Supporting a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) during lockdown

World Autism Awareness Week 2021

Being the parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be incredibly rewarding and enjoyable but can also come with some challenges and the extra pressure caused by the lockdown restrictions may feel intolerable. Life for your child and your family as a whole will have changed drastically during lockdown. You or your significant other may have been furloughed, or may now be working from home and the general uncertainty about the future is a constant source of stress for everyone.

Below are five tips to make things easier for you and your child during these strange times.

1) Explain the changes

Using simple and concrete language, explain the reasoning behind the precautions (social distancing, hand-washing and lockdown). Try to avoid analogies and metaphors as these are often confusing for children with ASD. Instead, use some visual supports such as short comic strips.

2) Keep to a structure

If possible, try to keep to a routine. The predictability and consistent sleeping pattern will reduce your child’s stress and fatigue, putting them in the best possible mind-set to learn during the day.

3) Encourage virtual meet-ups

Being separate from their peers for an unusually long period of time may cause social anxiety later when the restrictions are lifted. In order to mitigate this, encourage your child to speak to their friends on a video-call services (Zoom, Skype), or over the phone. If your child is uncomfortable with the unnatural aspects of video and phone calls, such as feeling pressure to keep the conversation going, suggest they play a game together online while they talk.

4) Get outside

Try to work half an hour of outside time/ light exercise into your child’s schedule. This will help to keep them mentally and physically healthy. If you child is reluctant to leave the house, or even their room, try to identify whether any outside activities interest them. If none do, then try offering rewards (screen-time, small toys) if they accompany you to the shops, or just for a walk around the neighbourhood.

5) Self-care

In order to be the best possible care-giver you can be, you’ll need to make sure that you look after yourself. In order to do this, it is advisable to stick to a routine and make time for sociability and exercise. If you have trouble sleeping, try avoiding all electronic devices for an hour before you plan to sleep and instead unwind with a book. If you find your stress levels are starting to rise during the day, take a couple of minutes alone to practice ‘4-7-8 breathing.’ This technique involves breathing in through your nose for a count of four seconds, holding it for seven seconds and then breathing out through your mouth for eight. Repeat this process 4 times over and you should start to feel much more relaxed.