Summertime is supposed to be fun. It’s meant to be relaxing. Filled with adventures like going to the beach, camping, backyard BBQ’s and spending time together as a family. You know what you should be doing when you’re on vacation. Unfortunately, not all of us have the stereotypical “normal” break when school is out. For some of us, this time off is the exact opposite of fun. For some of us, it can feel a little bit more like a stress-filled Groundhog Day.
My son has severe nonspeaking autism, and he is the absolute best! However, he can be a bit of a sour patch kid. One minute, he’s sour. The next, he’s sweet. During the school year, my little guy thrives. He’s happy, he tries his best at his work with the help of his aide, and makes noticeable improvements. However, once the summer break starts, we run the risk of possibly backsliding. The disruption in his schedule can impact his cognitive flexibility skills, which is something autistic people struggle with.
Listed below are a few of the changes that could cause my son to regress during the summertime:
- Loss of Routine: Kids thrive on routine. For individuals with autism, the loss of the security that comes from routine can lead to anxiety, can cause an increase in negative behaviors, or even lead to meltdowns.
- Sensory Overload: So many things can cause sensory overload in the summer. The heat and humidity. The change in routine. How bright the sun is. How overly crowded and loud all these places get. Certain textures and smells.
- Lack of Structure: A lack of structure can lead to increased anxiety, behavioral issues, and difficulties with self-regulation.
Even though I can’t do anything about the breaks from school, there are some things I can do to try and help him out. Planning ahead before the break starts is the best way, I have found, to try and prevent any of these behaviors from happening before they even start. Creating a schedule of my own for my son to stick to is a great way to keep him on a routine while also giving him some of that structure he craves.
Here are a few activities I use to fill my son’s schedule with during the summertime:
- Extended School Year: ESY is a service provided to children on IEPs designed to help prevent significant regression during periods when school is typically not in session. I make sure to discuss these services with my son’s team during his yearly IEP meeting. He goes for four weeks in the summer.
- Applied Behavior Analysis: ABA is a type of therapy that can be either in-home, center-based, or both, that focuses on how to encourage positive behaviors while decreasing the challenging ones. He goes multiple times a week and loves it!
- Water Play: My son loves to play in the water. We’ll swim in a pool, visit a splash pad, play in a sprinkler, run in the backyard splash pad, or just play in the sink. Water is so relaxing and is a great source of sensory play, so I try to let him have as much time in it as possible. However, when there are restrictions or even water bans in effect, it definitely makes things harder.
These breaks in school are challenging not only for the kids but for the parents, too. Trying to balance the work/family life along with everyone’s schedule, all the cooking, cleaning, and never really getting a break. It can be exhausting! It can also be tough when you see your friends with neurotypical kids post on social media pictures of their fun outings, knowing you can’t really do all of the same things. Of course, we go to fun places and do fun things, but our options are limited. Not many places have inclusive options for autistic families. While I try my best to keep him happy, it’s impossible to fill every second of the day with an activity.
Whatever your summer may look like, you are doing what is best for your family. While 3 months can sometimes feel like 3 years, remember everything comes to an end eventually. You’re doing an amazing job, and things will calm down soon. If you have any suggestions for activities for autistic children, please reach out. We’d love you to hear them.
