Preparing for Back to School
The new school year is just around the corner, and for those families who have a child with autism, it may be a time filled with questions and worries. With all the recent changes, we wanted to provide some tips to help ensure a smooth transition back into the school setting.
If your child tends to sleep later into the morning, it may help to use an alarm and gradually set the time earlier to help your child adjust to waking up for school in the morning. Utilizing a calendar or visual schedule at home can help your child practice their daily school routine before the year begins so they know what to expect each day. Additionally, reading social stories about going back to school with your child can also help explain what a typical day at school may look like. If your child takes a while to adjust to changes in routines, going for a drive around the school with them and talking about going back to school can help familiarize your child with the building and get them used to the idea.
If your child isn’t used to wearing a mask, or has a difficult time wearing a mask for any length of time, it might help to have your child practice wearing a mask for a minute at a time and slowly increase the duration over time. It could also help encourage your child to wear a mask by making a game out of it, like a superhero mask, or wearing a mask with them. Fit and design is also important. If the mask doesn’t fit right, it will be more uncomfortable and your child may have a more difficult time wearing it throughout the school day. Finally, if these ideas don’t work and your child is still having trouble wearing a mask, a face shield or other protective covering may be a good option to try. Additionally, if you’re looking for sensory-friendly masks for your child, we have included a few links below that may help your search!
- https://www.autism-products.com/product/sensory-friendly-protective-fabric-mask/
- https://rafinova.com/products/sensory-friendly-mask
- https://www.sensacalm.com/products/sensacalm-face-mask?rfsn=5309923.0dfd92&subid=86205X1542818X299581024bc972fdcf838af2d80de4eb
- https://www.autismcommunitystore.com/sensory-friendly-face-mask-pediatric
Thanks for reading! We hope you found this post helpful. If your child is currently receiving services with us and you would like additional ideas to help ensure a smooth transition back to school, please reach out to us and we can help come up with a plan suited to your child’s specific skills and needs. Be sure to follow us on social media to see what’s new at Golden State, and stay up-to-date on our blog for the latest tips and guides. Have a great day!