Many children with autism are drawn to water for its calming, sensory experience. In fact, a 2015 study[1] found that children with ASD enjoy swimming significantly more than children without ASD. And while water can present a safety concern, water play and swimming also offer several benefits for children with ASD.
Supervision. Actively supervise people with ASD around water at all times. This means focusing your attention on the person all of the time, whenever in, on or around water. People with ASD are known to wander and gravitate towards water.
The present study indicates that polydipsia tends to occur somewhat more often in autism than in mental retardation, and is significantly more severe in autism.
We have often observed that autistic children sometimes fiddle with water, or only drink from a single faucet, pre- sumably one manifestation of the restricted interest charac- teristic of autism. Therefore, preservative tendencies may contribute to compulsive water drinking.
Many children with autism experience sensory issues. When it comes to showering, sensory sensitivities can become overwhelming – some individuals may feel every water drop hitting them or be uncomfortable with the lights or noises from the shower.
Children with an ASD are not vigilant and do not look up to the caregiver for social referencing. They may not cling to the caregiver, although go up to them for succor. However, some cling to the caregiver because of extreme anxiety.
Children with autism seek sensory input in a myriad of ways. Some enjoy the physical touch of loved ones through hugs, tickles, cuddles, and kisses.
"Boys and girls who play with water are stimulating many of their senses (touch, sound, sight)," she says. "Most children love to use their five senses to learn and develop, which includes the senses of touch, sight, and sounds, which most water play has."
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.
Incontinence is often prevalent in children with autism due to common delays in potty training. Some nonverbal children with autism may also not be able to communicate the need to use the restroom, resulting in unwanted accidents.
The present study suggests that polydipsia or excessive water drinking behavior occurs more often in autism than in mental retardation, possibly due to some intrinsic factor in autism itself.
Dairy (casein)
Children with autism (ASD) are much more likely to have a food intolerance to dairy than their peers. This mild allergy could explain why many parents have reported positive changes to their child's autism symptoms -including improved behavior - after eliminating dairy. Your child actually feels better.
Children on the spectrum are often hypersensitive to environmental stimuli. And considering that bathing involves several simultaneous actions, it can be confusing and emotionally stressful for them.
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.
Autistic children love their parents
You may have to learn to see how your child expresses affection and not take it personally if your child doesn't show affection in the way that typical children do.
Reward good behavior.
Positive reinforcement can go a long way with children with ASD, so make an effort to “catch them doing something good.” Praise them when they act appropriately or learn a new skill, being very specific about what behavior they're being praised for.
Children with ASD often need a hug, just like other children. Sometimes they need this much more than other children. But some children don't like to be touched. Respect their personal space.
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.
If young children are autistic, they might: rarely show interest in other children – for example, they might not look towards them or try to get their attention. rarely start games like peekaboo or round the garden. rarely do pretend play – for example, they might not pretend to feed a teddy bear.
It's normal for babies and children, especially toddlers, to drink a lot and pass lots of urine (wee). This is called habitual drinking. But excessive thirst and increased urination in babies, children and teenagers can be a sign of diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus, which can be caused by a brain tumour.
Flap their hands. Shelley: Children with autism tend to have repetitive motor behaviors such as waving or flapping their hands.
Water play develops motor skills and sensory exploration
Water play also provides children with so many opportunities to explore their senses and experience different sensory experiences.
While many children with autism feel averse to hugging, some children with autism like to be hugged. Some children can swing the opposite way and want so many hugs that they feel hug deprived when they aren't getting enough.
Some children with autism smile to show they're happy but don't share their enjoyment. Others show little facial expression or have flat affect and rarely smile so you may not know when they're happy.
Jealousy in children with autism and their siblings may look different. For their siblings, jealousy can appear as anger or deep sadness and retreat from a typically developing sibling. The most common reason for jealousy is undoubtedly the extra attention that the sibling with autism receives.