4th of July activites can spark sensory overload in kids with special needs

June 30, 12:47 AMPittsburgh Family ExaminerLucinda Wiebe

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Watching fireworks can thrill or chill the senses.

(CC) Dean Ayres, www.flickr.com/photos/deano/

In Pittsburgh, the holiday isn't complete without our famous home-grown Zambelli fireworks at The Point.  But one person's thrill can be another person's nightmare. 

For some children with sensory processing disorder, the trappings of traditional Fourth of July celebrations can send them running for cover.  The booms that reverberate to the bone, and the pops and flashes of fireworks displays may frighten children who may actually feel pain while the rest of us get a thrilling rush. 

Children with developmental delays, and autism in particular, often have different ways of experiencing the senses.  Loud noises at certain pitches may bother them so much they cover their ears and scream.  Crowded places can be too noisy and confusing.  Even being out in the sun for prolonged periods of time can present a challenge if a child won't allow you to apply sun screen because it makes their skin feel funny. 

Unrecognized sensory deficits can be dangerous or even life threatening.  While one child may feel pain more intensely than a wound appears to warrant, another child may not display signs of pain in the expected manner and yet be suffering from a serious illness, such as appendicitis.

If your family is new to an autism spectrum diagnosis, and your child is still quite young, it is possible you have not yet observed sensory deficits in your child.  You may have questioned some behaviors as odd, or as quirky or even as defiant or simply childish.  But as you begin to see a pattern over time, you may come to realize that these behaviors are based in reality -- they just feel things differently.

Parents often have to learn these things by trial and error over time.  An experienced parent will be able to anticipate the potential triggers and have developed their own bag of holiday survival tricks.   It can be possible to get through these annual rituals of community celebration and still have fun with the whole family. 

If you're not sure how your child may handle this situation the first time, try some advance experiments.  All of these suggestions and special considerations will have to be adapted for kids who are non-verbal or who are very poor at judging facial cues. 

Before the big event:

• Try watching a fireworks show on TV or the Web and talk about it.  Play a game -- when the TV fireworks explode, have everyone shout "BOOM!" and jiggle their bodies like they were rocked by the explosion.  If your child likes physical contact, give them a big hug after the boom to reassure them that is all in fun.
• Try some simple fireworks in a safe environment in your yard.  We warn children not to play with fire, and yet once a year we violate that rule in a big way. Review safety rules with everyone.  No child under twelve should handle sparklers without adult supervision.   Never run with lighted sparklers.  There should always be water nearby in case of fire and to douse the sparkers and other fireworks even if they seem to be out.  Only grown ups light the fireworks.  Your child will let you know very quickly how well they can tolerate this level of stimulation.
• Attend a smaller community fireworks display one year before you advance to The Point for the Zambelli production.
• Don't expect them to handle a four hour wait in a crowd for the best seat to watch the fireworks - maybe when they're older, maybe never.  If you can park farther away so you can get out ahead of the crowd, that may be best.

At the big event:

• Even if your child really really REALLY wants to see the BIG fireworks, be prepared for them to realize it was all too  much once the show starts.  You will need a backup plan tailored to your kids and other family members.  
• It will probably not be possible to get into the car and drive away because of the crowds.  One adult may need to take the child back to the car to watch from the window, or even from the top of the car if that is possible.  Make sure to have their favorite comfort items with them for extra support.
• The smell of the powder may make them nausious or give them a headache.   Some ginger ale or tylenol should be at hand.
• You might consider bringing ear plugs to help them cope with the concussion of the blasts.
• Some rules were made to be broken.  If a generally banned stick of bubble gum or can of Dr. Pepper can be an easy diversion, why not?   It's Independence Day -- live a little!

For more information about sensory processing disorder consider the following links:  Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation, Sensory Integration Dysfunction: Just Exactly What Is It?;  Everything Parent's Guide to Sensory Integration Disorder., The Out of Sync Child, by Carol Kranowitz.