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To view this week’s “Tip of the Week” online click here.
We Have A WINNER!
  
Good afternoon everyone. We have randomly selected the winner of the Therapy Hammock that was supplied by Alpha Wave Engineers. Please check the email account you used to enter the drawing to see if you won. We will announce the winner to everyone upon hearing from them.
It is very import that we hear from the winner of the Therapy Hammock by:
Friday October 28 by 8 pm EST
Otherwise will will randomly pick another winner.
We at The Autism File would like to thank everyone who entered for making this drawing such a success.
What strategies do you have for getting your child with autism to wear coats, hats, gloves, etc.?
Many parents report sensory issues in their children when transitioning to cold-weather clothing. Last week we polled our readers for their answers to the question, “What strategies do you have for getting your child with autism to wear coats, hats, gloves, etc.?” Your Top 10 Tips of the week are below:
 1) Be a role model. Your child may be more likely to put on a hat, gloves, etc. if he sees family members consistently doing the same.
2) Create visual story boards showing different types of weather and appropriate clothing for each.
3) Play “dress-up” with paper dolls or a favorite teddy bear using weather-appropriate clothing.
4) Shop for comfort. Try to buy only the softest, most comfortable clothing available, cut out tags if necessary and let your child help with the shopping and selection if possible.
5) Provide choices. Have at least two options for each article of clothing so you can ask your child to pick one of the available choices.
6) Make a game of it. Try to make dressing for the weather fun by seeing who can get their coat, hat, and gloves on the most quickly.
7) Incorporate into the daily routine. Approach the process of putting on coats, etc. as just one step in the routine to be followed by something your child enjoys such as listening to music, etc.
 Use sensory brushing to de-sensitize skin both before and after putting on long sleeves and pants. For more information on sensory brushing, talk with your child’s occupational therapist.
9) Stay moisturized. Use an all natural moisturizer all over as dry skin, especially hands and feet, are more likely to be irritated by clothing such as gloves and socks.
10) Watch winter-themed movies and DVDs with your child to create excitement over the change in seasons, pointing out how the characters are appropriately dressed for the weather.
Read more of our “Top 10 Strategies” collected from Autism File Readers on topics ranging from “Ensuring Halloween is Healthy and Stress-Free” to “Making New Friends”.
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