I have 3 grandsons two of whose are nearing diverse. The 14 year old twin has ADHD and the 7 year is an anxious ball of anxious fury. Just spent Chris

G

Grandma Genni

New member
I have 3 grandsons. The 14 year old twin is ADHA and the 7 year old a small ball of anxious fury who melts down with sensory overload at least once a day. As a grandparent how can I help?
 
Hi Genni,

Welcome to the forum! Well done asking for help. I've got some ideas below that hopefully will help you and your grandson.

During the meltdown, don't try to communicate with him, just make him comfortable. Identify the sensory triggers of the meltdown, and remove those stimuli. After the meltdown, a sensory diet would help. A sensory diet is a sequence of stimulation that is particularly helpful for the person. It could be determined intuitively based on their sensory profile. For example, a weighted blanket, a squishy toy, a sip of cold water, and some other sensory toys. A dark room with maybe a lava lamp. Consider creating a sensory room for him. I made a sensory room game on Roblox, so if your son plays maybe you can both have a look at it?

Other approaches should focus on preventing meltdowns. This involves sensory regulation via sensory diet, reducing the number of social and communication demands, stimming, engaging in activities that start a flow state, like special interests. Help him unmask at home, there's no need to hide his true self at home. Join the company of other autistic children, this will help him unmask.

Engaging with sensory toys that are 3-dimensional, for example Geomag, Lego, pattern builders like jigsaw puzzles could also be very helpful.

I hope this answer helps you make your grandson more comfortable in the world. The most important thing is to enable him to be himself at home.

Thanks,
UnicornSpoon 🦄 🥄 💚
 
UnicornSpoon said:
Hi Genni,

Welcome to the forum! Well done asking for help. I've got some ideas below that hopefully will help you and your grandson.

During the meltdown, don't try to communicate with him, just make him comfortable. Identify the sensory triggers of the meltdown, and remove those stimuli. After the meltdown, a sensory diet would help. A sensory diet is a sequence of stimulation that is particularly helpful for the person. It could be determined intuitively based on their sensory profile. For example, a weighted blanket, a squishy toy, a sip of cold water, and some other sensory toys. A dark room with maybe a lava lamp. Consider creating a sensory room for him. I made a sensory room game on Roblox, so if your son plays maybe you can both have a look at it?

Other approaches should focus on preventing meltdowns. This involves sensory regulation via sensory diet, reducing the number of social and communication demands, stimming, engaging in activities that start a flow state, like special interests. Help him unmask at home, there's no need to hide his true self at home. Join the company of other autistic children, this will help him unmask.

Engaging with sensory toys that are 3-dimensional, for example Geomag, Lego, pattern builders like jigsaw puzzles could also be very helpful.

I hope this answer helps you make your grandson more comfortable in the world. The most important thing is to enable him to be himself at home.

Thanks,
UnicornSpoon 🦄 🥄 💚
Click to expand...

UnicornSpoon said:
Hi Genni,

Welcome to the forum! Well done asking for help. I've got some ideas below that hopefully will help you and your grandson.

During the meltdown, don't try to communicate with him, just make him comfortable. Identify the sensory triggers of the meltdown, and remove those stimuli. After the meltdown, a sensory diet would help. A sensory diet is a sequence of stimulation that is particularly helpful for the person. It could be determined intuitively based on their sensory profile. For example, a weighted blanket, a squishy toy, a sip of cold water, and some other sensory toys. A dark room with maybe a lava lamp. Consider creating a sensory room for him. I made a sensory room game on Roblox, so if your son plays maybe you can both have a look at it?

Other approaches should focus on preventing meltdowns. This involves sensory regulation via sensory diet, reducing the number of social and communication demands, stimming, engaging in activities that start a flow state, like special interests. Help him unmask at home, there's no need to hide his true self at home. Join the company of other autistic children, this will help him unmask.

Engaging with sensory toys that are 3-dimensional, for example Geomag, Lego, pattern builders like jigsaw puzzles could also be very helpful.

I hope this answer helps you make your grandson more comfortable in the world. The most important thing is to enable him to be himself at home.

Thanks,
UnicornSpoon 🦄 🥄 💚
Click to expand...
Thank you. He often tells me to stop talking. He thinks my voice sounds angry and upsetting. If I say I am not angry he can fly into a bit of a rage, hates me, wants to kill me etc, etc, From your advice I should not respond but sit calmly until the rage is over. Most of the time he is a lively active, loving, intelligent boy.
He has big sensory issues, only wears one special T shirt and soft knitted trousers. Finds sudden noises, like a sneeze disturbing.