Tips for Helping Individuals Living with Autism Have a Happy Holiday Season

1. Preparation is crucial for many individuals.
2. Decorations around the house may be disruptive for some.
3. If a person with autism has difficulty with change, you may want to gradually decorate the house.
4. If a person with autism begins to obsess about a particular gift or item they want, it may be helpful to be specific and direct about the number of times they can mention the gift.
5. Teach them how to leave a situation and/or how to access support when an event becomes overwhelming.
6. If you are traveling for the holidays, make sure you have their favorite foods, books or toys available.
7. Know your loved one with autism and how much noise and activity they can tolerate.
8. Prepare a photo album in advance of the relatives and other guests who will be visiting during the holidays.
9. Practice opening gifts, taking turns and waiting for others, and giving gifts.
10. Prepare family members for strategies to use to minimize anxiety or behavioral incidents, and to enhance participation.
11. If the person with autism is on special diet, make sure there is food available that he/she can eat.
12. Above all, know your loved one with autism. Know how much noise and other sensory input they can take. Know their level of anxiety and the amount of preparation it may take. Know their fears and those things that will make the season more enjoyable for them.
13. Since holidays may place extra stress on a child, this may not be the time to introduce them to new demands.
14. During dinner, it may be a challenge for your child to eat at the same table as the entire family. Have options available.
15. If feasible, hire a respite provider or babysitter to be available during a section of the holidays so that other family members may be able to enjoy the day.
16. Realizing that the holidays are stressful, make sure that some of the individual’s favorite foods are available during dinner.
17. In preparation for the family holiday event, rehearse conversation topics in advance with your loved one. Develop a signal to help them understand when they should shift topics. Make a list of acceptable topics and a list of those they should not discuss. Practice this list in advance.
18. Equally important is to prompt family members about topics of discussion that they can engage your son/daughter in and those they should avoid.
19. Most important, remember to relax and not get unduly stressed. Your loved one may in all likelihood react to that stress.
20. Have a wonderful holiday season

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