I happened to write this on my Tip of the Day this monring on my website. I thought it would be good to share here too. I hope its helpful.
Help your child or children with autism prepare for large gatherings by using a few tricks:
1. Write a quick social story about what to expect at a large gathering (7-9 sentences should do.)
2. Ahead of time, show pictures of the people who will be at the gathering.
3. Maybe Bring a DVD or video that you child likes and ask for it to be played while dinner is being prepared.
4. Pre-plan a quiet space for you child to go to if he or she needs to get away from the crowd and noise. Ask the host ahead of time if a place like this exists in their home.
5. For the verbal child, give your child some words or phrases to use that day and write them on an index cue card for their pocket. (ex. Happy thanksgiving. Good to see you.This food tases great. ETC.)
