When your child has a diagnosis of autism, holiday hell can come easily. Avoiding holiday hell is something all parents want to do, but there are extra challenges to face when your autistic child faces potential sensory overload.
This is true whether it’s a pod in Padstow, a gite in Gironde, or even staying at home, as the routine of school has been broken by the onset of the holidays.
The fact is, children with autism find change overwhelming; totally so. Feeling overwhelmed leads to meltdowns, and meltdowns lead to parental hell. Some of the pressure of holiday hell can be avoided through using Social StoriesTM – a specialist technique developed in the nineties by Carol Gray.
Social StoriesTM is a very specialised way of writing with or without illustrations to explain something that will happen in the future to a child. These stories can be easily written by parents. Writing a story should not be seen as a quick fix but, when prepared carefully, a story can lessen a child’s sense of feeling overwhelmed.
Holiday Planning with Social StoriesTM
For instance, a family plans a holiday to Cornwall. A story written several weeks before the trip begins can provide a secure base and a snippet of the future. This is soothing to your child. The story should include your child as it’s central character. The central character could even be your child’s current role model.
The story should describe the holiday place and what the accommodation will look like. If it seems a bit boring to you, chances are, it will contain sufficient detail to calm your child. Spending time together on Google Earth is also a smart tip, to familiarise you both with the way the streets, landscape and buildings will appear. Of course, if you have a friend or relative who has already been to the same destination, you can ask them for holiday photos or videos to show your child.
Your story should include a plan of the activities the family will do, the fun it’ll be, and a mention of your child’s desired behaviour. If you mention trying new foods, start to gently introduce them in and around story time, and incorporate them into the narrative and pictures.
Done well in advance of the holiday, this story will allow your child to develop a mental map of the future. It will remove a large degree of sudden sensory information that often leads to overload.
Quick Tips for Going on Holiday with an Autistic Child
- Create a short-term countdown calendar to mark the days until the holiday begins. Add pictures to help your child familiarise themselves with the destination.
- Many tourist destinations, such as beaches and nature reserves, have webcam feeds which you can view ahead of the holiday.
- Should you be going by plane, train or ferry, do some research on autism-friendly spaces in terminals and stations, and pre-book any special assistance you might need. Airports offering extra advice and support include Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester; Newcastle Airport offers an ‘Autism Passport’ to bring with you.
- If your child wants to get involved in packing and planning, this is something you can practice together.
- When the trip begins, have a selection of your child’s favourite objects to hand, which they can use to cope with the challenge of a new environment.
- Remember the three Ps – Preparation Prevents Panic!
Written by Dr Chrissie Tizzard, Chartered Consultant Psychologist, PsychD, BSc, MSc, C.Psychol, C.Sci, AFBPS. Dr Tizzard is the Clinical Director of Christine Tizzard Psychology (ctpsy.co.uk).