Instead of forcing him to “sit still,” I shifted the entire experience to meet him where he was. Here is the step-by-step strategy we used to turn a something that caused a violent meltdown into a manageable routine:
Category: Early Intervention in Everyday Routines
She pointed to the ketchup. Okay, —a bit strange, but whatever brings comfort. Then she pointed to the mayonnaise.
Ketchup. Mayonnaise. On white bread.
This is where my inner dialogue—screamed, No, that’s gross. I draw the line.
Creating a peaceful bedtime routine for a child with sensory processing challenges takes time, patience, and experimentation. By understanding your child’s unique needs and incorporating sensory strategies, you can create a bedtime routine that promotes relaxation and sleep for everyone.
We know that children with ASD experience sleep issues and challenging behaviors. Parents then experience stress, and then parent’s stress can worsen a child’s behavior problems. Therefore, effective stress management becomes a critical for both parent and child’s well-being.
The cardboard box solution, a simple early intervention strategy, addressed several of his sensory needs and made a challenging situation much more manageable. It also underscores the many benefits of cardboard box play for children in general.
Gross motor heavy work is hard to do during a bath, but fine motor heavy work is doable. After providing him with the following activities, his need for sensory input was satisfied by the work with his hands and exposure to texture.
When a child is having difficulty changing her behavior, try changing the environment.
Following these tips and embracing a “good enough” mentality can turn haircut day from a struggle into a regular routine to look forward to.
Brown noise is a funny name, but it’s awesome for blocking out household sounds. I highly recommend the sound machine, but if your zoo–I mean, home is especially loud during a baby’s bedtime, you have another louder solution in a basic CD player.
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