Stuffed animals. They bring us comfort, security and familiarity. For many kids on the spectrum, these items also fulfill a sense of routine and order we naturally crave and need.
Sensory toys help children with autism relax, focus, and calm down to a scenario or event. It helps them grasp objects with decreased dear and discomfort, ultimately helping them play naturally. Futhermore, sensory toys help develop social learning skills like negotiating, planning, and sharing.
Autistic people might also become attached to objects (or parts of objects), such as toys, figurines or model cars – or more unusual objects like milk bottle tops, stones or shoes. An interest in collecting is also quite common.
Summary. Research shows that autistic people prefer interactions with animals over humans and that 80% of autistic children have participated in pet therapy.
Furthermore, participants' preferred soft and comfortable textures, like satin; previous research also reporting that autistic individuals enjoy touching soft and smooth textures (Cascio et al., 2012).
Stuffed animals are great comfort objects
Whether they're four years old or forty, many people with autism are easily overwhelmed by the noise and chaos of everyday life. That's why they often turn to comfort objects that can provide security and some sensory regulation.
Why hoodies? Some Autistic people can experience sensory sensitivities and become overloaded by stimuli, but when wearing their hoodie up, they can block out bright lights and busy environments which helps to calm them and regain their focus.
Sonic the Hedgehog has a special place in the hearts of many autistic people since its very beginning in 1991. The game's rich colors, bright graphics, and fast-paced action make it a perfect choice for autistic individuals who have difficulty processing information quickly.
Scientists at the University of Rennes in France observed 23 autistic and 19 non-autistic children and found that autistic children might prefer spending time with cats instead of dogs. The “less intrusive glance” of cats may be why they feel more comfortable with cats, says Marine Grandgeorge who worked on the study.
Though autistic people may respond to emotions and social cues differently than neurotypical people, this does not mean they lack empathy. Just like neurotypical people, levels of empathy vary between autistic individuals.
Abstract Some children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) exhibit low mental age (Low-MA), defined here as cognitive functioning below 12 months.
Children with autism have a problem with decreased muscle tone or increased muscle weaknesses. As a result, their body posture falls in the forward direction putting their weight over their toes. This is why they tend to walk on their toes rather than their feet.
Challenging behaviour in autistic children and teenagers
refuse or ignore requests. behave in socially inappropriate ways, like taking their clothes off in public. behave aggressively. hurt themselves or other children – for example, by head-banging or biting.
People with autism may get easily attached to people, leading them to become over-friendly. It can be difficult to understand other people's perceptions of situations, therefore what they feel is appropriate, may be considered as socially unacceptable.
There are other brain disorders that mimic autism symptoms, like ADHD and anxiety disorders, including selective mutism. Autism can be misdiagnosed as another disorder with some shared symptoms.
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.
Dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs are not just cute companions, they're also great for helping autistic children with their social and emotional development.
Caring for a cat helps children with ASD learn empathy and compassion as well as teaching responsibility. Petting a cat relieves stress and anxiety not just for the child with ASD, but the whole family. Cats are nonjudgmental, allowing children with ASD to feel relaxed and to connect freely with their cat companion.
Many autistic children and adults have a special bond with dogs. Through our experience of training dogs for autistic children we've seen the amazing difference dogs can make.
Considering this evidence for autistic people's different experience of touch, it is no wonder that autistic children may avoid touch or only engage in touch under certain conditions. It has been reported that autistic children engage in cuddles less than non-autistic peers (Baranek, 1999).
Why does this happen? Making excessive noise can indicate auditory sensory-seeking tendencies. Usually children with a hyposensitive auditory system are unable to register sound until they have additional input.
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.
Some studies have documented the reason why girls with autism mask; results suggest that it is motivated by the need to avoid being bullied, the feeling that it is an obligation to mask, and the fear of being ostracized for being autistic.
Smells can be so overwhelming that they may display unusual behaviours to avoid that smell. Some autistic people may seek out strong smells. You might hear these people referred to as hyposensitive to smell. They may be drawn to curry powder, herbs, flowers, essential oils and perfumes.