Different sensory things will feel wonderful for some autistic's and painful for others. It may be that certain lights, sounds, textures, clothing, sights, smells etc brings a lot of comfort. Weighted blankets are also wonderful for helping to ground you and feel safe. Certain food can be really comforting.
Activities that have a clear goal and end point are best. These include jigsaws, puzzle books, song and action DVDs, picture lotto and matching games. Next, you could try creating a visual support: Represent each step of the activity with visual cues attached to a board.
Camping, reading a book, singing, playing tennis, dancing, and listening to music are just some of the recreational activities that adults with autism might enjoy with their loved ones.
Bubble blowing is often successful, as are toys that move, squeak, vibrate, and otherwise DO something. Over time, therapists will work with the child to build reciprocal skills (sharing, turn-taking), imaginative skills (pretending to feed a toy animal, cook pretend skills) and even abstract thinking skills.
Close-ended toys have a clear ending point and include toys such as shape sorters, puzzles, book, etc. For example, once all of the puzzle pieces are assembled, the child is finished and moves on to the next activity. Of course, the child can play with the toy again but typically they finish and move on.
Although this can sometimes feel challenging, it is important to recognize three very simple factors that every person with ASD needs: safety, acceptance and a sense of competence.
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.
Having a child on the autism spectrum gives to us the opportunity to obtain the gifts of understanding and patience. Autism gives to us a chance to be more than we might otherwise be as parents, grandparents, friends or family.
Being completely silent. Not being able to communicate in any way. Withdrawing to a quiet, dark space to get away from the cause of their shutdown. Not being able to move from where they are because they're thinking too much about the cause of their shutdown.
Check Meetup.com for local autism-focused groups in your area. Some groups will likely be for parents of autistic children, but others may be for autistic teens and/or adults. If your area has groups for teens and adults, you might find advocacy-focused groups, social groups such as gaming groups, or support groups.
Many adults and children on the autism spectrum have reported that they stim to help adapt to their environments. Some people report that they stim to counteract an overwhelming sensory input or as a way to reduce internal anxiety . Others may feel the need for more sensory stimulation.
Lego therapy is a social development program for autistic children and other children with social communication difficulties. It uses children's love of Lego play, as well as their strengths and interests, to develop communication and social skills.
Children with autism mainly produce one sort of laughter — voiced laughter, which has a tonal, song-like quality. This type of laughter is associated with positive emotions in typical controls.
Autistic children enjoy play and learn through play, just as typically developing children do. Through playing with others, your child can learn and practise new social skills and abilities. These skills are important for your child's overall development.
Many autistic people have intense and highly-focused interests, often from a fairly young age. These can change over time or be lifelong. It can be art, music, gardening, animals, postcodes or numbers. For many younger children it's Thomas the Tank Engine, dinosaurs or particular cartoon characters.