Keeping Calm

There are many different ways to calm down people with Autism. The most common one is pressure. There are a lot of different ways to give this. One of the students I help has a swing that gives him a large amount of pressure when he is in it. It is almost the width of a hammock but is attached like a tire swing and looks like a cloth swing. He can go forwards, backwards, sideways, and in circles. There is also basic pressure where they get people pushing on their head or chin. This for whatever reason helps keep them calm and makes them not as aggressive.

Another way to keep them calm is take them to a Chiropractor. This releases tension and keeps them happy. They tend to be less aggressive and be in a generally better mood after visiting the chiropractor. If they keep going on a regular basis they become less aggressive overall.

Some people like to have something to chew on. This could range from anything from gum to a chewy. The chewy is designed specifically for people to be able to chew on them so they do not hurt their teeth or anyone else. If they are at a lower functioning level and cannot have gum then they are generally using this. If they are higher functioning they can have gum which is not always a better alternative because it can be swallowed and is bad for their teeth. I would recommend a chewy for anyone who has a child who bites a lot or has Pica. They are a very tough material and it is not easy to chew through and bite off so they cannot swallow it as easily.

Another thing to help keep them calm is keep them active. In some cases the more active they are the less they want to be aggressive and use force when they are not working out. Some people swim, lift weights, walk, run or play sports for their workouts. Any of these can keep the person very active and tire them out. A lot of people actually like it and look forward to it if done correctly. If you pick an activity for them they enjoy and they are around people they like then they will look forward to working out. If it becomes part of a routine then it will be very easy for them to transition to.