For autisitic children this time of year can be torture (From Echo)

For autisitic children this time of year can be torture

4:00pm Thursday 24th December 2009 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

FOR the vast majority of children, Christmas is the time of year they most look forward to.

For them, it’s a time when the world becomes a magical place full of toys, sweets and bright decorations. Adults, meanwhile, wish the illusion could last forever.

But for parents of autistic children, Christmas can be an altogether less jolly experience. While most youngsters squeal with delight at the gifts, games and visitors, Christmas can prompt fits of rage and sadness in their own children.

Youngsters with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have problems developing social and language skills. They find it difficult to relate to others, and 75 per cent have learning difficulties as well.

This generally means youngsters with the condition hate disruption to their routine, loud noises, bright lights, and find social occasions difficult at the best of times.

Christmas treats and surprises are distressing, decorations and crackers cause sensory overload, parties are out of the question, and long-lost relatives suddenly turning up can leave them feeling bewildered and anxious.

With this in mind, the National Autism Society has published an online guide to making Christmas enjoyable for children with autism.

The recommendations include telling your child what their present is before giving it to them and creating a Christmas-free zone in the house.

Christina Reid, 31, and her partner Matt Girdler, 30, always knew Christmas was a difficult time for their daughter, Georgia. At least now they know why. Back in May, the three-year-old was diagnosed with autism.

This year things will be low key to keep Georgia happy.

Her younger brother Charlie, at 16 months old, is currently too young to mind, Christina said: “We’ve only decorated the Christmas tree – there’s nothing else up in the house. We’ve done all our shopping online, and we’re not going out for Christmas, just having a quiet family meal at home.

“Georgia is fussy with her eating and she’ll only eat the roast dinner at home.

“We are trying to keep things as normal as can be for her.”

But Christina, who lives in Bourne Avenue, Laindon, said Georgia was still unsettled.

She said: “Even though we’re keeping things quiet, I’ve still noticed her getting more upset. She mouths things a lot when she’s anxious and jumps around, and that’s happening more.

“It’s so sad for her because she doesn’t understand Christmas at all. She doesn’t get it whatsoever.

“We took her to see Santa when it was quiet, but when she saw him she just gritted her teeth at him and ignored him.”

Christina, who works three days a week for a building consultancy firm in London, said she’d always known there was something wrong with Georgia.

She said: “We were half expecting it when we got the diagnosis, but it was still a shock to hear.

“We just sat there and cried.

“It started when she was about eight months old, she wouldn’t respond to us calling her.

“She’s still non-verbal, which we’re told in autistic kids is quite usual at her age.

“We don’t know whether she will eventually speak or not.

“I think she understands some things we say to her, but not everything.”

Another mum who knows all about coping with difficult festive celebrations is Carolann Jack-son, chairman of Supporting Asperger Families in Essex (SAFE), a county-wide charity.

The teacher, who lives in Colchester, has daughter, Nita, 26 with Asperger’s Syndrome – a milder form of autism.

Carolann set up Safe in 1997 to offer parents support and advice and help them meet other people whose children have Asperger’s.

She said: “Christmas can be absolute torture for kids with Asperger’s or other autistic spectrum disorders, because of the noise, lights, sounds, and the different foods.

“Asperger’s and autistic children deal with the familiar, things they know about and trust.

“So although Christmas is supposed to be pleasurable, it’s torture.”

But the disruption to their routine isn’t the only bad side of Christmas, youngsters also get lonely during the holiday season.

She said: “Christmas can be a very solitary time for them.

“They find it very hard to make and keep friends, because they don’t understand the social rules of friendship.

“They are left at home with no parties to go to, because they aren’t invited.”

Carolann said the only thing parents can do to make it easier on their children is offer them understanding and love.

Christina also said lack of understanding was a huge problem.

She said: “You get looks from people all the time who don’t understand, they just think Georgia’s being naughty.

“We took her to gymnastics once and there was a trampoline and because she doesn’t understand the concept of queuing she ran straight up and got on.

“I heard all the parents complaining and I wish I’d said something but I didn’t.”