With 4th of July just around the corner, there can be a lot of overwhelming excitement in the air. Families in town, friends coming over, and getting outside to watch the big firework shows. For many children, loud noises and too much stimuli can be a problem at times. They may act out, cry, or become distraught if their bodies become overstimulated. This is known as being hyper sensitive. Basically, the central nervous system becomes overstimulated by loud noises, bright lights, and other various stimuli in the environment. Children that are hyper sensitive also tend to startle easily, are bothered by noisy places, and tend to struggle when transitions occur.
With that being said and if your child exhibits these characteristics, there are things you can do to help make 4th of July a successful and happy day for everyone. Listed below are some helpful things you can try to make things easier on your child.
1.) Bring ear plugs or headphones for your child to wear as the fireworks are being set off. This will help the child who struggles with auditory processing and will help to alleviate the loud noises.
2.) Create a social story. If you’re going to a place where there will be a lot of vendors, other kids and families walking around, and fun activities such as bouncy castles, slides, etc it can prove helpful to write a social story about these things. A social story is a small book that you can create on a Microsoft Word document or that you can draw out that helps to prepare a child for what’s going to happen next. For instance, you may have a picture that shows the park you will be going to and under the picture you can caption, “Tomorrow we will be going to _______ park. At the park, there will be a bouncy castle (insert picture of bouncy castle).” Since most children are visual learners, this is a great way to prepare a child for an event that is out of their ordinary routine and will help alleviate any stress before an event. For more information on how to go about writing a social story, visit this link. http://carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/How-to-Write-Social-Stories.pdf
3.) Let your child bring a comfort toy or item to the event. If your child has something such as a stuffed animal or a blanket of some sort that brings them comfort, let them bring this item to the event or to the firework show. This will help to get rid of any anxiety or worry that they have and will help to keep them calm if they are suddenly feeling overwhelmed.
4.) Lastly, provide nurture for your child. Let them know ahead of time that if something bothers them or they are feeling upset that you will be by their side. Give them hugs and make sure they feel safe and secure.
All of these above things may be helpful in preparing your child for the craziness of not only the 4th of July, but the hectic schedule that the summer months bring. Here’s wishing you all a happy and fun 4th of July and an exciting summer!