There are many different traits and behaviors that are often associated with autism and related disorders, including literal thinking.
Literal thinking, sometimes referred to as concrete thinking, refers to the way in which we view the world around us. By definition, literal thinkers “may take information at face value without thinking beyond or generalizing the information to other meanings or situations.”
However, this manner of thinking can sometimes lead to communication issues, in children (or adults) with autism and related disorders, when they are introduced to abstract concepts.
Children with autism and related disorders tend to think literally because they tend to adopt a more concrete thought process. They like to be able to understand what is happening around them, meaning that they’ll find automatic trains of thought to be confusing as they are not always sensical or straightforward.
Literal thinking can come in handy in many different areas of your child’s life. For example, it often enables them to perform well in school, especially in subjects that are based in fact or the ability to recognize patterns. For example, in one study by Stanford University, “children with autism and average IQs consistently demonstrated superior math skills compared with non autistic children in the same IQ range.”
Literal thinking can also help your children make smarter, more informed decisions in other areas of their life, as they’re better able to assess the situation and determine the best course of action. Furthermore, employers are often on the lookout for literal thinkers.
As discussed above, one of the biggest issues that children with autism and related disorders encounter with literal thinking is difficulty understanding abstract thoughts and concepts.
While neurotypical people may find it easy to use idioms such as “under the weather”, or “piece of cake”, various studies have found that “children with ASD face greater difficulty than normal children in understanding idioms; they fail to consider social context and tend to interpret expressions literally.” For example, if they are told that information came “straight from the horse’s mouth”, this could be a point of confusion for them.
More generally, this thought pattern also means that children with ASD may also be more straight to the point when communicating with others – which can sometimes appear as though they are being rude. While this is not the case, it can make it harder for them to communicate, especially among others within their age group.
However, there are many ways in which you can encourage your child to become more familiar with abstract thinking or abstract concepts. For example, simply talking about different idioms and how they are used in conversation can help them to better understand why they exist. You could even turn this into a fun game, where each person has to guess the meaning of the idiom, or where it came from.
Therapeutic services can also prove useful when it comes to helping your child see the world from a different perspective, whether they’re enrolled in speech therapy or ABA.
If you’d like to find out more or would like to meet one of our qualified, friendly therapists, please do not hesitate to get in touch today.
While autism and related disorders impact different individuals in different ways, many individuals with autism develop a special interest.
In fact, one study found that some 75-95% of autistic individuals have a special interest that often begins during childhood but sticks with them throughout their life.
Working to better understand your child’s special interests can help you provide them with support and guidance moving forward.
Special interests are best defined as “an intense focus on specific topics.” For example, if given the opportunity, your child may dedicate all their free time to this interest or bring it up in conversation at every opportunity.
Various research studies are dedicated to understanding why children with autism may develop special interests. For example, some researchers believe that “young children with autism may experience greater rewards from non-social stimuli than social stimuli, causing them to turn to special interests rather than social contact.”
Alternatively, their passion may be grounding, providing them with a sense of structure – which is something that many autistic individuals favor.
Children with autism and related disorders may develop a special interest in a range of topics. However, some tend to be more popular than others. This includes:
There are many benefits associated with allowing your child to explore their special interests and passions. For example, they can:
As such, you should support your child with their passions as much as possible, so long as they are not becoming problematic. For example, try not to shut down any conversations about their special interest, even if they’ve been talking at length. Instead, show you care by asking plenty of questions.
Special interests are somewhat narrow. This means that in some instances, they can become restrictive and consuming, meaning that children withdraw from other opportunities to pursue them. This can sometimes be challenging for both the child and those around them.
As such, you must encourage your child to develop various hobbies and interests. For example, sign them up for extracurricular clubs and activities that broaden their horizons.
You can make this seem more exciting for your child by trying to choose hobbies that complement their special interests. For example, if they have developed a special interest in Film & TV, you could encourage them to try writing their own stories, join a film club or even learn about cameras and how they work.
You may also want to discuss your child’s particular interest with their therapist, who can suggest other interventive methods to limit its hold over your child.
If you’d like to find out more or would like to meet one of our qualified, friendly therapists, please do not hesitate to get in touch today.
Emotional regulation is something that we all struggle with – even into adulthood. However, the way in which we regulate our emotions varies on a case by case basis – and the same can be said for children with autism and related disorders.
Many children with autism use ‘stimming’ as a form of emotional regulation, which is why you may already be familiar with the term. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what stimming is, and steps you can take to support your child.
Stimming is short for self-stimulating, and refers to repetitive behaviors/actions carried out by individuals as a form of emotional regulation or self-soothing. While seemingly ‘random’, they provide the individual with a sense of comfort, especially when they feel overwhelmed.
According to Autism.Org, Typically stimming behaviors could include:
There are many different reasons why a person may ‘stim’. For example, it could be seen as an “an attempt to gain sensory input, eg rocking may be a way to stimulate the balance (vestibular) system; hand-flapping may provide visual stimulation.” Alternatively, it can be an involuntary response to emotional stress or anxiety.
As a parent, it’s only natural to want to intervene when your child seems distressed. However, in most cases, stimming is a response mechanism, meaning that it actually helps them to calm down and intervention is not strictly necessary.
Intervention may be required if stimming behaviors leave your child at risk of physical injury. For example, this could include behaviors such as headbanging, scratching or biting. In these cases, parents should:
Identify (and remove) the trigger. Stimming is often not ‘randomized’, but rather a direct response to something happening around them. For example, children who are sensitive to loud noises may stim when in crowded or noisy environments. Identifying triggers enables you to remove your child from the situation and better avoid them in the future.
Learn to redirect. Parents of neurotypical and neurdiverse children alike often become adept at redirecting their children. For example, you may use toys to distract them when they are about to start crying. These same techniques can come in handy when redirecting a child who may be at risk of hurting themselves. For example, using the same example as above, if their stims are the response to loud noises, you could hand them some headphones that either cancel out noise completely or play their favorite songs.
If your child is enrolled in interventive therapy, such as ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) or Physical Therapy, you will also be able to discuss behaviors such as stimming with their therapist. This way, you can decide upon a suitable course of action moving forward, or find ways in which you can better support your child in their daily life.
If you’d like to find out more about the therapeutic services we offer, both online and in-person, please do not hesitate to get in touch today.
They say the greatest lessons we learn in life start at home. That’s why the team at Alee Behavioral has worked hard to develop our Home-based Therapeutic Services for children with autism and related disorders.
Like with other interventive therapies, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy, these strategies are designed to provide your child with the structure and support they need to reach their full potential – with a smile on their face.
During a home-based therapy session, a member of our team will work closely with your child and family, providing support and therapeutic guidance. Children will develop new coping mechanisms, social skills, and confidence – though the exact nature of the support provided will vary on their unique needs.
For example, we may work with your child to help them develop better coping mechanisms when they feel overwhelmed, stressed or anxious. This is particularly pertinent when you consider that “autistic children and teenagers can experience anxiety more intensely and more often than other children.”
Coping strategies can also reduce the frequency or severity of autistic meltdowns, which are described by Ambitious About Autism as an example of our body’s fight response or “a reaction to a highly distressing situation or environment.” Your child’s therapist can work closely with them to find better ways to handle their stress and anxiety, so they do not have to experience this kind of scenario again.
Your therapist can also help your child develop better social skills and social awareness – which helps make them feel more comfortable and confident in their daily lives. For example, enhanced communication skills may enable them to speak more openly about their feelings while also allowing them to forge better relationships with their family or peers.
As children with autism and related disorders tend to thrive when given a routine to follow, your therapist can also help you put together the perfect routine for your child. This will provide them with a sense of structure and support every single day. They’ll also suggest ways to gradually alter this structure to help your child become more resilient to and accepting of change.
Finally, home-based therapeutic services can also benefit the entire family by giving parents and siblings a chance to better understand their family members with autism. They’ll also be more aware of the steps they can follow to promote their ongoing development.
There are many benefits associated with this kind of therapeutic service. Firstly, they can make your child’s day-to-day life more manageable, which can heighten both their confidence and sense of independence.
Furthemore, studies have found “being relaxed in a familiar environment makes it easier to connect and build rapport with the client and their immediate support network, thus, maximising the benefits from therapy session.”
If you’d like to find out more, please do not hesitate to get in touch today. We’d be happy to discuss HBTS, or our other services in more detail.
As we move into November, Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
Not only is now the perfect time to perfect your pumpkin pie recipe, but you should also ensure that you are planning celebrations that the whole family can enjoy, including those who may be neurodiverse.
After all, for children with autism and related conditions, large events such as thanksgiving parties and celebrations can be a cause of great stress. There are various reasons for this. For example, they may be forced to deviate from their routine or be surrounded by crowds and loud noises at parades.
However, this does not mean that they cannot join in the fun of this family celebration.
With that in mind, here are some simple steps you can take to ensure your thanksgiving celebrations are autism-friendly.
Whether you’re heading to a parade or are cooking for a houseful of lovely, but very noisy guests, noise-cancelling headphones can be a lifesaver for children who display sensitivity to sounds and loud noises. Explain to others guests that they are not being rude or trying to get out of the conversation, they’re simply keeping themselves comfortable.
One of the best things about Thanksgiving is the food – and while you may want to encourage your child to diversify their palette and eat all their veggies, it’s not worth pushing these changes at a time when they may already be feeling overstimulated. Instead, let them choose what they would and would not like to eat – and don’t push them if they aren’t feeling super hungry.
As mentioned above, disrupted routines can sometimes leave children with ASD feeling stressed or overwhelmed. This is because they rely on the familiarity that a routine provides. One way in which you can make this time a little easier on them is by putting together a routine for the holidays – this way, they know what to expect from each day. You should also spend some time discussing your plans with them, so they can ask any questions they might have.
Whether your child attends family therapy or occupational therapy, discussing the upcoming holidays with their therapist can also be a great way to prepare them for the changes and oncoming chaos. For example, it could give them the chance to develop coping skills that they can apply when they feel overstimulated.
Your home is likely your child’s safe space, again due to the fact that it provides them with a sense of familiarity. However, as many of us travel to spend time with family over the holidays, it’s important that you find a way to help them find familiarity in unfamiliar environments. For example, you should bring along some of their most treasured toys and belongings. You could also make it easier for them to fall asleep by bringing their favorite bedding along, so the guest room feels a little more like home.
Children with autism spectrum disorder often have particular food preferences. Chicken nuggets, crackers, macaroni and cheese, and bread tend to be foods that these kids accept and love. Gently expanding that list of foods can be excellent for nutrition and getting new sensory experiences. Here are some ways to get started:
But take away the pressure of eating it! Eating a new type of food can be an overstimulating sensory experience. New smells, colors, textures, and tastes can be too much all at once. Place the novel food on the child’s plate without the expectation that they’ll eat it. Tolerating the food on their plate is a significant first step for exposure to new foods. If it is too much to have it on their plate, keep putting it on yours until they are more acclimated to it.
“Don’t play with your food” is outdated, especially for kids with special needs. Children with ASD benefit significantly from having a positive experience with food. Make pictures by putting yogurt or hummus on a plate and letting them trace lines into it with their fingers. They might even have a taste before they are finished. Have some fun by making popsicles with fresh fruit or building a structure with grapes and toothpicks.
Food bridges are an excellent strategy for kids of all ages and abilities. Start with food that the child is comfortable with, say, salty crackers. This will be the base food. Now change one thing about that food. In this case, it might be the shape, the brand, a whole wheat option, or a dip that they can add on themselves. Keep changing only one thing at a time. The progression might look like: Salty cracker à whole wheat cracker à whole wheat cracker with yogurt dip à whole wheat cracker with yogurt dip with ½ a teaspoon of peanut butter added, and so on. If the child doesn’t accept the next step in the food bridge, go back to their last successful step and make a shorter bridge.
While it is easier to make one meal that everyone will eat, try not to get stuck in the routine of planning meals around those limited preferred foods. If kids don’t see nutritious options regularly, they are more likely to avoid them altogether when encountering those options in the future. For some kids, seeing something on another person’s plate without explanation or expectation actually piques their interest.
When placing a new food on a child’s plate, make sure it is small in amount. Don’t start with a raw carrot stick if you’re introducing carrots. Instead, cook it (this texture might be easier for some kids to tolerate), and offer a quarter of a sliced baby carrot. This is less intimidating for kids, and if they do try it, an outstanding small win for everyone! They might even ask for more.
Adults and children alike rely on their senses to obtain information about our environment. The five senses that people commonly think of are touch, taste, sight, and smell – these senses give us information about the world around us. However, three other senses provide us with information about our own bodies: Proprioception, vestibular input, and interoception. Interoception is the process of interpreting information that comes from our internal organs. These signals tell us that we feel hungry or thirsty, need to use the bathroom, or even if we feel unwell. This sense helps us realize that our heart is beating too fast, that we have butterflies in our stomachs or feel dysregulated. While crucial to our well-being and ability to function, interoception is often overlooked.
Examples of children who could benefit from intervention include:
-A child who has a meltdown before lunch but cannot identify that he feels dysregulated because he is hungry
-A child with an anxiety disorder who withdraws when transitioning to gym class
-An older child who has frequent accidents or realizes they have to urinate when it is nearly too late
-A child who gets over-excited and therefore dysregulated when there is a notable change in the schedule
Intervention helps children process the sensory information coming into their brains and communicate what they need. When a child identifies that they need rest, water, or a bathroom break, they can fulfill that need. Only when that need is met can they reach the higher level executive functioning skills needed for learning. Try these strategies to help children process and interpret information about their bodies:
Practice observing other senses. Interoception is more abstract than the sense of sight or smell, especially to children. Before diving into interoception, practice with the sensation of touch. Explore hot and cold, soft and rough, or clean and dirty. Start to think about if the sense brings up an emotion such as discomfort or calm.
Experiment. Give children an opportunity to observe their bodies at rest. Then challenge them to a brief but intense exercise period (jumping jacks or sprints work well for this). Allow your students to observe and compare how they felt before and after the exercise.
Be detectives. Use a poster of the body and let older students brainstorm different sensations from different body parts. Focus on one organ at a time and ask them guiding questions or provide examples as necessary. This is an excellent tool for visual learners.
Give examples. Having the right words to describe the concept can be a barrier for many individuals with interoception challenges. Share how different cues make you feel. Maybe when your stomach is empty, it feels hollow and rumbling. Challenge yourself to open up about your signals to help give your students the tools and language they need.
Zones of Regulation. Already using the Zones of Regulation curriculum? Help children align how they react from their internal signals with the zones. For example, a child might be in the yellow zone when their heart beats too fast or the blue zone when they feel overtired.
Mindfulness. Use a guided meditation to tune into different body functions (like breathing). You can also practice using a moment of silence to check in with your body. This can be as simple as asking preschoolers to check in with their bodies to see if they need to use the bathroom or as thorough as a complete guided body scan.
Many parents feel overwhelmed when their child receives a diagnosis for autism or a related condition, as they wonder what kind of impact this will have on their lives. And, while it’s important to note that autism is not a debilitating condition that will stand in the way of your child’s long-term success, there are certain steps you can take to make their day-to-day life easier.
For example, you could explore a range of therapies, such as Intensive ABA therapy or online therapies. Alternatively, you could focus on making changes within your home, such as by creating a sensory room or curating a consistent routine. In recent years, varying studies have also found that owning a pet can be incredibly beneficial for children with autism and related disorders.
Of course, it goes without saying that pets are good for children on a general scale. They provide them with companionship, while also teaching them to be more responsible and mature.
The main benefits of owning a pet, or pet therapy, for those with autism, are:
Improved communication skills. Children with autism or related disorders may sometimes struggle to communicate effectively or find their voice. And, while they’ll not be able to have a “conversation” with their pet, the way in which they interact with them may help them to improve their communication skills. This can be particularly useful for those who “communicate non-verbally, as they will find other ways to interact and create a strong bond with the animal.” (1)
Lower levels of stress and anxiety. Those with autism or ASD are also more prone to dealing with anxiety disorders, both as children and adults. For example, a recent study found that “20% of autistic adults have an anxiety disorder, compared with less than 9% of typical adults”. (2) Owning a pet is scientifically proven to lower anxiety, given that playing with your pet will increase the levels of serotonin and dopamine that your body produces. These hormones are famed for the ability to calm and relax the nervous system.
The opportunity to follow a routine. As mentioned above, children with autism and related disorders thrive in stable environments (i.e. when following routines). Many pets, such as dogs and cats, also respond positively to routines. For example, they like to go for walks or be fed at the same time each morning/evening. This means that owning a pet can help your child follow a routine, giving them the structure they crave.
Pets are trusted companions. One of the major benefits of owning a pet is that they provide you with companionship and friendship, no matter which animal you choose to own. They are also non-judgmental, which can be incredibly comforting for children (and adults) who often feel judged in their daily lives. To put it simply, your pet will always be there for you.
Increased sense of empathy. It’s a harmful myth that those with autism and related disorders are unemotional, they simply express themselves in a way that is slightly different to their neurotypical peers. That being said, owning a pet can help them strengthen their empathy, or at least their outward expression of empathy as they learn to care for the complex needs of their pet.
1) Golden Care Therapy, “PETS AND ANIMAL THERAPY FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM”.
2) Spectrum News, “One in five autistic adults may have an anxiety disorder”.
Kids with autism spectrum disorder tend to have play patterns that they repeat over and over. Her favorite character from Netflix? It’s the only one she’ll play with. His cars that he seems to adore? He only wants to line them up again and again. Children on the autism spectrum tend to engage in stereotyped, restricted, scripted, and solo play. So how do we guide children to expand these play patterns so they can learn and grow? Here are seven things to try.
Take some time to intentionally observe the child at play. What do they enjoy? What gets them excited? You’ll want to have a solid idea so that when you offer opportunities to extend their play, they’ll accept due to their peaked interest.
You likely have an idea of your child’s interests, so now look closer at how they engage with their play interests. Think about what kind of play the child gravitates toward. Some kids enjoy visual stimulation and can be found spinning tops or bringing toys close to their eyes so they can inspect them more clearly. Others like to bang toys together to create sound or feel various textures. Take note and inspiration from how your child engages.
Many children with ASD have difficulty with the open-ended nature of play. Slowly and gradually provide strategies to give activities more form. If they enjoy lining up cars, use tape to make parking spots and demonstrate parking the vehicles. This will take some time and patience, but they’re much more likely to engage when you use this strategy alongside the child’s interests. Other ways to add structure include:
Practicing taking turns
Modeling play
Using a visual schedule
Adding more steps to a play routine
While adding structure can be a great way to learn and grow, be sure to follow your child’s lead during play. It is a delicate balance. However, creating these learning opportunities on the spot is beneficial to their learning and eagerness to try something different playfully.
These are unique for each child with and without an ASD diagnosis. Some children excel at math, and others are very caring toward animals. When you offer play opportunities, tap into your child’s strength. For example, the child who loves animals and math may be interested in counting and feeding the animals in a barnyard toy.
Provide positive reinforcement when your child tries something new during playtime. Even simply reminding the child, “I enjoy playing with you!” can reframe their perception of play.
The environment around the child impacts their success with play. When toys are disorganized, are placed on open shelves, or too many options are available, the child is more likely to flutter from activity to activity without meaningful play. Offer limited and versatile options for a more profound play experience.
There are plenty of guides out there that offer advice for parents whose child has just had an autism diagnosis, but very few that consider this process from the perspective of the child.
After all, as the average diagnosis age is three for boys and four for girls, children are often too young to understand what the diagnosis actually means. While this doesn’t mean you should overburden them with complicated language and leaflets, you should make an effort to bring it into conversation with them.
With that in mind, here are some simple ways in which you can begin to talk to your child about autism, their diagnosis, and how it may impact their lives.
To put it simply, there’s no ‘right’ way to talk about autism with your child. As their parent, you will know them better than anyone else, meaning you’ll know what you need to say and do to make them feel comfortable and supported. However, you must maintain a positive mindset. We now understand autism and related conditions more than ever, meaning that the services available to the neurodiverse community are getting better and better each day.
Amazing Kids. Amazing Progress. Alee is a leading provider of clinic, school and home-based pediatric behavioral healthcare in New England.