Halloween is a wonderful time of creativity and celebration! For many families, it means dressing up, collecting treats, and enjoying community festivities. However, for neurodivergent children, including those with autism or ADHD, Halloween can present unique challenges. By embracing a neurodiversity-affirming approach, we can create an inclusive and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Embracing Sensory Needs

One of the main challenges neurodivergent children may face during Halloween is sensory overload. The bustling sights, sounds, and smells can be overwhelming. Here are some strategies to make the holiday more sensory-friendly:

1. Thoughtful Costume Choices: When selecting a costume, consider your child's sensory preferences. Involve them in choosing a costume that feels comfortable and authentic to them. Soft, breathable fabrics and well-fitting items can enhance their experience. If masks are too restrictive, face paint or simple accessories can be a fun alternative.
2. Designated Quiet Spaces: During Halloween events, establish a calm area where your child can retreat if they start feeling overwhelmed. This space can include calming items like noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys, or cozy blankets, allowing them to self-regulate and recharge.
3. Practice Makes Perfect: If your child is going to a Halloween party or trick-or-treating, practice the routine together. Role-playing scenarios can help them feel more prepared and confident in navigating social interactions. However, keep in mind that the holiday excitement might take up more spoons that a typical day. So be ready to step in and support them with their consent. If possible, decide on a code word or hand signal that will cue you to support them without a need for excessive words to communicate their desire for help.

Fostering Social Connections

Halloween offers a fantastic opportunity for social engagement, which can be particularly rewarding for neurodivergent children. Here are some ways to promote positive social interactions:

1. Smaller Gatherings: Consider hosting or attending smaller gatherings where your child can interact with familiar peers in a more comfortable setting. Activities like pumpkin decorating or festive baking provide structured opportunities for socializing without the pressure of larger crowds.
2. Social Stories and Visual Supports: Create non-compliance based social stories or visual supports that outline what to expect during Halloween activities. These tools can help children understand social cues and navigate interactions more smoothly, fostering a sense of belonging. You can find videos of kids trick or treating online or even make a visual schedule for each door. Scaffold the supports to fit your child's specific circumstance.
3. Buddy System: Pair your child with a trusted friend or sibling during Halloween activities. Having a supportive companion can boost their confidence and provide comfort in social situations.

Incorporating Playful Learning

Halloween can be a fantastic time to weave in playful learning experiences that support development:

1. Fine Motor Fun: Engage your child in Halloween-themed crafts, like making spooky decorations or creating cards for friends. These activities promote fine motor skills while celebrating their creativity and self-expression.
2. Active Play: Organize Halloween-themed games such as scavenger hunts or pumpkin bowling. These activities encourage physical movement and help develop coordination while ensuring everyone has fun.
3. Sensory Exploration: Create a Halloween sensory bin filled with textured items like dried corn, mini pumpkins, and spooky figurines. This hands-on play can provide comforting sensory input while sparking imaginative adventures.

Conclusion

Halloween is a time for joy, creativity, and self-expression. By embracing neurodiversity and considering individual needs, we can make this holiday an inclusive experience for all children. Together, we can celebrate uniqueness, foster connections, and create lasting memories. So, let’s don our costumes, indulge in sweet treats, and enjoy a Halloween filled with fun and acceptance! Happy Halloween! 🎃

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often discussed in the context of its more visible symptoms, but it’s crucial to recognize that the condition can manifest differently, particularly in females. Historically, autism has been under-diagnosed in girls, leading to a gap in understanding and support. Here’s why autism may be missed in females and how we can better address these discrepancies.

Why Autism is Often Missed in Females

1. Different Presentations: Autism in females can present differently than in males. Girls may exhibit subtler signs or adapt their behavior to blend in with peers, making their difficulties less apparent. They might excel in masking their challenges, leading to a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis.
2. Social Camouflage: Many girls with autism develop advanced social mimicry skills. They may imitate social behaviors and responses, which can mask their true difficulties. This social camouflage often makes it harder for parents, teachers, and even healthcare providers to recognize their signs of autism.
3. Different Interests and Behaviors: Females with autism may have interests and behaviors that align more closely with typical female activities, which can further obscure their diagnosis. For example, they might engage in repetitive play with dolls rather than more “stereotypically autistic” behaviors like lining up objects.
4. Internalizing Symptoms: Girls are more likely to internalize their struggles, leading to higher rates of anxiety, depression, or eating disorders. These secondary conditions can sometimes overshadow the underlying autism, complicating the diagnostic process.
5. Gender Bias in Diagnostic Criteria: Traditional diagnostic criteria and research have been primarily based on male presentations of autism. This gender bias can contribute to an incomplete understanding of how autism manifests in females, leading to missed diagnoses.

Addressing the Discrepancy

1. Increase Awareness: Educate yourself and others about the less obvious signs of autism in females. Understanding that autism can present differently in girls is essential for accurate identification and support.
2. Encourage Comprehensive Evaluations: If you suspect autism in a female, seek a thorough evaluation from professionals experienced in recognizing the diverse manifestations of the disorder. A comprehensive assessment should consider both overt and subtle symptoms.
3. Support Social and Emotional Needs: Recognize and address the social and emotional challenges that may arise from internalized struggles. Providing support for anxiety, depression, or other conditions is crucial for holistic care.
4. Promote Open Dialogue: Encourage open discussions about emotions and social experiences. People who feel heard and understood are more likely to express their true feelings and challenges.
5. Tailor Interventions: Implement interventions that are sensitive to the unique ways autism manifests in females (and individuals - everyone is unique and not all experiences are the same!). This might include self-advocacy coaching, executive functioning training, and strategies to support emotional regulation.
6. Advocate for Gender-Inclusive Research: Support and advocate for research that explores autism across genders. Gender-inclusive studies can provide a more complete understanding of how autism affects females and lead to better diagnostic criteria and interventions.
7. Seek Specialized Support: At Bright SpOT, our team of occupational therapists and speech therapists are trained to recognize and address the nuances of autism in females. We offer personalized therapy evaluations and tailored strategies to support each individual's needs. If you believe that autism might be missed or misdiagnosed, we are here to provide comprehensive support, guidance, and referrals.

Understanding and addressing missed autism in females requires a shift in perspective and increased awareness. By recognizing the unique ways autism can present in girls and taking proactive steps to support them, we can ensure that all individuals receive the care and understanding they deserve.

If you have concerns about a potential missed diagnosis or need specialized support, reach out to Bright SpOT. Our team is dedicated to providing the expertise and personalized care needed to support each child’s unique journey.

Warm regards,Caitlin Sanschagrin, OTR
Occupational Therapist, Bright SpOT

Imagine your child comes home from school, and as soon as they step through the door (or maybe even during the car ride home), they seem to unravel. It’s as if the day’s emotional and physical strain suddenly catches up with them, leading to intense meltdowns or irritability. If this scenario sounds familiar, you might be witnessing what is known as After School Restraint Collapse (ASRC).

In my practice as an occupational therapist, I’ve seen firsthand how challenging this experience can be for both children and their families. After a full day of navigating the structured environment of school, children often reach their limit by the time they get home. This phenomenon, while not formally recognized as a medical condition, has been described by psychotherapist Anthea Nair as a significant emotional and behavioral release that occurs when children are finally in their safe space.

In this blog post, I’ll explain what After School Restraint Collapse is, the signs, as well as some practical strategies to help find some peace in the chaos. Understanding this concept can be the first step in providing your child with the support they need to transition smoothly from school to home.

What is After School Restraint Collapse?

After School Restraint Collapse describes a phenomenon where children, after a full day of exerting self-control and navigating social and academic demands at school, experience a significant emotional or behavioral breakdown once they arrive home. The term "Restraint Collapse" was coined by Anthea Nair, a psychotherapist, who explains that children and adolescents expend a great deal of energy, mental motivation, emotional containment, and physical restraint while at school. According to Nair (2017), this can result in a sudden and overwhelming release of emotions and built-up energy when they finally return to the safety of their home environment.

After School Restraint Collapse (ASRC) occurs when children, having spent an entire day exerting self-control and dealing with social and academic challenges at school, experience a major emotional or behavioral episode upon arriving home. The concept of "Restraint Collapse" was coined by psychotherapist Anthea Nair, who explains that throughout the school day, children and teenagers invest significant amounts of energy, mental effort, and emotional restraint. Meeting the demands at school can require extensive self-regulation and can culminate in a sudden and intense release of emotions and accumulated stress when kids finally reach the safety and comfort of their home environment. And yes, even if the teachers talk about how well behaved they are or how well they perform in the classroom. 

The exact incidence rate of ASRC isn’t precisely documented, but many parents and educators report observing similar patterns in children. It’s an experience that seems particularly common among neurodivergent children like those with high sensitivity, anxiety disorders, and children who may struggle with executive functioning or sensory processing issues. Many parents inform us that teachers often report that their child is fine at school. However, this can sometimes mean that the child is working much harder than their peers—socially, academically, sensory-wise, and emotionally.

An After School Restraint Collapse may look like:

• Acting out or refusing to follow instructions.
• Using harsh or hurtful language.
• Engaging in physical altercations with siblings or friends.
• Screaming and meltdowns.
• Demonstrating heightened emotions, such as extreme sadness or frustration.
• Is upset or agitated more easily. 
• More apt to argue with others, specifically family members. 
• Inability to initiate tasks like chores or homework. 

Strategies for Restraint Collapse Support

If your child is struggling with ASRC, there are several strategies you can implement to support them:

Less Questions/Demands: When picking up your child, try to minimize questions or demands. Instead, give them space to process their day. Use statements that acknowledge their experience or affirm their feelings like, “I hear that was tough for you” or “That sounds so frustrating”. 

Create a Transition Routine: Develop a calming after-school routine that allows your child to unwind. This could include quiet time, a snack, or a calming activity like reading or drawing. Providing a structured transition can help ease the shift from school to home.

Accommodate Sensory Needs: Pay attention to any sensory sensitivities your child may have. If your child is overwhelmed by sensory stimuli, try creating a quiet, sensory-friendly space where they can retreat when needed. Ideas can include a kid’s tent with twinkle lights or a large decorated cardboard box with blankets, pillows, sensory toys, books, snacks, and a sound machine or music if desired. 

Satisfy Basic Needs: Plan to have a snack ready for when your child gets out of school. Make sure they have used the restroom recently, and allow for some quiet rest time to either nap to play with favorite items (avoiding overly-stimulating materials). 

Co-Regulate with Your Child (If They Are Open to It): If your child is receptive, and you are in a well-regulated state, engage in co-regulation to help them manage their emotions. This can involve calming activities together, such as deep breathing exercises or quiet time. Your presence and support can help them navigate their feelings more effectively.

Facilitate Room for Connection: Play a game together, spend some one on one time away from siblings where they get your undivided attention. Connection can make a huge difference in repair and recovery. 

Collaborate with School: Maintain open communication with your child’s teachers and school support staff. They can provide insights into your child’s experiences and emotional state during the day and suggest adjustments or supports that might help manage their stress levels.

• Breaks: Talk to your child’s school about ensuring they receive sufficient breaks during the day. These breaks should be customized to fit your child’s needs and should include both regular and spontaneous intervals, they should never be used as a form of reward. Keep track of whether additional breaks help alleviate ASRC symptoms and provide this feedback to the school. For some children, taking a half or full day off from school each week might also help reduce restraint collapse on the other days.
• Inquire About a 504 Plan: If you’re eligible a 504 plan can put accommodations in writing that the school must provide. Consider if this could be relevant to your child. 

If you and your child are experiencing the discomfort of restraint collapse often, addressing school accommodations could be a crucial first step in easing your child's stress. At Bright SpOT, our occupational therapists specialize in collaborating with families to pinpoint and tackle the specific factors contributing to these challenges. We offer tailored strategies designed to meet your child’s individual needs and effectively manage After School Restraint Collapse. If you’re seeking expert guidance and a personalized approach, please reach out to us. We’re here to provide the support and solutions necessary to help your child thrive.

Warm regards,

Caitlin Sanschagrin, OTR

Occupational Therapist