Getting through the festive season

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Most people look forward to the festive period but if you are neurodivergent then it can exacerbate issues you already find tricky… changes in routine, activities and expectations.

Some of our ‘neuro-spicy’ staff and families have collaborated to pull together this list of tips and suggestions to help you tackle the Christmas and New Year period. We’ve even included some handy templates and resources!  

Own your own Christmas!

It’s ok to do your version of whatever you want, or need, to do!

Be by yourself, have no decorations, eat your usual favourite foods, stay in jammies, play with old familiar toys, watch the same old TV programmes, open presents (do they need wrapped?) when you feel like it… whatever helps you and your family to cope with these different festive experiences.

Reducing demands can help avoid overwhelm and meltdowns, so everyone can self-regulate.

Social demands can be high at this time of year, so try to be aware of your own social battery and be selective about what you commit too; even if this means missing a gathering or leaving early. Space out social events to make sure you and your family have time to recover and decompress. 

Sensory Solutions

Reducing sensory overload can be tricky at this time of year. Here are some ways to cope:

  1. Create a safe/quiet space with sensory supports and familiar comfy clothes/blankets or ear defenders if needed.
  2. Consider your environment. How can you reduce food smells, lighting or noise? Does changing the environment help; take time out in a quiet, safe space, go outside/for a drive.
  3. Use familiar sensory tools and resources. If you are going out remember to take your favourite sensory items with you. Being in busy or unfamiliar social settings could result in an increase in stimming behaviour and greater reliance on sensory tools.
  4. Communicate. Explain to people if you or your loved one is feeling overwhelmed. Why not encourage the whole family to use our energy battery to share how they are feeling – you can even turn it into a game! If the adults/non-neurodivergent people model some regulating activities (massage, deep breathing, bear hugs, active calming etc.) then it becomes the norm. Brief the whole family on what the triggers or signs of dysregulation are for you and tell them what your sensory solutions and strategies are. 
  5. Plan sensory breaks or active moments try to avoid sensory overwhelm by proactively taking time out to regulate and recharge.

Plan, Prepare & Prioritise

Preparing for all the changes to routine and expectations is so important! If you introduce visual supports such as calendar countdowns, social stories, schedules in advance then you/your neurodivergent loved-one will feel more in control. Having a set routine of activities can help many, others might prefer having a choice of what activities they do or what order they do them in. Use visual choice boards so they can choose and during activities, timers can be great to define the start and end.

There can be a lot of anxiety and/or excitement associated with Christmas, especially Christmas eve when sleeping may be even more difficult. Prioritise some relaxation exercises and wind-down time before bedtime to try ease the transition to sleep (remember, relaxation for some can be both low and high energy!).

Trying to juggle everyone’s needs and expectations at this time of year can be very stressful. It is almost impossible to achieve this. It can be particularly tricky having some children or adults in the household who can and want a more traditional Christmas, balancing that with those who find it more difficult and require their own version. Remember to use your usual strategies and techniques – if that means using separate rooms, each doing different activities at different times, using screen time, fidgets/sensory supports, limiting time at the table, eating under the table, particularly at unfamiliar environments or in a group situation, that is ok.

Maybe having a code word, gesture or symbol card to demonstrate a need for support between family members could work. Remember your own needs – take the time and space to calm your chaos: step outside into the cold air, take some deep breaths, listen to your favourite music! 

Use our resources!

Christmas expectations template

Fill this template in and share with others to help them understand your needs.

We know it can be hard to initiate conversations with family or friends about why you and your loved-ones do things differently at Christmas so hopefully this will make it a little easier.

By explaining your requirements you can set expectations which will help them understand and accommodate your needs so everyone has a good time!

Colouring sheets

Activities

Christmas Bingo game

Regulation tools

Socialising when you are neurodivergent

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The world isn’t set up for neurodivergent people.

Some may think that is an overly generalised statement but, the reality is that modern life is fast paced, highly stimulating and demanding, which is incredibly difficult for everyone but especially for those with additional support needs. Life today comes with a never-ending list of societal expectations, pass your exams, go to University, build a fulfilling career, have successful relationships, become a parent, contribute to your community (we could go on!😉). If you have a neurodivergent condition such as Autism or ADHD, then living up to these expectations can be an up-hill struggle.

The numerous unwritten rules of how to engage in social settings are a minefield for neurodivergent people and they can find building friendships or personal interactions particularly challenging!

For example, a neurodivergent person may struggle to interpret conversational cues so doesn’t understand or see the point of ‘small talk’. Or someone who finds reading body language tricky so is oblivious to another person trying to instigate a conversation and comes across as rude or abrupt when they give one-word answers (or walk away while the other person is mid-sentence!).

And nowadays these situations occur during online interactions too! The expectation that everyone will have a social media presence to document their every move and thought is an additional pressure. Communicating via the internet might be less intimidating than face-to-face interactions for many neurodivergent people but, they are still expected to do this within the ever-changing parameters of digital etiquette which can be difficult to monitor.

All of this leaves many neurodivergent people isolated and excluded because society is not flexible enough to accommodate anyone who processes information and situations differently. They are forced to work extra hard to process the world around them, often ‘masking’ their neurodiversity, by hiding their stimming behaviour or forcing themselves to maintain eye contact or sit still just to fit in. But that requires a massive amount of energy and many people reach ‘burnout’ as they become mentally, psychologically and emotionally exhausted.

What is the solution?

Well in an ideal world, society would change but sadly, it’s not that straight forward. Awareness of neurodiversity is increasing but, practical steps to accommodate neurodivergent people are slow at being implemented throughout society.

  • More social spaces!

There needs to be a greater understanding and acceptance of neurodivergent people who should be celebrated and included rather than being expected to adjust their behaviour to conform to restrictive societal expectations. There is a shortage of social activities where neurodivergent people can meet others and socialise without sensory overload and where neuro-inclusivity is the norm, not the expectation!

At SensationALL, our mission is to provide safe places for ALL ages to access play and social groups where everyone can be themselves and feel they belong with support from our specialist practitioners.

Our range of social groups, known as ‘SociALLise’, are designed around the preferences and needs of the attendees so they can have fun doing things they enjoy. There are SociALLise groups for primary school ages, teenagers and young adults and we now regularly hold five different sessions each week in Aberdeen and Westhill.

Most importantly, SociALLise is a community! Once you have a place, it is yours for life. Over the years, many youngsters have transitioned from the primary school aged groups right up to the young adult groups and along the way have made life-long friends.

“I love attending SensationALL! I can be myself. I don’t worry about what other people think of me there.”

a SociALLise attendee

  • Practical Support

We believe in empowering individuals by sharing our SensationALL tips and techniques which they can use in everyday life to feel more resilient in overwhelming situations. Sessions are a safe space to share experiences and open up about worries allowing them to understand more about themselves and build self-value and feel accepted. This support allows them to take ownership of their neurodivergent identity as they realise they are not alone.

Our team of practitioners have a wealth of experience in supporting individuals with complex needs and as some identify as neurodivergent themselves they can use first-hand experiences to relate to our attendees.

Supporting SociALLise sessions

Demand is growing exponentially for places in our SociALLise sessions and we have 90 youngsters waiting for places right now! New families are approaching us every week but we need to increase our income before we can create more of these invaluable groups.

Our aim is to have more SociALLise sessions taking place in locations across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire so if you want to help SensationALL support more young neurodivergent people please get in touch! You could fundraise for us or get involved with one of our upcoming events, click below for details.

For anyone interested in using our services or attending a SociALLise session, the first step is to register with us.

Adult support group

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Thanks to funding from Inspiring Scotland, we have launched a new group for adults aged 18 and over, who self-identify as, or are diagnosed with a neurodiverse condition such as Autism or ADHD.

If you are an adult who has been diagnosed later in life, or if you suspect you have a neurodiverse condition, we know it can be stressful learning how to cope with the challenges that neurodiversity can present. Our support groups have been created to bring you together in a safe, friendly place so you can build networks with others in similar situations. You are not alone!!

Sessions are a chance to meet and socialise with other like-minded adults in a relaxed environment, compare your experiences and perspectives of neurodiversity. Our specialist neurodiversity practitioners will chat about a different topics each week and share their practical advice and knowledge.

We will give you:

  • a safe, non-judgemental place to express yourself
  • an introduction to self-regulation techniques
  • signposting to other organisations and networks that may be of benefit
  • wellbeing and resilience strategies
  • social opportunities to build friendships and peer networks
  • resources to reinforce learnings from sessions

Weekly on Tuesdays, 6.30-8pm

At Belgrave House, Belgrave Terrace, Rosemount, Aberdeen, AB25 2NR

NO FORMAL DIAGNOSIS REQUIRED

Autistic-Adult-support-groupDownload the poster

SensationALL means the world to me.

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SensationALL’s services and activities for Neurodiverse individuals and those with complex conditions are a lifeline for many. However, our support is not only for attendees themselves, but also for the wider family. In 2022, we created a timetable of informal support groups for parent/carers. The benefit of having this peer support can be huge!

Many parents tell us how alone and lost they feel so being part of this network helps them cope with the emotional burden of caring for someone with complex needs. The sharing of experiences and empathy they get from the group is invaluable and can result in improved resilience and reduced anxiety.

We thought Mental Health Awareness month was the perfect time to share one of our family’s stories…

Kelly’s daughter Georgia-Rose has a diagnosis of Autism and is currently undergoing assessment for ADHD. Kelly suspected from a very young age that Georgia-Rose might be Autistic:

“She really struggled with her meltdowns which, I originally thought were just bad tantrums but the older she got it became apparent they were so much more! Georgia-Rose is a huge masker – she keeps everything bottled in at school and plays a character to fit into society but, when she gets home the mask comes off and she often explodes. From a young age she has experienced sensory difficulties, certain sounds, textures and smells would trigger her and we didn’t know how to deal with it”.

The family’s first experience of SensationALL was coming to our Santa’s Grotto after a disastrous visit to a public grotto when Georgia-Rose left feeling terrified and sad. Her parents were flooded with guilt for taking her somewhere that caused such upset and were devastated she couldn’t enjoy something magical that most children love.

After seeing our details on Facebook, Kelly brought her girls to our relaxed grotto at The Old Schoolhouse in Westhill which, was designed to offer an simpler, unintimidating situation for Neurodiverse children to cope with. This time, her reaction to Santa was completely different to Kelly’s delight; “the look on Georgia-Roses face was something I will cherish forever! She went straight into the grotto and actually spoke to Santa! It was the most special thing for us as her parents to see her enjoy something that had previously terrified her!”

This positive experience led to Georgia-Rose attending numerous soft play sessions and she completing our self-regulation programme, Chill-OOT. As a result, her confidence and self-esteem has grown massively and she now knows ways to calm herself down when she’s overwhelmed and her parents and the wider family have also learnt techniques to help her when she in these situations. Amazingly, Georgia-Rose is able to tell them how things make her feel in different situations which is a huge positive step and has benefited the whole family.

Kelly says, “before I came to SensationALL I had absolutely no idea how to cope with Georgie’s meltdowns. I had been given advice from professionals and had done endless amounts of reading online but for some reason nothing seemed to work with my daughter and her difficulties. I constantly felt judged as a parent, and didn’t want my daughter to be thought of as a badly behaved kid who wouldn’t listen to her parents or just screams and shouts to get her own way. I felt very alone as a parent and didn’t know where to I could find help from people who just ‘got it’.

I started attending the parent support group every week and it has been the best thing I’ve done for myself in this journey – I had no idea how much I needed it! Being around other parents who face the same day to day difficulties as I do is just priceless! 

I believe its helped me become a better parent to not only Georgia-Rose, but her youngest sister Ellie-Jane too.

SensationALL means the world to me. It’s a place I can go and cry and know that somebody will be there for me with a tissue and a hot cup of tea. The support I receive is irreplaceable, SensationALL is somewhere I can go and won’t be judged.”

Not feeling alone on this crazy journey of parenting a child with additional support needs is the BEST thing ever!

Kelly

Our Family Support Practitioner, Jo, is also a parent of a young Neurodiverse son so she has experienced many of the situations that our families face:

“I know first-hand that being a parent of a child with additional needs can be isolating and lonely. Parents of neurotypical children can try their best to be supportive but, through no fault of their own, they cannot identify with the unique struggles a parent of a child with Additional Support Needs face daily.  

The sharing of experiences allows parents and cares to be heard, and often, for the first time feel accepted and less alone, it is a privilege for me to watch the magic happen in our sessions. 

Usually, our sessions are simply an open forum when, struggling parents can chat, cry and laugh which, releases tension and you see the weight starting to lift as their share their problems. We journey together as a group, grieving the difficult times, proactively looking for practical solutions to ease the struggles. I’m honoured to be part of the SensationALL community for parents.”

WATCH – this video features Kelly as well as some other parents talking about SensationALL…

If you’re a parent, guardian, or carer, more information on support sessions is here or email us to ask for more information.

SensationALL support for girls

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This Autism Awareness Week (1st-7th April 2019) we are highlighting the positive impact SensationALL’s groups have on individuals with multiple support needs. In particular, we want to shout about the work we do with young girls who are pre or post diagnosis…

SensationALL Girl’s Group 

It’s well documented that it is much harder to diagnose Autism in girls so, at SensationALL we made it our aim to ensure that no young girls with suspected support needs are left in “limbo land” whilst seeking a diagnosis.

Our Girl’s Group programme was created for the growing number of young girls who need our help to address difficulties with anxiety, social interaction, communication and building relationships.

Our team of practitioners have designed each session to include topical discussions and practical tasks that are fun, whilst teaching invaluable de-stressing and coping strategies. Each week they use expressive materials to practice and reflect on their new skills.

The girls are encouraged to build friendships and work together which improves their confidence and boosts self-esteem. 

 

We are here for you! If you are a parent of a girl with Autism or suspected support needs who is over-

whelmed and struggling with life at school or home. SensationALL is a safe place where your daughter can be herself.

The next block of Girl’s Group starts on 23rd April.  Contact us to express an interest!

And check out this fantastic video from Carrie Grant who is a mum to children with Autism – its brilliant to hear girls’ perspectives…

 

Why SensationALL use Sensory Stories…

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Our innovative SensationALL service team are always thinking of new activities to incorporate into our sessions as it’s really important to us that all users get the most out of attending (no matter how complex their needs).

SensationALL services are for children and adults with multiple support needs and sensory impairments so we use a variety of multi-sensory materials and activities that stimulate and engage and recently sensory stories have become a significant part of what we do.

A Magic Carpet Journey!

Sensory stories are a key feature of our new Midweek Mayhem adult sessions. Each week we will be going on a ‘Magic Carpet journey’ – using our senses to explore the place we ‘visit’.

By using interactive elements during story-telling (sights, sounds, touch and scents) we take the group on a virtual journey. Using their creativity, our staff come up with a variety of materials relating to the chosen story and while reading it, offer everyone the chance to interact by touching, smelling, seeing and hearing. This hugely beneficial for the service users as they are actively involved with the story rather than simply listening as they may have difficulty following or understanding the spoken words.

Last week we visited an Arabian Bazar…

To set the scene we had a background image and music from an Arabian market on the smart board. Our story took us through Egypt, where we encountered snakes, camels and belly dancers! We used materials to look, listen, feel and smell during each part of the story as an interactive experience. The textures of sand and jewelled jelly and the smell of mixed spices encouraged them to explore and try new experiences.

Our Arabian journey was a huge success:

“It’s great to see him engage so well!”  service user’s carer

We can’t wait for our next magic carpet ride to China to celebrate Chinese New Year! If you want to join us, our service diary has more information on whats on at the Old Schoolhouse this term.

   

SensationALL top tips for Christmas

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For most people Christmas is an exciting time but it usually means a change in routine which, for families with multiple support needs (MSN) can be upsetting and disruptive. Not to mention all the additional sensory experiences such as Christmas lights, music and scents which can be overwhelming.

To help our MSN families, the SensationALL team have shared some top tips to make Christmas a fun experience for everyone:

  • CALENDAR – mark off days with no school or other meaningful words or symbols. Highlight Christmas day and first day back to school.
  • Use a SCHEDULE or checklist to indicate what activities will be completed during the day. Use visuals/symbols to suit individual communication.
  • Plan activities for ENERGY BURNING such as a trip to the park on the swings, inclusive sessions at trampoline park or soft play. Or play indoor games such as hide and seek or a treasure hunt.
  • Build in BREAK TIMES to help with relaxation as well, have a quiet space away from the overwhelming aspects of Christmas. This could be a space with no music and low lighting such as a tent or den in quiet space in the house. Or use relaxation music and calming scents like lavender. You could also use deep pressure such as massage or heavy blankets as a calming strategy.
  • Have your OWN VERSION OF CHRISTMAS – do whatever works best for you, don’t feel you have to conform to tradition or what everyone else is doing! If your child doesn’t want too many presents keep them for the days following Christmas or if they don’t want presents wrapped maybe just use a gift bag. Have what you want for dinner or what you know your person with MSN will eat. Try having a taster of the Christmas meal on small plates to try to reduce stress over different/new foods and textures.
  • Take CALMING RESOURCES such as noise cancelling headphones with or without music or distraction aids such as fidget spinners or bubbles. You may have to allow for a reduced level of tolerance of new, challenging or sensory demanding situations. Some of strategies from our Chill-oot! and Girl’s Groups are perfect e.g. glitter sensory bottles are a fantastic coping tool to support emotional regulation. To make these simply add glue and glitter with warm water to a clear plastic bottle; watch as the glitter slowly swirls with the water. Other great ideas for easy to make coping strategies can be found on Pinterest.
  • SENSORY STORIES – A Christmas themed social story can help to explain the festive season – you can even write your own personalised story, check out this useful guide.

We also can’t forget that this time of year can be equally challenging for siblings as they may have to modify their own excitement or even make sacrifices to suit their siblings with MSN. However, there are simple things you can do to make sure they don’t miss out on the festive feeling; watch a Christmas movie together, do some Christmas baking, have a Christmas shopping trip – most importantly plan some 1-to-1 time for them with a parent. A present or specially created message from their sibling might be appreciated too.

Here are some useful visuals which can be used in the techniques above, as well as December and January calendar sheets for printing to stick the symbols on.

We hope you all have a relaxed, magical time this Christmas!

SensationALL and Giving Tuesday

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Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving, after Black Friday and Cyber Monday it is a day to give back and do good. At SensationALL we love the idea and thought it was the perfect opportunity to shout about the ways you can support our charity.

SensationALL are dedicated to providing outstanding therapeutic services for individuals with support needs and their families however, we simply couldn’t operate without help from our volunteers, supporters and local community! We rely on our volunteers giving their time to our users during services , fundraising committee giving their time at events, we rely on corporate supporters giving donations and raffle prizes. 

We have just launched our Christmas Card Campaign 2018 when we’re asking people to donate instead of sending cards this year. One of our parents was the first to sign up because of the experiences she’s had at SensationALL:

“SensationALL has provided an exemplary location for our son to feel at ease, the staff and other families provided a welcoming respite in a demanding world. Every £1 here makes a real impact!”

Here are some other ways you can give to SensationALL.

  • Volunteer at upcoming events (SensationALL Ceilidh, Friday 30th November, Winter Wonderland, Saturday 08th December)
  • Donations for our Winter Wonderland fayre – Chocolate, Home baking (drop off at the Old Schoolhouse by 06th and 07th December) and bottles for the bottle stall.
  • Fundraise for SensationALL – we’ve got places at Run Balmoral and Ride the North 2019 or organise your own fundraiser doing whatever you like!

If you want to give some time to SensationALL in any shape, we’d love to hear from you – email volunteering@sensationall.org.uk #SensationALL

Check out what the SensationALL team do here. 

SensationALL and Children in Need

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SensationALL provide therapeutic activities and specialist support for individuals with disabilities or multiple support needs (MSN), their families and associated professionals. To improve the lives of children and adults with disabilities by supporting them, we make specialist support accessible to the whole family in a tailored environment.

This year we were lucky enough to have secured three years funding from Children in Need, this funding has assisted the development of two groups to promote inclusion, social opportunities and empowerment of skills for children with multiple support needs and their siblings.
Inclusive Social Group

Previously only a monthly group, the Inclusive Social Group now runs every second week and is a social group for primary school-aged children with support needs (mainly autism and learning issues) and their siblings. It is run in conjunction with our sister social enterprise out of school care club, Schools Out! This gives us the opportunity to create a safe, supported environment for children with mainstream and diverse needs to play and learn from each other. A range of games, interactive activities and therapeutic rooms are available for all the children,  supported by experienced SensationALL staff. An added benefit for most of our families is that it is a drop-off session, where parents and carers are not expected to stay on-site, so providing a brief period of respite in an often challenging life.
Already it is evident how valuable this group is for families, some of whom travel almost 20 miles to attend. One mother said “It is one of the few places that we can come and I can leave my son, knowing that he is not only cared for in a safe place, but that he will be encouraged to engage with a range of peers, while learning to tolerate others and have unique opportunities to self-regulate with supportive staff in special facilities”.

One young sibling also said “It’s great that my brother has autism because it means that we both get to come here and play with our friends. I get to meet other siblings and have great fun!”
SocALLise Teenage Social Group

This group has developed rapidly over the last two school terms, increasing attendee numbers by 60%. It is attended weekly by academy-aged youngsters with various support needs (most being autism related). As well as this group being structured around usual youth club type activities like; pool, games, baking, sports, quizzes, and creative projects; the youth group get the opportunity to partake in community based visits and outings.

SensationALL Operational Team Lead, Suz Strachan says: “the focus for this group is to promote confidence, provide social and community based opportunities to increase vocational experiences and generally promote social skills and self resilience.”
One teenager said “I struggle to fit in, always have and SocALLise gives me a place to come every week where I can meet my friends and be accepted. I would probably just do nothing or sit in my room otherwise.” One of the parents expressed the difference it had already made to their teenage son: “…we have seen our son’s confidence increase and for a boy who’s default mode is reluctance, avoidance and negative thinking; the staff have quickly attuned to his needs and found ways to encourage his involvement in all the group’s activities.”
With less than 10% of income originating from service income, SensationALL rely heavily on grants, trusts and donations to ensure the continuation of life-changing groups like those supported by Children in Need and to help the development of their unique vision of an inclusive supportive hub for the North of Scotland.

SensationALL are very thankful for the opportunity to benefit from the support of Children in Need, not only in the form of funding, but also in their marketing and training support, which for a small, growing charity can assist with the empowerment of skills to ensure long term sustainability.

For more information on any of our groups and services, see our timetable here or contact us. #SensationALL

SensationALL suggestions for Bonfire Night

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Bonfire night (like many of society’s popular calendar events) can be anything but enjoyable for many of our unique individuals with support needs. Many who suffer from anxiety and sensory issues can find the unexpected nature of displays very stressful and a trigger for meltdowns. We have put together a few SensationALL suggestions to help make bonfire night a more positive experience.

Preparation

Creating a visual countdown to “out of routine” events can be beneficial to help your child understand not only when bonfire night will take place, but it is also important to build in variability of the event – although it’s one night, chances are there will be displays and random fireworks a few days before and after – using a question mark might be a way of suggesting that there could be some unexpected noises or fireworks.

Creating your own Social Stories are an effective methods to provide guidance and directions for responding to various types of social situations.. They may use images or words to present the situation and can be another good way to prepare your child. It can be beneficial to include any possible sensory or coping strategies in this as well. i.e. “when I feel upset/stressed, I can pull up my hood and use my earphones to listen to my music”.

By their nature fireworks are unpredictable, so try to help your child understand what to expect. Watching videos of firework displays – building up sound levels or demonstrating sparklers in advance could help.

Firework Displays

Some local authorities provide accommodated displays that are suitable for people with disabilities – these might be less crowded and cause less anxiety. Parking some distance from the display and watching from the car is one way to enjoy the visuals without any of the noise. If you go to a big display, you might want to find a quieter spot from crowds. Let your child know how long the display might last/you plan to stay and explain that they can retreat to the car when they have had enough. If you are attending an event for the first time, this might be a very short time. It is best to create a positive experience and possibly using “5 more then car or home” might extend the time, while still ending up on a positive note for next year.

If you are having fireworks in the house, allow your child to watch from inside where it is warm and they can experience the pretty sights without the loud noises. Table top fireworks, quieter fireworks or a virtual one might be a better place to start. Again, consider identifying a safe space or coping strategy – i.e. “when I feel upset/stressed, I can go to my room and use my earphones to listen to my music”.

Sensory Issues

Ear defenders, earphones and swimming ear putty (available from Boots Chemist and online via amazon) can help to block noise and reduce the anxiety that people with sensory issues may experience. Using ear or headphones and music can be a way to include a coping/distraction strategy – as can handheld games/electronics/figit toys.  

  • Bluetooth headphones are our new special toy – especially ones that allow you to talk over music/give instructions/reassurance.
  • Consider the cold for outdoor displays – warm or weighted clothes can also be a great comfort.  Use of hoods and ear muffs might also help.
  • Have back up plan – like a sensory space – explain what their coping options are: back to the car, hide under a hood/blanket/weighted item/put sunglasses on.

Another online resource to look at for Bonfire night is this website with safety advice.