Children with autism can be prone to wandering and having no danger awareness, which can be terrifying for parents. In this blog, SpecialKids Company will give you some tips on how to prevent this from happening.
iPads and tablets can be a source of unnecessary guilt for many parents. Lots of children with autism use these devices a lot and may have a lot of screen time, which can sometimes be frowned upon by those who think that they know better. But should you feel guilty about your child being attached to their device?
There’s that saying, ‘It’s as easy as riding a bike’ - except riding a bike doesn’t come easy to everybody. In fact, it can be quite complicated and difficult because riding a bike takes several skills. There are several reasons a child with autism may find it difficult to ride a bike. From poor motor and balancing skills and difficulty understanding instructions to inability to sense danger, difficulty steering and anxiety.
Lots of children with autism lack danger awareness and quite frankly, that can be terrifying. It means that they are vulnerable and at risk of injuring themselves. They can also be over and under-sensitive to smells, textures and sounds, impacting their ability to process information. When near traffic, this can be dangerous as it can be distracting and overwhelming. All of this means that teaching autistic children road safety is paramount. In this blog, we will discuss how to reach road safety for children with autism.
Sensory processing issues have a lot to do with this because colours, textures, smells and tastes can be extremely overwhelming for autistic children and can have a huge impact on how they feel. A lot of colourful foods, such as fruit and vegetables, can change in taste depending on the season and this can be problematic for children who like routine and predictability. In this blog, we will provide you with some suggestions of things that you can try to encourage your child to try colourful foods.
The Association of UK Dieticians states that ‘there are no differences in nutritional requirements for autistic people and a balanced diet is important for good health and development’. Whilst this is true, many autistic children have food hypersensitivity due to sensory processing issues. This means that certain textures, smells or tastes can be extremely overwhelming and upsetting for them. It is important to remember this whilst offering your child food. Although you may feel frustrated and worried if your child’s diet is limited, you should be mindful that this is not something that your child is doing deliberately, and it can be extremely difficult for them.