Picking the right Christmas present for an autistic child
DEBBY Elley is the co-editor of AuKids magazine, an awardwinning positive parenting magazine for children on the autism spectrum. She has twin boys with autism and here is the latest instalment of her monthly column. ETTING Christmas presents for a young relative can be a challenge at the best of times, but what if that youngster has autism?
Most autistic children don’t like surprises very much. The run-up to Christmas, with its unpredictable routine, can be very stressful.
To spare them any further change, try and stick to their wishlist.
Most kids have collections of some sort, particularly as many computer games now have associated interactive figures.
When an autistic child builds a collection, this isn’t just an ordinary haphazard semi-completed collection, oh no.
You may hear the term ‘special interest’ in relation to autism. All this means is, when autistic kids like something, they like it A LOT.
Their collection will be cherished and having to complete it is the nightmare of most parents of autistic kids. So, seek out the figures that they don’t already own.
For non-verbal children, any toy that rewards vocalisation by responding to your sounds is a good bet.
If the child is at a sensory stage of exploration and enjoys lights and music, you can get some excellent sensory toys on Ebay if you use those words as a search term, but check they have the European safety mark CE and ask if you can’t see it in the description.
Vehicles tend to be popular with autistic kids, as they have a definite purpose and the repetitive movement of them can be comforting. Thomas the Tank Engine is particularly popular.
Interesting new pieces for their current track are always popular as they are adding to a toy that’s already familiar.
Being visual thinkers, many autistic kids love their iPads or computers. Colourful keyboards or a keyboard mouse might be a nice bet (you can even get large letter keyboards). Cordless headphones that use Bluetooth can save endless headaches, as getting a fiddly jack into an iPad wearing a protective case can be a struggle.
Beware buying delicate toys with many moving parts for autistic kids who like putting things in their mouth or dropping objects from a height. Find out about their aversions, too, which can be quite extreme.
Finally, don’t be offended if a child with autism doesn’t immediately show excitement at your present.
Firstly, thinking of how to make you happy requires social skills that they may not have yet developed. Secondly, new things can take a while to process.
I’ve known favourite toys and books that were ignored on Christmas Day, only to be discovered and enjoyed when the atmosphere was less stressful.