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If you have any children with autism or other conditions that make them at risk for sensory overload, you need to make your home as beneficial to them as possible. With some mindful resetting, your home can become a source of comfort for everyone who lives there. These are some of the things we recommend doing to make your home more tactile-friendly.
Offer Different Sensations
Having different sensations to touch can help make children with autism more at-ease. Having a variety of wall tiles and textures is a natural design for many homes, as it wouldn’t be a very compelling design if everything looked and felt the same. You should notice which tactile sensations your child is most drawn-to and find ways to include as many as possible.
Adjust the Bathroom
The bathroom can be one of the least-inviting places for autistic individuals, thanks to how hard its surfaces are, as well as risks for getting hurt. You can modify your child’s bathroom so that they don’t feel so intimidated by it. For instance, you can introduce safety measures so floors are less-slippery and they have an easier time getting in and out of the bathtub. You can also use things like cushions on toilet seats and super-soft towels to help them feel soothed in the bathroom.
Avoid Risky Situation
Touching things can help to relax children with autism, but it can also mean that an accident is liable to occur when you least expect it. Depending on your child’s level of awareness, you might need to put certain items out of their reach. Curiosity about something like a glass vase could lead to a major mishap. You shouldn’t be restricting them from engaging their senses, but you should make sure they’re able to do so without any risky scenarios playing out.
Find Out What They Like
Some autistic children may love sitting on corduroy couches, while others not be able to stand such a sensation for even a moment. There’s no way to know exactly what your child will be able to handle, but the best thing to do is to listen and pay attention. They might have discomfort with certain materials but not be able to articulate it. Watch for their reactions and do whatever you possibly can to make things more bearable for them.
Children with autism and similar condition can become very overwhelmed and uncomfortable by materials common to many households. It’s important to understand what your child can and cannot tolerate. Through these efforts, they can feel much more relaxed and be better able to cope.