How To Plan A Sensory-Friendly New Year’s Celebration

How To Plan a Sensory-Friendly New Year’s Celebration New Year’s Eve celebrations can be a lot of fun. However, given that 90% of individuals with autism deal with hypersensitivity, they can also be incredibly overstimulating. Fortunately, this does not mean that your child has to miss out on all of the fun! With that in mind, here are just some of the ways you can set about planning a sensory-friendly activity for your New Year’s celebration.

Identify your child’s triggers

The first step toward creating a more sensory-friendly environment for your child is to identify their triggers. While this can vary from individual to individual, common sensitivity triggers for children with ASD and related disorders include: ● Loud noises or high-pitched sounds ● Bright lights ● Busy crowds ● Strong smells

By being able to identify the triggers that your child is the most responsive to, you can tailor your plans accordingly or figure out which steps you need to take in order to support them.

Discuss Your Plans Ahead of Time Whether inviting friends and family into your home or heading out to a party, discuss your plans in detail with your child ahead of time. This way, they have the opportunity to voice their concerns, and you can also manage their expectations accordingly.

Put Their Comfort First While it can be disappointing to have to cancel plans or depart a party early, you should always make sure you are putting your child’s comfort first. As such, you should make it clear that you can head home early if necessary. However, you

can limit the chances of this occurring by taking proactive measures to enhance their comfort no matter where you may be. For example, noise-cancelling headphones can make everything from fireworks to loud music much more bearable.

Practice Calming Techniques If you feel your child may be in an environment that could prove to be triggering, you may want to practice calming techniques that they can use to wind down in this environment. For example, some studies have found that deep breathing techniques and exercises can help to curb potentially negative behaviors such as stimming. Your child’s therapist will also be able to provide you with practical guidance in this regard, especially if they attend ABA therapy or occupational therapy. If your child is not currently enrolled in therapy, and you’re interested in finding out more, please do not hesitate to get in touch today. At Alee Behavioral, we offer a wide range of in-person and online therapeutic services designed to help your child thrive in any environment they may find themselves in. This includes: ● ABA Therapy ● Occupational Therapy ● Speech Therapy

● Group Therapy ● Parent/Caregiver Training Sessions

We look forward to hearing from you!