Children with autism spectrum disorders often cling to order as
a way to make sense of their confusing world. Order is a friend,
change is the enemy. As I have worked with my son over the years
I have learned that having a set routine is very helpful to him.
As much as possible, we try to stick with the same basic set of
events each day: meals, school work, outside time and quiet time
all in a certain order. Knowing what to expect enables my son to
feel secure and to handle his personal issues better (sensory
integration, etc.) Change is inevitable, however, and how we
handle that change makes the difference in a good day and a bad
day. The first line of defense is always communication. If I
know ahead of time that we have a change in the schedule coming
up and I can let my son know, he can make a smoother transition.
There are times when plans change suddenly and during those
times I have to talk my son through what is going on at the
time. During changes in the routine, an autistic child can
easily become o