Calming Techniques for Autistic Children

In order to understand what calming techniques will work, you will first need to determine what things excite and upset the child, and have some understanding of the context in which he is throwing a tantrum.

Occasionally the youngster may exhibit a behavior problem at school but not at home, or vice versa. For example, parents may have already developed a strategy to stop the behavior at home, but the teacher is unaware of this strategy. It is important that the parent and teacher discuss the youngster’s behavioral problems since one of them may have already discovered a solution to handle the behavior.


10 comments:

  1. Usually I tell my eight year old to "stop" and just keep repeating it calmly until he does. It usually works better than announcing consequences.

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  2. My seven year old was doing really well for the last year using some of these techniques, but now it seems his violent tantrums are returning. He can become instantly angry, throws things, bangs his head, hits, screams. It is exhausting for both of us and the old calm down techniques just aren't working. I think a new teacher and new expectations at school are a major culprit in this. By the time he comes home he is done. Sometimes I think with Asperger's we are all just constantly fishing for the next thing that will help. Thanks for giving us such a large informative pond to fish in!

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  3. I have a student who is in 8th grade, very bright. She consistently curls the bottom corner of her papers up and rips off the corner piece (taking off a good portion of the ditto sheet her teachers have given her). We have tried to give her squeeze balls, post its that she could tear up, but nothing is working.

    Do you have any suggestions as to how to help her.

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  4. It wont help to tell him to calm down. Autistic children cannot remember what calm feels like when in a rage. We take photos of our son when he is calm and put them onto a large piece of paper pinned up, by seeing hia calm photos you can then say "look how calm you were doing ......." and as they manage better with visual learning this should help.

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  5. My son was awful in reception had a year from hell but as he's got older he's brilliant but still the occasional meltdown. I do physically put my arms around him and get him to count to ten which helps bring his temper down. I then take him away from the situation which could be if in the house the stairs or if out a quiet place and we talk when he says he's ready. At school he used to hide behind a chair when he knew he was getting anxious but each child is so different best advice is talk to the teachers etc but you know your child best so just try things and something will work for you eventually. A lady I met on the course has got a body stocking which her son can see out of but you can't see him and that works for her good luck it does get better x

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  6. I know what you are going through they can get very bad. Try something to distract him it helps my almost 5 year old if I tell him to come feel the texture of something or look at all the colors. Tends to calm him down! Or take him out of the environment that is causing the meltdown I will take my son outside or into a different room. Sensory change is the best!

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  7. yeah you may need to get him into another class that is more equipped for him, and seek support groups for you and your family.

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  8. we had my son walk... the school let him walk around the gymnasium... at home we walked around the house literally around the outside of the house, till he could calm down... only worked with my oldest aspie though

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  9. My grandsonand nephew have Aspergers. My husband, a retired Elementary school Principal, suggests using a bean bag chair. Have the child sit in the bean bag and relax. The bag is soothing because it surrounds them and is comforting. Seems to work well.

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  10. My daughter is autistic, but despite her learning disabilities, I have always been determined to help her learn and grown as much as she possibly can. I went online and researched the different toys for autistic children that are offered on the toy market right now. I spent a lot of money that day ( oops! ), but I found a lot of different kinds of toys that my daughter can play with, but still simulate her learning.

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