Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi NAS Community,
My son E (age 5 with ASD diagnosis) has struggled when his routine is disrupted by school holidays. This seems to have become more of an issue every time the holidays come round.
E's mood can swing sharply, usually when he makes a request that we can't/won't accommodate. This often occurs on an evening when he is feeling tired.
When he becomes upset he tries to hit me/mum and tries to throw things. When upset he often says 'I want to chuck toys'. It can also be challenging to get E out of the house if he is not in the correct mood.
The last three days E has become very upset at bedtime, and had melt downs that last a couple of hours until he is so tired he falls asleep. The trigger last night was that I wouldn't let him go back downstairs (even when I gave in and we did he was still upset).
We have a visual timetable to show what we are doing each day and another one to check off the days til E is back at school.
Any suggestions/tips on how to support E through school hols would be really appreciated.
Kind regards,
Matt
Hi, I would suggest having a routine that is similar to school, up at the same time, washed and dressed, planned activities, breaks and lunch. Does E have any particular interests such as animals, trains or dinosaurs? That can be used to stimulate his learning. Have a look on Twinkl also, some resources are free, and they could give you ideas. There's also a lot of there to do with emotions. Perhaps a display where he can select or point to an emotion would help E to understand his feelings. If space is available you could try creating a quiet space, somewhere to take him or that he can go to ( not his bedroom). This will help him to learn how to manage difficult feelings. Place toys or items in the space that suit his sensory needs. I hope some of this helps.