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The holidays are a time that many people look forward to each year but for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), they can be challenging and scary. Many times, holidays involve going to family member’s houses and interacting with people you may not see on a daily basis. Holidays may involve being exposed to new foods, which are not part of a child’s typical dietary repertoire. Many of these new experiences can cause a child with ASD to become anxious. As speech therapists, we can do different activities during therapy to help ease the anxiety of the holidays and make this special time something a child looks forward to.

1. Holiday themed books: Choosing a holiday themed book can help a child understand what the purpose of the holiday is and the activities that usually take place on that day. Therapists can easily incorporate these books into sessions if a child has goals involving Wh- questions, object labeling or following directions etc.
2. Talk to parents: Bring parents into your sessions and discuss the traditions that the family has and what their plans for the holidays are. This can help therapists personalize therapy sessions and role play situations that could happen on the holiday.
3. Holiday foods: Encourage parents to bring in foods that are present on their holiday tables. This will allow therapists to use the SOS feeding hierarchy on a food that the child may be interacting with during the holiday season.
4. Discuss behaviors: Encourage parents to talk to their children and practice behaviors that are expected when you are around family members or in someone else’s house. Therapists can role play these situations and target greetings that may be required over the holidays.