Make a visual Schedule

  Making a Visual Schedule

Your child most likely uses a visual schedule at school if they are in an autistic support program, if they do not and have trouble with transitions, it would be a good idea to suggest the use of one. You can easily make one for use at home.
You will need:

• Photos/pictures of objects from daily routine
• scissors
• laminator or clear packing tape
• Velcro (the circular tabs are much easier than the strips)
• Poster board, large paper, or a clasp and open end envelope

1. Take pictures of things from around your home: family members, different rooms, specific games, different foods (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack), your cars and anything that is included in your child's routine. You can also print out pictures from clipart or find pictures online. If you are going on a trip, you could find pictures of where you are going and things to expect to see there.
2. Put the photos on index cards and write what it is next to it or under it.
3.  Laminate the labeled photo or cover it in clear packing tape.
4.  Put Velcro on the back of the laminated pictures.
5. Laminate a poster board, large piece of paper or a clasp and open end envelope (the large envelope is convenient because you can store the pictures inside).
6. Put Velcro on the poster board or material that you choose for the display of the schedule.
7. Each day you put the pictures up according to the day's schedule, have your child help so you can discuss what will happen together. As each event is concluded, your child can remove the picture and put it in a box or envelope. If the schedule is going to change for some reason you can rearrange the pictures together.  Below is an example of a night time schedule that could hang on Johnny's bedroom door. 

A little sign language

Sign Language and Visual Communication for People with Autism

For some people with Autism, verbal communication is extremely hard or impossible but there is good news...93% of communication is non-verbal. This non-verbal communication includes body language, facial expressions and vocal tones. If your child is non-verbal it does not mean that they do not understand language, it just means their brain has trouble making all the necessary connections for speech. To give your child an opportunity to communicate with you and the rest of the world, try learning sign language with them. You can attend ASL (American sign language)  classes or pick up a sign language book at the library. If you are feeling sad that you have never heard your child say "I love you" because their brain won't help their mouth say the words, try teaching their hands to say it. Make the sign every time you say "I love you" he should make the connection after a few uses.
                                                   

 

       You Sign I, L and Y at the same time to make the phrase "I Love You"

You can create name signs for each person in your family. Name signs are typically just the first letter of a person's name along with a specific motion. For instance, Johnny's name sign is made by drawing a J with your pinky near your chest. Click Here to see the ASL alphabet.
                 
This is the sign for mom                          This is the sign for dad
                        
This is please                         This is Thank-You                      This is your welcome
You can also create a communication board, similar to the visual schedule to facilitate communication. Take pictures of everything important, laminate them and Velcro the backs. You can arrange the pictures according to relevance and have your child point to different pictures to communicate their different needs and wants. Your child could arrange the pictures themselves to tell you a story. Just because they cannot speak does not mean they do not understand what is going on. If you have not seen the CNN documentary Autism is a World, I would highly recommend checking it out of your local library or finding it online, it explores non-verbal communication in great depth.

Sometimes it seems that my child has no idea what I am talking about!

You tell your child that the family is leaving the house in ten minutes to go to the store, he looks at your feet while you are talking, says "okay" then goes back to playing.  Its time to leave and he throws a tantrum, you think "I gave him a warning that we will be leaving, why is he having a problem transitioning?"  For some people with Autism, words are just NOT enough information because they have special visual needs or they may have an auditory processing disorder.  Sign Language, visual schedules, and social stories are all tools to help you communicate in an easier to understand non-verbal way.

Different Visual Needs
Due to different brain structures and synapse formations, people with autism process information differently. They may have an auditory processing disorder, which means they hear words or sounds but as the word or sound enters the ear then gets transferred to the brain, something gets switched around in the nerves and the meaning is lost. This will cause a child to be confused and many times frustrated. Other times, what is said will be taken literally. If you were to say, "quit pulling my leg" a person with autism might get upset or confused because they are not actually pulling your leg, so they don't understand how to stop. When your child is confused and frustrated, you might also get confused and frustrated because you have no idea how to make yourself any clearer. Sometimes a person with autism needs to have a visual to understand what is being said, what is meant or what is going to happen. Velcro and a laminator are very useful in making visuals that are easily seen and long lasting.