Autism Soccer: Exercises to Reduce Anxiety You Can Try with Your Kids

Be there to give them your support.

Raising a child with an intellectual disability can always prove to be a real challenge. It’s also an experience full of love and self-knowledge. You’ll study psychology without even realizing it, and you’ll explore parts of the human psyche that might not even have interested you if the circumstances were different. Most of the time, you’ll have to help your son or daughter to overcome their anxiety, if they suffer from it. It might be worrisome, but you need to remember that anxiety is a natural mechanism and that we all feel it from time to time.

However, children under the autism spectrum disorder are likely to experience it more intensely than other kids, to the point that it can interfere with their development. The world might seem like a very confusing and overwhelming place for children on the spectrum, and this can easily trigger their anxiety. On top of that, they usually have problems understanding social cues, so interactions with others can result in unpredictable scenarios that could also be added to the confusion.

How to tell if your child is suffering from anxiety?

Autistic children have problems communicating what they’re feeling, so learning if they’re feeling anxious, might not be as easy as asking them. Some clues might tell you just what you need to know though. If he or she is anxious, they might:

Insist even more on routine and sameness.
Have more trouble sleeping.
Have meltdowns or temper tantrums.
Avoid or withdraw from social situations.
Rely more on obsessions and rituals, like lining up or spinning objects.
Stim by rocking, spinning or flapping hands.
Do things to hurt him or herself, like head-banging, scratching skin or hand-biting.

How can you help your child?

Getting rid of the things that cause us anxiety, whether we suffer from an intellectual impairment or not, is impossible. Life is full of things that can stress us out. What we can do is learn how to deal with our emotions in a healthier way. That’s precisely what you want for your kids as well. That’s what your goal should be when you try to help them.

However, one of the first things you can do is understand what’s causing their anxiety. If you know what types of situation can trigger a negative response in your child, you can prepare for them and rehearse them before they happen in a safe environment, so they can start coping properly. Some of these techniques can also prove to be useful:

Counting slowly to 10.
Taking five deep breaths.
Running around the yard five times.
Doing 50 jumps on the trampoline.
Looking at a collection of favorite or special things.
Reading a favorite book.
Closing eyes for a few moments.
Going to a quiet part of the house.

You should always rely on your child’s therapist to find the best techniques and strategies to deal with your child’s anxiety. Some will work better than others, and every kid is different, so don’t be discouraged if things don’t appear to be working the first time. Remember, with patience and love, even the biggest of challenges aren’t so intimidating.