Summer vacation for many children means a break from school — and its strict schedules. But for children with autism, a change in daily routine can be a source of great stress.

Julie Mower, executive director at the Phoenix Center, a not-for-profit school in Nutley serving the educational, therapeutic and behavioral needs of students ages 5 to 21 with autism, said keeping some type of routine is important. Many children with autism crave a schedule that is the same every day.

She offered parents or caregivers some tips for a less stressful summer:

• Create an anticipatory schedule, basically a laundry list of events of a particular day.

• If a family is taking a trip or vacation, talk about that vacation with the child in advance. Look on the destination’s website with the child so he or she can see what the new environment is going to look like.

• Summer camps are a great way to engage an autistic child. Mower said it’s important to visit the camp and visit the counselors ahead of time so the child gets used to the new environment.

• A timer or an alarm is also crucial. Some children respond better to auditory cues than visual ones. So for example, Mower said if a family is getting to leave an event in 10 minutes, have the child set the alarm so he or she understands it’s time to go when the alarm goes off.

• Swimming can be a fantastic fun summer activity for a child with special needs. Mower said it’s important to pick a pool that can accommodate a child’s needs. She said an indoor pool can amplify sound and trigger auditory sensitivities that outdoor pools may not. An outdoor pool may not have the echo effect, but factors like temperature and chlorine may affect a child’s experience in other ways.

• Headed to the beach? Mower said sand can provide a totally different sensory experience for children who are not used to having bare feet. Have them use water shoes so their feet are not directly exposed to the sand. She suggested towels for them to sit on and for those with tactile defensiveness, bring digging tools for them.

Mower said the bottom line is not to get stuck in maintaining the same routine — but if a family is going on a trip, create a new routine. Embed some normal routines such as consistent dinners and bedtime. Have activities planned and take some breaks — with those tips, families with autistic children will be able to better enjoy the summer months together.

To read the full article, visit https://nj1015.com/children-with-autism-spectrum-should-keep-a-summer-routine/

Prospective parents visiting our center often ask the question, “how much is too much therapy?” At Lighthouse Autism Center, we specialize in full-time, center-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. This is an intensive type of therapy that is the only therapy for children with autism endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General. Our therapy is play-based and child-led, because we know that children learn best while having fun! We meet our learners where they are most motivated and use strategically selected items in our play spaces to conduct therapy. We also create realistic environments in our therapy centers so that our learners and learn and be more comfortable in these environments when they are in the community in the real situations, such as at the salon or at the grocery store.

Children with autism need consistent, targeted, therapy to minimize skill gaps. Intensive therapy, such as ABA, has been shown to be incredibly effective in helping children and adults with autism live more fulfilled and independent lives. Furthermore, the earlier children with autism begin this therapy, the more effective the therapy will be.

If we think of ABA therapy in the same way we think about school for our children, we will see that the time spent is equal. The average child is in a classroom for 6 to 8 hours a day, five days a week. They are being taught and instructed in the classroom and those lessons are carried over at home. ABA therapy is the same. Most of our children spend eight hours each day at our centers where they are being taught life skills, school skills, and working on decreasing inappropriate or problem behaviors. These same skills are also put into practice in a home setting.

While your child may be missing out on a formal academic or school setting to attend full-time ABA therapy, typically children with autism that are recommended for full-time ABA therapy are not quiet ready for a full-time school setting. At Lighthouse Autism Center, it is our goal to get our learners ready to transition into a academic school setting by working with them on the necessary skills and independence to do so. This is why early intervention is also crucial. If we can get the learner in full-time before academic ages, they likely do not need to miss out on a typical school routine and we can prevent inappropriate or problem behaviors before they develop. Additionally, if the learner is already at an academic age, full-time therapy allows them to make greater progress faster, and transition into a school setting even quicker.