The recent tornado in Huntsville, AL made me stop and think about weather preparedness for the child with Autism. Nothing causes an extreme change in the schedule faster than severe weather, especially when a tornado leaves behind damage. Everybody should have a severe weather plan, but for the the family with a child who has Autism, the plan needs some adjustments.
A basic plan-
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In a home or building, move to a pre-designated shelter, such as a basement. -
If an underground shelter is not available, move to an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under a sturdy piece of furniture. -
Stay away from windows. -
Get out of automobiles. -
Do not try to outrun a tornado in your car; instead, leave it immediately. -
Mobile homes, even if tied down, offer little protection from tornadoes and should be abandoned.
Some adjustments for the child with Autism could include-
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establishing a "safe place" in the home, should be used for other things, not just bad weather -
bringing a favorite blanket, toy, whatever calms your child -
many, many practice sessions
Pick a local TV station, find a favorite weatherman and record one of his severe weather broadcasts for practice sessions. Dan Satterfield on WHNT19 does a wonderful job of speaking to children during his broadcasts. He often tells them to get their tennis shoes and bike helmets and put them on. He tells them to get blankets and pillows and go to an interior closest. Record this and let your child practice it on days where there is no threat of severe weather. In Huntsville-Madison County, the testing of the outdoor warning siren system is conducted on the first Wednesday of the month at 12:00 noon, weather permitting. Make sure your child is in a location where they can hear the siren and help them understand what it is for. Get the whole family involved in the practice sessions. All of this will help the child with Autism to be more cooperative in case of a real emergency because they will know what to expect.
Other interesting reading on weather and Autism- Link between the weather and Autistic behavior, research suggesting rainy climates have higher incidences of Autism, snow day activities
Comments
wow, amazing! i didnt think about practice sessions. that sounds very helpful.
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