DR RADICA MAHASE

Another year of celebrating Christmas during a pandemic, another year of adjusting to the new normal. For many autism families, Christmas is a time of disruptions – bright lights, noise, visits from relatives.

For an individual on the autism spectrum who is sensitive to any of these, Christmas might not be so much fun after all. Also, new activities can be overwhelming to many people on the autism spectrum.

Here are some tips for parents who are still trying to figure it out and relatives who just may not know what they can do to help.

Don’t try to make too many changes within the home, unless your child is okay with the changes. Sometimes we focus so much on putting up a tree, decorating with lights, cleaning and rearranging, that we forget that these can be a bit overwhelming to a person on the spectrum.

To be on the safe side, include your child in all your plans for your home. Find out if they are okay with having lights and include them in putting it up if possible. If you are rearranging things in the house, ask them if they are okay with it.

If your child doesn’t like the decorations or lights, consider decorating one room – make that into the Christmas room. That way, your child’s life might not be totally affected and the other members of the family can still have some semblance of Christmas in the house.

Another option can be to just decorate for a day or two, as opposed to weeks. Consider your child at every step of the "get-ready-for-Christmas" stage and throughout the holidays.

Don’t expect your child to like things because they are supposed to be "Christmas things." The best example of this is food. If your child doesn’t like sorrel or black cake or ham, that’s okay. Don’t force them on to your child because they are popular at Christmas.

In fact, it is important to remember that your child should enjoy Christmas too, and if that means he/she sticking to what he/she is accustomed to, then so be it. If you are visiting relatives or having a big Christmas lunch, make sure that whatever your child eats is available. Many children on the autism spectrum have very specific eating habits and like only certain food because of sensory issues. If this applies to your child, it might be a good idea to let relatives know what your child likes, or pack that food if you are going to visit them.

[caption id="attachment_930497" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Don't force your child to do things they do not like. - Sataish Rampersad[/caption]

Relatives who want to give presents can aim for sensory-friendly presents that someone on the spectrum will enjoy. Given the current economic situation, many of us are budgeting and being careful how we spend our money. Sensory-friendly doesn’t necessarily mean expensive – it just means something that will engage the child’s attention. Many children on the spectrum are visual learners, they are creative, and presents such as crafts, puzzles and picture books will be more appropriate for them. Of course, it all depends on the individual ch