- Children with autism may find city outings stressful
- Even fun places to take an autistic child near Long Island can cause anxiety
- ABA therapy may help your child learn coping skills for public outings
Children on the autism spectrum may find public outings overwhelming. The sights and sounds of city living can become overstimulating very quickly, and this may lead to severe anxiety and unwanted behaviors. ABA therapy may help your children handle, and even come to enjoy, city outings.
Why Outings Can Be Challenging for Children with Autism
Many autistic children find public outings stressful for a variety of reasons. These can include:
- Sensory Overload: Children with autism often find sights, sounds, and smells overwhelming, especially when they are not familiar
- Changes in routine: Individuals on the spectrum often find changes in their daily routine stressful, especially when there isn’t enough time for a transition from one activity to another
- Unexpected social interactions: Having to interact with new people unexpectedly or not understanding how to interact with new people can cause anxiety during outings
How ABA Therapy Can Help with City Outings
Even when focusing on fun places to take autistic children in Long Island, so you have sensory-friendly entertainment, things can still get overwhelming very quickly. If your child is having trouble enjoying outings, ABA therapy may help. While every child is different, ABA may help by providing tools such as:
Social Skill Building
Your child will learn social skills, such as greeting new people or standing in line when needed.
Communication Skills
Children will learn how to initiate conversation, read social cues, and effectively communicate with others in social situations, such as ordering in a restaurant.
Coping Skills
Your children may learn coping strategies for overwhelming sensory situations they may encounter. They may also learn how to request breaks when needed.
How to Plan a Successful Outing
Starting with fun activities may help your child handle less exciting trips, such as shopping for groceries. There are plenty of fun places to take autistic children in Long Island and the surrounding areas, and having a plan in place is a good way to ensure your day is fun, educational, or productive.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when planning your day:
Get Your Child Involved
Have your child help plan your day, whether that means choosing autism friendly activities in Long Island to take part in, or helping you come up with a plan in case of overwhelm. Children who have agency over their day-to-day activities are more likely to remember and implement them.
Use Cues and Stories
Utilizing visual cues or reading through social stories can help your child plan ahead for what he may encounter during your outing.
Start Small
Begin with shorter outings to get your child used to venturing out of your normal routine. You may start by taking your child to an autism friendly playground for a few minutes at a time.
Choose Programs for Kids with Autism Around New York
Many facilities offer programs or specific times for families with autistic children. This can include museum programming for autism families, as well as a wide range of other events for autism in NYC and the surrounding areas.