How can you make your house autism-friendly? Ordinary activities can be overwhelming for children with autism. They can be susceptible to sensory stimuli. Loud noise, bright light, textured material, and smells can be overwhelming. Children with autism find large or rowdy crowds and disorderly spaces difficult. They like setting routines and rituals. Any changes in habits, new foods, or the presence of unknown people can be upsetting. They tend to be anxious and exhibit repetitive behaviour.
Once we understand how a child with autism perceives the world, we can make the environment less overpowering. When they experience sensory overload, they will avoid any strong stimuli. Like us, they need a safe space with minimum interference to be alone and relax. The following may help to make this space peaceful.
Predictability are important for your child
A simple, easy-to-follow routine can do wonders for a child with autism. Predictability helps the child to feel calm. When you keep preferred foods in the house, the child can expect to eat something he enjoys. Having a designated chair can help make lunch or dinner time a pleasant experience. Try to minimize bothersome smells, sounds or lights. The child needs time to relax and be alone. Limit at-home therapies. Stick to those that are essential and try to use fun activities.
Know when your child is stressed. Remember that he may find it difficult to tell you what is bothersome. Assist the child in communicating to you what the problem is. Once you know what the problem is, you can address it. A simple solution may alleviate the sensory overload. It will go a long way to make your house autism-friendly.
Colour has an emotional effect
We know that colour has an emotional effect on all of us. Some colours are stimulating, and some are soothing. Red, Yellow, and other primary colours are stimulating. They must instead be limited to toys in the bedroom. Pale pink, soft grey, white and cool colours like blue and green have a soothing effect on these children.
Furnishing can help your child to feel safe
Furnish the area so that senses are not overstimulated, and the room can be a welcome retreat. A small tent can provide an area with low external stimuli. Soft padded walls and large pillows can protect your child during meltdowns. Weighted blankets offer anxiety and stress relief. It can help the child to sleep better. Separating sleep and play areas may be a good idea. This arrangement will make your house autism-friendly.
Use lighting to make your house autism friendly
Children with sensory processing issues may find harsh lighting uncomfortable. These include fluorescent lights and standard bulbs. It is common among children with autism. Fluorescent lamps have a hum and a flicker that may be uncomfortable for your child. Led lights are more beneficial. Adjustable or dimmable lights can create a calming effect. Some children with autism react better to creative sensory lighting. You can experiment with tornado lights, bubble fish and lava lamps. Seasonal affective disorder lamps (SAD) may also be more comfortable. Pelmet lighting provides a soft indirect light source that is not overwhelming. Keep in mind that every child is different and will react differently.
Reduce meaningless sounds
Sound perception occurs in many ways. Background noise and distracting sounds must be considered in indoor areas. Echo time also contributes to the perception of how ‘live’ or ‘dead’ a room feels. Rooms may be too loud or too quiet. An essential feature of spaces for all occupants is adjusting the background noise level. Add background noise with elements, such as birdsong or water sounds. It can improve occupants’ perception of acoustics. Adding pink noise is another common strategy for creating sound privacy. Pink noise can mask low-frequency background sound. Sound carries messages. Sounds, such as speech, paging systems and alarms, are meaningful. However, these signals are almost always distracting. It must be minimized to create the best possible space. There is a significant individual variation on the impact of background noise. Autistic children tend to maintain focus longer when the rooms are better insulated from external noise. An acoustic ceiling can help to reduce noise.
How do you make your house autism-friendly? Would you please share your ideas with us?