Tips For Watching Fireworks With Special Needs Children
Do you know what’s been on our minds this week? Fireworks.
We often have parents ask us about firework events at this time of year. For many of our kids with sensory processing issues, fireworks can be extremely stressful. Most of this is related to the sound of the fireworks. It’s not so much a visual issue. We all know that fireworks can make some really loud booms, and many of our children are hypersensitive or have hyper acoustics, so that boom is 10 times louder to them.
Here are a few of things we advise our parents to do to minimize any trauma from fireworks.
1. Plan ahead.
Firework events are usually very late at night. It can be helpful to get them ready for bed and in their pajamas beforehand, so you don’t have to go through that process after the event.
2. Consider staying further away.
Think about where you are in relationship to fireworks. It might be better to view the fireworks from your neighborhood, away from where the fireworks are actually being used. Often you can still see the full fireworks display from your neighborhood, but you don’t have the noise!
3. Stay in the car.
Another option is to sit in the comfort of your car, perhaps with the child in their car seat.
These options will help to minimize the noise trauma of the fireworks and help to get the kids calmed down more easily afterward.
Another thing to consider about the Fourth of July holiday is that many cities do big parades and fairs. Those things may be fun for you, but they’re not always fun for the child. We’d rather see you have a great time with your family over the holidays than trying to keep an unhappy child happy.
Have a happy Fourth of July!
