EASING ANXIETY IN AUTISTIC CHILDREN

Regardless of whether or not they have anxiety, it can be difficult to know how to keep an autistic child calm. Add anxiety, and it can feel almost impossible. But, while you can’t plan for all scenarios, there are certain things you can try to manage or ease levels of anxiety in your child with autism.

Remove Whatever Is Causing Anxiety

If you know what is immediately causing anxiety in your child, you can just remove it, and the anxiety will level out. Some children will have a harder time communicating what is upsetting them, and sometimes you won’t be able to do anything about it.

But if a new item in the house is upsetting your child, get rid of it if you can, or move it and slowly expose your child to it. If they’re overwhelmed by being in a crowded space, leave the space. This is the simplest and fastest way to ease anxiety in autistic children.

Create a Sensory Toolkit

One of the most popular strategies for managing anxiety is creating a sensory toolkit. Having toys and other safe items that can gently stimulate your child and distract from whatever is causing them anxiety is an effective method when figuring out how to keep an autistic child calm.

Stretchy tubes, sensory massage balls, LED lights, and other toys are all excellent for dealing with anxiety in autistic children. Each of them stimulates a sense enough that they’re impossible to ignore. But they’re also soft, safe, and easy to use, making them distracting without being overstimulating.

Use Soothing Tools

If even gentle stimulation would be too much, instead opt for soothing tools, physical or mental, that are designed purely to calm a person down. These can include counting to ten, visualizations, or even essential oils, melatonin gummies, compression bed sheets, among other techniques. Whatever works for your child is what you should stick with.

While thorough scientific studies have not yet been completed about the efficacy of essential oils to ease anxiety in autistic children, there is extensive anecdotal evidence behind the theory. And other soothing tools have also been known to help children breathe more easily and slow down anxious feelings.

Maintain a Good Sleep Schedule

Children with autism and anxiety are more likely to sleep poorly, which leads to worsened anxiety. If you want to understand how to keep an autistic child calm, it all starts with keeping a regular schedule encouraging healthy sleep habits.

You can do this with something like these Nighty Night Gummies, which work to counteract abnormal levels of melatonin in your child’s body and help them fall asleep. And once they’re knocked out, make sure they stay so with products like the Sensory Compression Bed Sheet, which gives enough pressure that they feel gently stimulated, but not so much that it’s upsetting.

You can check our blog: How to Get My Child to Sleep Alone?

All children with autism have meltdowns or tantrums at one point or another. But with these tools, you can at least mitigate how much of it is due to anxiety. And by easing anxiety in your autistic children, you can also help them lead fuller and happier lives. One way to start is by browsing our collection of anti-stress products that will help bring an element of calm to both of your lives. Otherwise, get in touch with us and we’ll help find the best product for your situation.