Christmas can be hard for your child if they struggle with crowds, noises and changes in routine. The festive period can be overwhelming for autistic children and children with ADHD, sensory issues or anxiety.
It can help to plan and adapt your celebrations around your child’s needs.
Make a list of what your child finds difficult. The list will be unique to your child because every child will cope with Christmas in different ways.
Try to think about when they might experience these things. Think about whether you can avoid those situations or help your child prepare. It might help to let friends and family know what you’re doing and why.
Some children find surprise gifts overwhelming. You might want to let them know what type of gifts they will open and when this will happen.
For example, you could tell them you will give them a book and the surprise is which book you choose. It can also help to:
Involve your child in some decisions. For example, ask them to help you choose decorations they feel comfortable with. This could be lights, colours and textures.
Find out what’s happening at your child’s school or nursery. Celebrations could include shows, parties, lunches or Christmas jumper days.
This could become overwhelming for some children. If you feel your child may need extra support during these times, try to speak to the school before the event so they can plan to support your child.
If your child struggles with people visiting your home or going out, think about how you can help. You could:
Different food, smells and sounds or textures may upset some children. At Christmas, this could be noisy toys, perfume, scratchy jumpers or the expectation to eat something different.
If it helps, you can:
Keep at least one room in the house free of decoration. Try to make sure it looks like it usually does. This can be a safe space for your child if they feel overwhelmed.
Prepare your child each day for what’s coming the next day. Talk to them about who will be there, what they will do and what they’ll eat. If your child uses picture cards or sign language to communicate, start using signs for the new activities ahead of time to help their understanding.
Some children might like to have some control over some of these things. You could give them a choice between two different activities.
Try to keep some of their routine the same. It can be helpful to start and end their day with something you would usually do. Think about morning routines, as well as bath time, bedtime and story time.