the other.
5. How can families participate in research studies?
6. Are you aware of any research being done on diet and its affect on children w/ autism? If so, what has been learned?
7. Why is autism more common in boys?

As you read information from Autism Speaks and other respected sources of data-based information about autism, remember the opening sentence of this podcast: “Autism is complex.” Given that complexity, it is literally impossible to apply the findings of any research study to every single individual with autism. But, scientific research does uncover evidence and discover trends that can be helpful to all of us as we strive to improve the quality of life of our friends with autism.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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1. This mom had a great idea for using duct tape to alleviate anxiety for her daughter when using a public restroom. Mom wrote, “Almost all the toilets have electric eye flusher systems – and the anxiety of it flushing when she wasn’t “ready” made her a wreck and me too – so I would tape over the electric eye while she was in the stall & then remove it when she was done.”

2. This mom also recommended duct tape for emergency repairs. If something breaks, you can fix it quickly and without fanfare. And I’m convinced duct tape has magic properties, i.e. somehow broken items stay together until you can get home and get a “real” repair job done.

3. Over the years, I’ve noticed the therapeutic qualities of duct tape. If one of my friends with autism gets anxious or frustrated, I stick a small piece of duct tape on the knee of their jeans or tennis shoes or even the palms of their hands. Repetitively sticking and unsticking the duct tape often distracts my friend and diffuses their distress.

TIP FOR THE DAY: I’ve noticed that duct tape comes in colors now, but, for some reason, I still like the traditional silver color. I keep a small roll in a ziplock bag with a small pair of scissors to get the tape going so I can tear off a bit easily.

Duct tape is handy, and so are our new FAQautism.com Toolkits. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website to check out these great resources; http://FAQautism.com

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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At least a week before school starts, parents of a youngster with autism who is attending a different school this fall might want to ask a counselor or other staff member to give their child an informal, low-key, personalized “welcome tour” helping them learn the location of their book locker and gym locker and classes. It would be good to help them pre-plan their daily route so they can get from class to class on time with all the necessary supplies and books.

Purposeful, casual, one-to-one instruction about some of the school traditions, procedures, and expected behaviors would certainly make transition MUCH smoother for individuals with autism, many of whom are visual learners and simply may not process all the verbal instructions given during orientation in a large all-school assembly.

So, before the first day of school, make arrangements for a “welcome tour” to help students with autism learn about (1) emergency drills and procedures, (2) expected behavior during morning announcements, (3) location of restrooms, (4) expected behavior in the hallways between classes and during classes (5) procedure for riding the school bus, (6) lunchroom procedures, (7) expected behavior during pep rally and other group gatherings, (8) procedures for dressing out in gym class, and (9) who to contact with questions or problems. I encourage parents to tag along if appropriate so they can help remind their youngster of the new routines if needed.

We welcome your input. Share challenges and ideas based on your experiences or intuition. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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I remember one young lady who did not understand the implications of a “Traditions Rally” on the first day of high school. In keeping with one of the long-standing school traditions, everyone walked around the school seal on the floor in the lobby in memory of fallen soldiers from their high school. Needless to say, everyone was horrified the next morning when they saw this young freshman standing in the middle of the school seal the next day, holding her back pack, and looking up at the sky light in the dome high above the seal.

This attentive young lady was an honor student with normal receptive language and an excellent memory. But she was missing the executive function required to translate the information about the memorial seal from a hypothetical discussion to an expected behavior. Fortunately, she didn’t pick up on the disapproval of her peers, and a teacher quietly helped her understand that she needed to stand outside the decorated area on the floor, but that could have easily turned into a disaster.

Some elementary schools use a “traffic light” system to monitor noise in the lunchrooms. When the light is green, people are free to talk to their neighbors. A yellow light is a warning to talk softly, and a red light is a signal for complete silence. Because many youngsters with autism think in concrete terms, their literal interpretation of the traffic light makes it difficult to generalize the rules from car traffic to the noise level in the cafeteria.

A young teen was embarrassed when she stood up in gym class. The coach had said, “All the boys, pay attention. You need to stand up.” The female student focused on the coach’s words when he said, “pay attention” and “stand up,” so she missed that key phrase, “all the boys.”

Miscommunication results when we assume youngsters know the meaning of symbolic words. For example, some of my young friends with autism have taken the phrase “moment of silence” literally during the morning announcements, leading to problems with talking during that very long “moment.”

One of my pre-teen friends with autism took the principal’s instructions very literally when she said, “Everyone will sit with their homeroom during lunch.” So, after getting his lunch tray, the young student walked to his homeroom to eat! ☺

We hope you will share your experiences about communication glitches at school, home, or work. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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Because of individual differences, it is difficult to come up with a “one-size-fits-all” strategy for building a smooth bridge between summer and the school year. But several basic strategies have helped the process for lots of folks over the years.

ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIFFICULTY. If we recognize and accept that fact that resistance to change is a natural result of autism, we can take positive, pro-active steps to help our youngsters make a smooth transition from summer to school. The whole process can be less stressful if family members, teachers, and others accept the fact that transition and change are difficult for many individuals with autism. That doesn’t mean that we should ignore inappropriate and troublesome behavior, but it does mean that we can adopt an attitude of helping our friend on their journey rather than getting frustrated with their tantrums and stubbornness.

INTRODUCE CHANGE GRADUALLY. Several weeks before school starts, we can gradually begin introducing structure to the evening routine and to the morning routine. We can gradually begin waking our youngster up closer and closer to the time they will need to rise once school starts.

MAKE TRANSITION AN ADVENTURE. Purchase a calendar that can be used to keep track of the last weeks before school starts. Your youngster with autism can mark off each day in a countdown to school, and he can write down “back-to-school events” such as shopping for school supplies and Meet the Teacher night. Your family can have a “Last Day of Summer” party that includes swimming, carving a watermelon, churning ice cream, or other favorite summer activities. Granted, a low-key approach is better for some individuals with autism who would be overwhelmed with all this excitement, but others get distracted with the celebrations, making back-to-school blues evaporate.

We welcome your input. Share challenges and ideas based on your experiences or intuition. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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TRANSITION. Our friends tend to focus on one activity and to resist changing to a new activity. Even when heading for a favorite activity, individuals with autism struggle with transition. Inflexibility and transition issues often lead to severe emotional meltdowns, resulting in pre-schoolers with autism being viewed as difficult, stubborn, and disruptive.
BOUNDARIES. Many early childhood group activities are on the floor with no visible boundaries. The lack of a defined sitting space leads most pre-schoolers to lie on their backs, lean on their neighbors, and kick their feet. These and other wiggly, squirmy actions interfere with their participation in the group. The squirmy issue is often magnified with a child with autism.
CHANGE OF RULES. During free time and play time, pre-schoolers are encouraged to run and shout and throw balls and talk to their friends. All of a sudden, the rules change when they come to circle time. Even very cooperative, compliant kids have trouble sorting out different rules for different places in the same classroom.
FOCUS. The teacher must be somewhat of an entertainer in order to capture and hold the attention of the students during group time. Circle time usually consists of singing songs, using puppets, telling stories, and displaying pictures and interesting objects. When teaching youngsters with autism, there is a fine line between these two principles: (1) making things interesting enough to capture and maintain attention, and (2) making things too bright and too noisy and too fast, leading to sensory overload.
PARTICIPATION. Social interaction, receptive language, expressive language, and reciprocal communication are all skills necessary for successful participation in most group activities. ALL of these areas are inherently challenging for individuals with autism.

Given these factors, it is easy to see how a youngster with autism might perceive a pre-school classroom as chaotic. lWe invite you to share your observations and experiences. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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The best way to see meteor showers is to find a place in the country, a park, or even your backyard. Just get away from the glare and glow of bright lights. The moon can also interfere with viewing meteors, so pick a time when the moon is not hogging the sky.

Take lawn chairs that lay flat or sheets to spread on the ground. You may want to take insect repellent, but leave the flashlights at home since they just interfere with your night vision. If you must take a flashlight, cover it with red cellophane. You don’t need binoculars or a telescope to see meteors – they will flash so quickly and brightly in the night sky that you can see them by simply looking up.

In mid-August, the earth crosses through a band of tiny bits of dust from the tail of the Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Because the comet dust streaks through the earth’s upper atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour, it flashes brightly in our night sky. The flashes look like shooting stars, but are actually meteors. This annual event, called the Perseid meteor shower, results in up to 30 meteors an hour. During this August shower, you will see most of the meteors in the northeast section of the sky. Other moving objects you will notice are airplanes flying high above the earth (they have flashing lights) and satellites that look like stars that move steadily across the night sky from left to right.

Before going out for your Shooting Star Party, encourage your friend with autism to find out interesting facts about meteors by clicking on Astronomy.com or Stardate.org. For example, they will read that most meteors are smaller than a grain of sand. They will also learn that meteors streak across the sky 24 hours a day. It is just that we cannot see them during the daytime. In fact, several hundred tons of meteors burn up in the atmosphere every single day. Very few meteors survive their fall through the earth’s atmosphere. Those that do are called meteorites.

You can enjoy the bright streaks that light up our night sky at any time of year, but you will want to mark your calendar for mid-August to see a literal shower of shooting stars. Enjoy! We welcome your ideas for adventures and excursions. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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1. Timing. Most large amusement parks such as Six Flags, Sea World, Disney World, and others get more crowded in the afternoons and early evening. If your friend with autism can tolerate large crowds and waiting in line, then you can go anytime. If not, you need to find the least crowded time. Also keep in mind that some of our friends with autism are “morning people,” and some are not. In order to give all the best experience, you need to plan the timing carefully.

2. Logistics. Some individuals with autism have special diets or medical needs, or need assistance with toileting. If so, plan in advance for taking care of those individual needs without too much fanfare. For example, if you are a mom and your 25-year-old son with autism needs a bit of assistance with bathroom issues, you need to locate the family restrooms so you can help him without making a scene.

3. Personal preferences. Remember that not everyone loves to ride the roller coaster and not everyone wants to get splashed by dolphins. It is hard to find the balance between encouraging a person to try something new and forcing them into a situation that makes them feel very uncomfortable. And some of our friends with autism are not able to articulate that well. So we need to watch closely – supporting and encouraging people as they try something new while at the same time, keeping a eye out for signs of serious discomfort and respecting their preferences. I’ve heard frustrated parents say things like, “We paid a lot of money for the tickets, so we aren’t going to just sit under this tree watching the people walk by.” But we need to know in advance that our friend may literally not be interested in the excitement, or that they really do prefer watching shows to taking wild rides.

TIP FOR THE DAY: I encourage introducing our friends with autism to new experiences and exciting adventures while at the same time respecting their preferences, no matter how offbeat they seem.

And it is always wise to take time to explore new approaches for addressing challenging issues that can arise in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website for great resources; http://FAQautism.com

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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Take a look at our podcast, “Summer Campfires” for some tips about building a fire. Then try some of the recipes below, adapting them as needed for special dietary restrictions and very selective eaters.

S’mores. It is always fun to give your friend with autism a chance to help out by making a list of items needed for s’mores and shopping for them at the store – with your assistance only as needed. So, for example, if he is able to do so, let him find the ingredients in the grocery store without your help. Traditional s’mores use graham crackers, Hershey chocolate bars, and marshmallows. You can also try a less messy version by using the chocolate flavored graham crackers and marshmallows.

Bread on a Stick. Just stretch a canned butter biscuit into a long thin shape and spiral it around the end of a long stick. Wait until the flames have died down into glowing coals and slowly “bake” the biscuit over the fire, turning the stick slowly until your Bread on a Stick is golden on all sides. Slip it off the stick, let it cool a few minutes, then enjoy this delicious treat. I’ve seen some of my rather impatient friends with autism cook their bread very patiently.

Tip for the day. Many different snacks can be adapted for the campfire without too much special equipment. No need to cook the whole meal over the fire – just enjoy simple foods with one or two aspects cooked on the fire. It is an intriguing process for all. Enjoy!

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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One of the keys to helping make campfires – or any experience, for that matter – is for individuals with special needs to participate actively in the preparation. By helping with advance preparations for a campfire, your friend can enjoy anticipating the upcoming event while at the same time learning first hand about fire safety, a critical bit of knowledge.

So, for example, your friend with autism could collect sticks to use in the fire or gather rocks to make the fire ring. She could help clear leaves and debris from around the fire ring, and help bring out the lawn chairs or drag up logs for people to sit on outside the fire ring. She can help as she is able to fill the water bucket, stretch the water hose to the site, and put a shovel close to the fire.

Other advance preparations include inviting family and friends to participate, plan the snack menu, pick some fun campfire songs, and welcome people as they arrive.

TIP FOR THE DAY: The key ingredients to a successful campfire are these: (1) SAFETY FIRST, and (2) encouraging your friend with autism to be actively involved in all aspects of the preparation.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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1. PROBLEMS WITH A PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL. For a variety of reasons, even the most avid swimmer with autism may not be able to swim in a public pool. Among other things, a person with autism may not be able to tolerate crowds or may not follow the rules and comply with the lifeguard. Several of my friends with autism are overly obsessed with rules, so they become very agitated when another person at the pool doesn’t follow the rules immediately and to the “letter of the law.” Some individuals with autism are oblivious to other people or to danger, so they may swim under the diving board or may jump in the water right on top of another swimmer. These issues, along with others, make swimming in a public pool very challenging.

2. ALTERNATIVES TO A PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL. Since some youngsters with autism simply cannot tolerate swimming in a public pool, or because their public pool behavior or interaction with people in public places is inappropriate or unsafe, let us look at some other fun water activities.

+ Water sprinkler. The traditional water hose has expanded to some very sophisticated water sprinklers that many of my friends of all ages with autism find intriguing. One young adult loves to sit in a lawn chair under a water sprinkler that shoots randomly in all directions. Another loves the “on and off” rhythm of a traditional lawn sprinkler that sways back and forth.

+ Backyard pool. It may be that a backyard pool is the best solution if a public pool is not an option. One of my friends will not wear a swim suit, but insists on wearing sweats for swimming. That wouldn’t work in a public pool with deep water, but is fine for a backyard pool that is only waist deep. And sunburn isn’t a problem ☺

+ Year-round swimming. One of my buddies with autism who is typically very agitated with life in general, is just enthralled with swimming, finding is very relaxing. His parents have installed an above ground heated pool in their garage so he can swim all year long! Another parent fills up the bathtub in the winter and encourages her water-loving daughter to put on her swimsuit so she can play in the “winter swimming pool.”

TIP FOR THE DAY: The idea to think out of the box. With careful planning we can help our friends with autism enjoy swimming and other water activities while minimizing challenging behaviors and other difficult issues. Hope you will click on our website http://FAQautism.com to find hundreds more helpful tips and resources.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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Whether in a swimming pool, lake, river, or even a kiddy pool, our first obligation to our friends with autism is water safety. Except in rare incidences, we simply must assume that a teen or adult with autism needs supervision around water.

No one should swim alone, of course, but sometimes individuals with autism, even those who are very bright and thoughtful, simply do not comprehend the concept of danger. While we should not make our friends fearful of water, we need to teach and enforce basic water safety. Warnings like “You’d better not do that or you could get hurt” or “If you go in the deep water, you might drown” have little meaning to many individuals with autism and will not deter potentially dangerous behavior.

Rather than showering our friends with dire warnings and constant nagging about water safety, it might work better to develop a “Water Safety Routine” that you follow every single time you go swimming, boating, or even wading in a stream that may have an unexpected drop-off or other unseen danger. Let’s take a look at a water safety routine one family developed for their 10-year-old with autism who is fearless and rather obsessed with water.
Step 1: The family decided against a pool in the yard since 24/7 supervision is impossible. They have also quietly contacted families in the neighborhood who do have pools, politely telling them of their son’s autism and his obsession with water, and requesting they fence the pools and keep the gates locked.
Step 2: Because swimming is their son’s primary interest, the family takes him swimming as often as possible.
Step 3: Family pool rules are strictly reinforced for this youngster. He is reminded before going swimming and upon arrival at the pool to “Stop, look, and listen.” “Stop” means to freeze on the side of the pool. “Look” means to look at his personalized life-guard and wait for a nod to get in the water. “Listen” means to stop and look if he hears a certain whistle sound, waiting to see what his personal lifeguard has to say, then to follow that instruction right away. If he breaks any of the rules, his swimming time is immediately over.

This safety routine, of course, will not work for everyone, but it is an example of a consistent procedure that, over time, helps a youngster anticipate the hard and fast rules so he can relax and enjoy swimming to his heart’s content.

In part 2 of our swimming pools podcast, we will look at some alternatives to public pools and some ideas for moderating a perseverative person’s obsession with water. Tune in tomorrow for Swimming Pools, Part 2.

And, don’t forget to click on the Toolkit tab on our website – http://FAQautism.com – to find some great resources to help us systematically address other challenges that arise as a result of autism.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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WATERMELON. Although nearly all their kids have food allergies to some degree, these parents realized that none of their kids were allergic to watermelon. They suggested letting the youngster thump the melons and pick out a melon from a patch or from the grocery store. Chill it in the frig overnight or put it in a cooler covered with a bag of ice. Spread some newspaper ground outside for an adult to slice the melon, then let everyone enjoy the chilly treat. And don’t forget to have a seed-spitting contest!

FLASHLIGHTS. One time we had a summer evening get-together with a bunch of school-aged youngsters with autism. Most were non-verbal and were generally inattentive. All had some significant behavior issues. But every single person was intrigued when we gave them small flashlights. Some waved their lights wildly to make patterns and others shone their lights intently on one object. Several noticed the light changed when it flashed through a water bottle. Some were fascinated with the on-off switch and others enjoyed hiding the light under their t-shirt only to see it shine through. Several parents reported that the flashlights were popular at home for months after our summer gathering.

Other ideas for fun summer traditions included playing in the water sprinkler, making hand-cranked ice cream, playing kickball, setting up a popup tent in the backyard, and taking a picnic to the park. We hope you’ll send your ideas for inexpensive, stress-free summer fun. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

Published on: Jul 23, 2008

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One strategy for making the most of each day is to plan a “Summer Special” – an event that a youngster can look forward to each day in August. This can be something very simple, a fun activity that celebrates summertime. For example, you could add any one of these activities on a calendar each day in August:
1. playing in the water sprinkler
2. giving the garden or trees or birds a drink
3. counting stars and fireflies as they emerge after sunset
4. making lemonade
5. guessing which of two ice cubes will melt first on a hot sidewalk
6. collecting shells or rocks or sticks in a box
7. getting up early to watch the sun rise
8. writing a letter to grandmamma
9. taking a trip to the library every other day
10. making homemade ice cream or popcorn or other fun snack

TIP FOR THE DAY: The idea is to find some simple activities your child or your friend with autism enjoys, then put one on the calendar each day. This helps decrease the agitation of waiting, and it helps everyone celebrate the current day rather than focusing on a future event.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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There are many reasons why a child does not readily join group activities. He may not hear the direction or may not understand what it means. He may not want to leave what he is doing or he may have an aversion to group activities. He may be distracted by noises or activity in the room or he may have difficulty transitioning from one place in the room to another.

No matter the reason for failure to move to a group activity with the other kids, it is still to the child’s advantage to learn to follow directions to gather in circle time, to tolerate groups of kids and adults, and to participate in group activities.

One of the most effective strategies for helping a youngster tolerate groups is the “Sneak-In Strategy.” Especially when a child strongly resists change and transition, it helps to plan for a seamless transition from a preferred activity, gradually inserting some components of circle time into his daily routine.
(1) Rather than making a big production of putting away an independent play activity and “officially” beginning circle time, consider allowing the youngster to stay in the learning center where he is working. This helps alleviate his transition anxieties (an inherent characteristic of autism), and you avoid getting into a power play about “moving to circle time.”
(2) Consider allowing him to stay put while you gradually introduce the calendar, weather, and other familiar circle time songs and activities. After 5 minutes of circle time activities, allow the youngster to continue with the previous activity.
(3)) Follow the same routine and sing the same songs every day so he becomes familiar with the circle time activities. Gradually introduce new activities and ease one or two students into the area. But proceed slowly and calmly to avoid raising red flags that magnify his transition anxiety, his aversion to group activities, or other issues related to his autism. Eventually he will probably be able to tolerate – and even enjoy – circle time with his new-found friends.

Each student, of course, has different needs, but this is one example of a strategy to help ease a pre-schooler diagnosed with autism into small group activities. He may adapt to the change in a week or two, or it may take years. No matter the time frame, patient work in this area pays rich rewards that will most likely significantly impact his social skills, communication skills, and tolerance for transition and change.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

Published on: May 16, 2008

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