The holiday season, filled with lights, sounds, and gatherings, is often a joyful time for many families. However, for families with neurodivergent children, it can be an overwhelming and challenging period. The intense sensory input, disruptions in routine, and heightened social expectations can trigger dysregulation, leaving parents and children feeling exhausted and misunderstood.
As caregivers, it’s essential to approach this season with empathy, understanding, and strategies tailored to our children’s sensory and emotional needs. This holiday season, let's strive for inclusion and support to help neurodivergent children thrive.
Understanding the Sensory Landscape of the Holidays
Holidays are a sensory buffet: bright twinkling lights, loud music, unfamiliar textures, and crowds of people all create an environment of sensory overload. For children with sensory processing differences, these stimuli can feel like a tidal wave crashing into their nervous system.
By anticipating these sensory challenges, we can create an environment where children feel supported and empowered. Ayres Sensory Integration (ASI) strategies offer practical tools to help children navigate these complex environments, ensuring they can participate meaningfully in holiday traditions.
Strategies for Sensory Integration and Emotional Regulation
1. Create a Sensory-Friendly Holiday Environment
Adjust Lighting: Use soft, dimmable lights instead of bright, flashing ones. Consider stringing fairy lights in calming colors like blue or white.
Control Noise Levels: Play calming music or white noise in the background to help dampen overwhelming sounds. Offer noise-canceling headphones if attending loud events.
Simplify Decorations: Choose minimalistic and familiar decorations to reduce visual clutter. Involve your child in decorating to make the environment feel predictable.
2. Offer Predictable Routines
Visual Schedules: Use a visual calendar or social stories to explain upcoming holiday events, helping children anticipate changes to their routine.
Practice in Advance: Role-play or visit event spaces beforehand to familiarize your child with new environments.
Keep Consistent Elements: Stick to familiar foods, bedtime routines, or quiet time, even during travel or gatherings.
3. Engage the Proprioceptive and Vestibular Systems
Heavy Work Activities: Encourage tasks like carrying holiday decorations, pushing chairs, or kneading dough.
Movement Breaks: Incorporate activities such as jumping on a mini-trampoline, spinning on a swivel chair, or doing animal walks.
Calming Tools: Weighted blankets, compression vests, or fidget tools can provide soothing feedback during long car rides or gatherings.
4. Use Sensory-Based Coping Strategies During Events
Designated Quiet Spaces: Set up a sensory corner with soft pillows, weighted items, and noise-canceling headphones at home or in event spaces.
Fidget Kits: Prepare a portable sensory kit with chewable jewelry, stress balls, or scented playdough.
Scents and Aromatherapy: Use calming scents like lavender or vanilla to create a soothing environment.
5. Advocate for Your Child’s Needs
Prepare Hosts and Guests: Share your child’s sensory preferences with hosts in advance.
Model Empathy: Calmly explain your child’s needs to others if they become overwhelmed.
Set Boundaries: Don’t hesitate to leave early or skip events that may overwhelm your child.
Script for Communicating with Friends and Relatives
Sometimes, explaining your child's needs to friends or family can feel challenging. A simple script can help set expectations and encourage understanding:
Script Example:
Hi [Name],
We’re so excited to celebrate the holidays with you this year! I wanted to share a little bit about [Child’s Name] so the day can be enjoyable for everyone, especially them. [Child’s Name] experiences the world a little differently because of sensory sensitivities, which can make things like loud sounds, bright lights, or unexpected changes feel overwhelming at times.
Here are a few things that really help [Child’s Name] feel comfortable and included:
Quiet spaces make a big difference. If things get a bit too noisy or overwhelming, we might step away for a short break to help them reset.
They love using tools like headphones or fidgets. You might see them wearing headphones or playing with a small toy—it’s their way of staying calm and grounded, and it works wonders for them.
Avoiding certain triggers is super helpful. For example, [specific trigger, e.g., strong scents or flashing lights] can be tough for them to handle, so we try to steer clear of those.
Thank you so much for your understanding and support! If you have any questions or want to know more about how we can make the day a success, I’d love to chat. We’re really looking forward to spending time together!
6. Build Emotional Resilience Through Connection
Practice Collaborative Problem-Solving (CPS): Involve your child in planning the holiday schedule.
Teach Emotional Awareness and Regulation: Use tools like the feelings wheel to help your child identify and express their emotions, then discuss strategies to help them regulate if the need arise
Offer Validation: Acknowledge your child’s feelings and find ways to make the experience easier together.
Pay Attention to your child and try to co-regulate with them more
Fill your own cup first so that you can effectively co-regulate during this busy season
Embracing Empathy and Inclusion
The holiday season doesn’t have to be a source of stress for neurodivergent families. By integrating sensory-friendly strategies, maintaining open communication, and showing compassion for each child’s unique needs, we can create meaningful and joyous experiences.
Remember, it’s not about creating a “perfect” holiday—it’s about fostering connection, understanding, and inclusion. As parents, caregivers, and community members, let’s commit to making this season a time of belonging for all children.
Comments