Climbing, both indoors and out, gives us a community, builds our physical strength and has numerous benefits to our stress levels and personal mental health. For those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), these positive aspects of climbing are particularly important and helpful.
The most popular (strongly preferred) activity among children with ASD was the exhibit "Climbing Stairs." Children who climbed a short staircase could then drop a ball and watch it descend. Another popular activity involved a windmill. Children can push its arms, causing it to spin.
Climbing allows for independent movement. Children who have autism may not like physical contact and this is an activity that caters to that characteristic. Cross-curricular activities invite written communication; for example, by finding letters or spelling words on the climbing wall.
Hand flapping and jumping are common motor responses among children with autism or other SPDs. These extraneous movements are a way for their bodies to cope with sensory overload and filter information.
Science fiction and fantasy are often of great interest to autistic people. Depending on their interest levels and abilities, people on the spectrum may learn every detail of a particular "universe," write their own stories, watch and rewatch movies, read comics, attend conventions, or even make their own costumes.
Communication challenges. Verbal communication is a challenge for some children with ASD. For parents of such children, communication is a problem that compounds the stress & anxiety of parents. Parents face the challenge that their child is unable to communicate their needs and wants.
For many autistic children climbing means that their bodies get proprioceptive and vestibular input. Both jumping and climbing activities can provide a child with this type of sensory input and the autistic child craves it. They crave that heavy work, deep muscle, head tilting movement.
Other kiddos who struggle with processing proprioceptive input appear to be on the opposite end of the spectrum – they actively crave and seek access to proprioceptive input. They are not passive, and they are not necessarily uncoordinated. These are the ones who hang, climb, push, pull, and actively crash into EV.
Many autistic children and teenagers wander or run off, even when adults are supervising them. Autistic children wander for many reasons. For example, they might want to: avoid something in their environment, like noise.
Research says that autistic children spend more time on screen than children who do not have autism. About 64.2 percent of young adults with ASD spend their free time on TV, and video games and 13.2 percent of young adults with ASD spend time on social media sites, emails, and chatting.
Most children with autism experience some type of sleep problems due to sensory overload and other issues. They often find sleeping on the floor more comforting than laying in bed.
Many children on the autism spectrum are fascinated by animals, trains, or other aspects of the real world. Selected TV and videos, such as "Animal Planet" and the "Eye Witness" videos can build on those interests.
Children can be misdiagnosed as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and not actually be autistic. It is concerning enough for a parent to be told their child is on the Autism Spectrum, but for a child to be misdiagnosed as having autism can cause unnecessary stress and worry for the family.
Find sensory tools that can comfort a child at times of stress. These may include squeezy toys, weighted blankets, a calming video or book, a swing set, or even a pet. If a meltdown occurs, allow your child the time and space to calm themselves down and learn to self-regulate.
Climbing, both indoors and out, gives us a community, builds our physical strength and has numerous benefits to our stress levels and personal mental health. For those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), these positive aspects of climbing are particularly important and helpful.
While autism does not necessarily get worse with age, it is important to note that symptoms can vary over the course of a person's life. In fact, research has shown that autism symptoms tend to peak around the ages of 2-3 years old.
At times, that helps them manage their symptoms. And sometimes children seem to age out of some autism signs. Interestingly, researchers say that around 30% of children with autism have less-severe symptoms at the age of 6 years than they did at the age of 3 years.
The findings may point to a unique developmental trajectory for children who have both autism and intellectual disability. About 97 percent of children will have begun walking by 16 months of age, according to the World Health Organization2.
Previous studies revealed that mothers of children with ASD reported elevated psychological distress and caregiving burden [15], health-related problems [16], lower levels of resilience [17] and problems in various areas of family life, including marital and sibling relationships and family socialization [18].
Studies have shown that more than 50% of mothers report a decreased ability to enjoy life as they face the challenges associated with raising a child with ASD. In fact, a low level of social support has been identified as the most powerful predictor of depression and anxiety in the mothers (Boyd, 2002).
Parents of children with autism can be under tremen- dous stress. It may seem like there is never enough time to do everything that needs to be done. So much focus and attention is placed on the child with autism, that it is common for parents to have little time or energy left to focus on their other children.
Having an extraordinarily good memory (being able to remember facts for a long period of time). Being precise and detail orientated. Exceptional honesty and reliability. Being dependable in regards to schedules and routines.
Giving and receiving empathy
Any child will cause you to re-evaluate aspects of your life, make difficult decisions and enact radical change. Having an autistic child just intensifies this process. “It makes you much better at appreciating what people want,” says Rae.