Sensory issues and overstimulation are common in children with autism. People with autism may have sensitivities to touch, taste, sound, smell, lighting, and more. That’s because they may experience a wide range of stimuli, which can be emotionally and physically draining. It’s important to know what things trigger your child to feel overstimulated when thinking about the best ways to support them.

Many people with autism display specific behaviors when experiencing sensory overload. These behaviors could include:

• Increased stimming behaviors (such as repetitive behaviors, rocking back and forth, hand flapping)
• Jumping or spinning
• Talking more or not talking at all (shutting down)
• Frequent hand rubbing
• Rough playing
• Chewing on non-food items

Knowing the best steps to take when your child with autism is overstimulated can help ease discomfort and encourage them to learn new things and appreciate newer environments. Keep reading to learn more tips on preventing overstimulation and implementing the best coping practices.

Ways To Avoid Overstimulation

Many children with autism have sensitivity to their environment that’s beyond their control, and it can be challenging to filter out some sensory information. As parents and caregivers, it may be challenging to pinpoint the cause of this discomfort or stress. However, with time, you may pick up on patterns. Implementing the following techniques when your child is overwhelmed can help them cope.

Communication Is Key

Communication is essential. Whether verbal or nonverbal, you should understand the signs and cues that indicate stress, happiness, sadness, and anger. To see these patterns, it’s important to establish trust between you and your child. Socializing and communicating with them daily about their interests, routines, and needs will help them communicate more easily.

By understanding what triggers them, you can prevent putting them in stressful or overwhelming scenarios. That’s why speaking to your child’s ABA therapist is essential, so you can create a plan and share information to grow their developmental skills further.

Change of Atmosphere

Sometimes, environments can become too much and overwhelm your child—and that’s okay! Whether you’re at a birthday party, doctor’s appointment, or concert, try to find a quiet place to help your child de-stress. You should look for a more private, less crowded, and less noisy setting to allow your child to take a break.

This is a great step to take when your child with autism is feeling overstimulated. Remember to stay calm and reassure them that everything is okay and that you’re here to support them. This is also a great time to encourage self-soothing techniques. When they calm down, ask your child if they want to leave or return. Ensure they’re confident in their decision and know they don’t have to subject themselves to overwhelming situations.

Create a Visual Schedule Together

Most children with autism perform best in their everyday tasks when using a visual schedule. Children with autism can struggle with organization and need constant reminders. Transitioning from one task to another can cause anxiety or a meltdown to occur. 

Knowing what comes next during their day, week or even month helps to alleviate surprises, which can be overwhelming. 

When creating the routine or schedule, make sure to include the following information:

• Arrival and departure times
• Offer choices
• Activities you will do throughout the day
• Planned sensory break times
• Use pictures, words or a combination

If your child struggles with transitions or changes in routine, you can use a visual aid to help better represent their daily tasks. The pictures and symbols can help them prepare for upcoming events and understand what they’re doing in the new environment.

Encourage Daily Relaxing Time

A lot can happen in a day, and sometimes, the best thing you can do is give yourself time to relax. Adding sensory breaks to your child’s daily routine is another great tactic to prevent overstimulation. These breaks are helpful after a long day at school or a crowded outing. Here are a few examples of activities they can do during their break:

• Listening to calming music
• Arts and crafts
• Squeezing a stress ball
• Wrapping themselves in a weighted blanket
• Light exercise
• Taking a bubble bath
• Reading or listening to a book

Practice Self-Soothing Techniques

The main priority of your child’s ABA therapy is to teach and establish life skills. Your child should also practice self-soothing strategies at home along with developmental skills. This is a very important step when your child with autism is experiencing overstimulation. Take time to teach them various techniques and see what helps the most. Common self-soothing methods are:

• Counting to ten
• Deep breathing exercises
• Using sensory toys or stress balls
• Isometric exercises
• Bear hugs
• Utilizing weighted items (blankets, lap pads, or vests)
• Taking a walk

Design a Sensory-Friendly Environment

One of the best ways to avoid overstimulation at home is to create a sensory-friendly environment. This means you may have to modify the common areas and the child’s bedroom to create a more relaxing atmosphere—but who doesn’t love a refreshed interior design? Adding light dimmers and painting your walls with calming colors like sage green, light blue, or neutral hues can help make them feel more comfortable at home.

When decorating, consider adding sound-absorbing materials to the room. This way, your child isn’t overwhelmed by noise levels or certain sounds. We also recommend adding a comfortable bean bag, baskets of fidget toys, and a soft rug in their room so they can relax by themselves.

Support for Parents at HANDS

You probably felt a whirlwind of emotions when you received your child’s diagnosis. That’s why finding a support system is essential for parents of a child with ASD. With the right support, you can learn tips for helping with emotional management, overcoming obstacles, and celebrating the small wins. Finding the right autism therapy facility can help perfect your communication skills and help you better understand your child.

HANDS Center is passionate about providing our parents the support they need to help our learners flourish. ABA training for parents plays a major role in your child’s overall therapy experience. Through these training courses, you will engage weekly or biweekly with our board-certified Behavior Analyst to learn the best ways to support your child at home. This way, you have the necessary skills to assist them through various developmental challenges.