If you have spent time with a child who has autism, or you have a child with autism, you may have noticed that weather patterns seem to share a relationship with autism. What is that relationship, exactly, and how do the two interact?
To fully understand autism and weather’s connections, or how the two might be linked, we must first take a closer look at some of the symptoms of autism and how they may interact with weather patterns and changes.
Sensory Sensitivity and Storms
Storms can bring up a host of sensory experiences. Rainstorms can be heralded by a sharp increase in humidity in the air. Thunderstorms can cause an increase in static and come with loud noises and flashes of lightning. Storms of all kinds are sensory experiences, and children who have existing sensory sensitivities or anxieties can experience these changes at a magnified level.
If your child is sensitive to sounds, visual input, textures, or even changes to routine, storms can be a very real source of fear and anxiety. Addressing that sensory input is one of the first steps toward soothing anxiety, and easing storm-induced distress.
Disruptions to Routine When Storms Arise
While the smallest storm may not significantly impact your daily routines and habits, larger storms can change routines for days and even weeks. A large snowstorm, for instance, can mean canceling school, staying at home, and staying inside. A significant thunderstorm can mean lost power, taking cover, and keeping the radio or weather programming on for hours at a time to wait for updates.
Disruptions to routine can cause uncertainty and anxiety for children who like to keep strict routines, or who experience some amount of rigidity. For some children, these upsets will cause only minor issues–bouts of frustration or confusion, for instance. For others, changes can cause significant behaviors, including large-scale meltdowns and other potentially unsafe actions. Preparing for changes as much as possible can help prevent large upsets.
Anxiety and Storm Onset
The hypersensitivity that can be experienced by people with autism can also contribute to behavioral changes and anxiety regarding storms. Imagine for a moment, that you are able to sense changes to the pressure in the air, can feel minute alterations to water content in that same air, or can detect small sounds that indicate a storm is on the horizon–all while most of the people around you carry on as normal. Imagine too–a reality for some people with autism spectrum disorder–being unable to communicate your concern, confusion, or uncertainty. This can contribute to feelings of anxiety or fear during storms.
Helping Children with Autism Cope with Storms
Now that you have a greater understanding of how weather can affect autism, consider the many options available to people with autism to manage some of the issues and anxieties that might arise. Some of the best coping strategies can actually occur prior to a storm beginning, or must as the storm breaks rather than after, so try to arm yourself with the following practices prior to storm onset:
- Educate, educate, educate. Whether you have a child who communicates verbally, a child who uses a tablet or other device to communicate, or a child who communicates primarily through non-verbal sounds and gestures, explaining what is happening can go a long way in soothing anxieties. Discuss the storm ahead of time, including what it might look like, what changes to routine you may need to adopt, and why the weather event is happening.
- Soothe carefully. Making a big to-do of storms can further excite an already-frayed nervous system. Instead, consider soothing through soft, careful, simple tones designed to educate and put at ease. “The thunder is booming now, as air comes together and creates a storm. The clouds are dark and heavy because they are filled with rain.” Explaining the changes and erasing the mystery of those changes can help eliminate (or greatly reduce) fears.
- Offer ways to reduce sensory input. Headphones, sunglasses, and even simple curtains can all help reduce the impact a storm can have on sensory input, so offer whatever implements you can to cut down on that input.
- Practice often and early. If storms are frequently accompanied by the need to take cover, gather in a basement or lower level, or make changes to the structure of your home, practice before a storm comes. Try to avoid making a game of it, but do try to create some familiarity with the process so it does not encourage a lot of fighting or fear when it is necessary.
The manner in which you address storms will depend entirely on what you experience in response to storms and how severe that response is. Minor issues may require little more than an intentional distraction, while major issues may require an entire belt of tools from which to draw.
Can Weather Affect Autism?
In a word, yes! Storms can impact autism. From changes to routine, to sensory input, to existing anxieties, storms can have a significant impact on autism and the way in which autism symptoms are expressed. Fortunately, families and people on the spectrum can prepare for storms and help address many of the issues that arise when storms roll in to soothe anxiety, improve sensory responses, and ultimately remove much of the fear associated with weather changes.
