How to Take an Autistic Child to a Restaurant
Know your child., Choose your restaurant carefully., Rehearse eating out with your child., Consider your individual's food preferences at home., Do as much research about the restaurant as possible., Inform your child of the date and time you will...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know your child.
Every autistic person is unique, and what works for one child may not work for another.
The child's attention span, sensory issues, and communication ability will all come into play.
Respect where the child's ability is, as not all autistic children are able to successfully have an outing at a restaurant, no matter the wishes and good intentions.
It is also possible that your autistic child may have no interest in eating at a restaurant, or find it a painful or frustrating experience.
Pushing too hard too fast can be bad for all concerned. , Autistic people may have issues with things such as florescent lights, loud noises, crowds, music, and waiting.
Look for a restaurant avoids these sensory and other issues.
For example:
A fast-food restaurant may be the best choice for a person who cannot handle sitting and waiting for something to happen.
For an individual who gets overwhelmed with crowds, go to a quiet cafe on off-peak hours.
If lighting is an issue, perhaps an outdoor eatery is best. , Go through a menu, order food, and practice sitting in a chair, and waiting patiently for your food to arrive.
Doing this should give a good idea of how your child may do at a real restaurant.
Remember that many (not all) autistic children have a difficult time with the idea of pretending and have a hard time generalizing from one situation to another.
If you pretend to order at a restaurant at home, they may not be able to perform the task at the restaurant because it is not home.
Be sure to alert your child in advance when you are going to do this, as this will be a break in routine for them, and this can be confusing and upsetting for an autistic person.
Be sure to use supports that your child uses, such as visual cards and checklists.
These can be very helpful. , For example, if she likes hamburgers, a restaurant that has a specialty of hamburgers may be a good choice.
If your child enjoys seafood, go for a seafood restaurant., Print off pictures, the name, and possibly even the menu, and show these to your child.
This may help to better prepare them for what they're going to likely experience.
Should the restaurant's menu suddenly change before you go, be sure that you show your child the new one, especially if they already saw the old one.
Try to scout it out before bringing your autistic child.
You may not realize until you get there that the restaurant has buzzers that go off, TVs playing, or flashing lights, for instance. , Going out to eat is a break from routine, so informing them in advance, and reminding them a few more times before going will most likely help lessen the likelihood of a meltdown when it is time to go., From restaurant behavior, to simply eating at a restaurant in general, social stories will likely help to prepare your child for an idea of what they can expect when they go out to eat., Many good-quality restaurants will be happy to accommodate special needs if they are told ahead of time.
Inform them that your child is autistic, and what their needs are.
This way, they can know ahead of time and make any accommodations, such as getting a table in a quieter area of the restaurant.
Also, this would be a good time to alert them if your child has any allergies or food restrictions, so that once again, they know ahead of time., If your child has a short attention span, they may want to have a tablet, book, coloring book, or other way to entertain themselves.
Also consider comfort items and stim toys.
For example, if your child has a stuffed animal they love to pet, this may help keep them calm., Try to make it include foods that are on the menu.
This way, if your child wishes, they can order their own food. -
Step 2: Choose your restaurant carefully.
-
Step 3: Rehearse eating out with your child.
-
Step 4: Consider your individual's food preferences at home.
-
Step 5: Do as much research about the restaurant as possible.
-
Step 6: Inform your child of the date and time you will be going as soon as you know for sure.
-
Step 7: Use social stories about restaurants.
-
Step 8: Contact the restaurant you are going to by phone.
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Step 9: Consider bringing something to entertain your child.
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Step 10: Program any picture communication or other AAC system that your child may use.
Detailed Guide
Every autistic person is unique, and what works for one child may not work for another.
The child's attention span, sensory issues, and communication ability will all come into play.
Respect where the child's ability is, as not all autistic children are able to successfully have an outing at a restaurant, no matter the wishes and good intentions.
It is also possible that your autistic child may have no interest in eating at a restaurant, or find it a painful or frustrating experience.
Pushing too hard too fast can be bad for all concerned. , Autistic people may have issues with things such as florescent lights, loud noises, crowds, music, and waiting.
Look for a restaurant avoids these sensory and other issues.
For example:
A fast-food restaurant may be the best choice for a person who cannot handle sitting and waiting for something to happen.
For an individual who gets overwhelmed with crowds, go to a quiet cafe on off-peak hours.
If lighting is an issue, perhaps an outdoor eatery is best. , Go through a menu, order food, and practice sitting in a chair, and waiting patiently for your food to arrive.
Doing this should give a good idea of how your child may do at a real restaurant.
Remember that many (not all) autistic children have a difficult time with the idea of pretending and have a hard time generalizing from one situation to another.
If you pretend to order at a restaurant at home, they may not be able to perform the task at the restaurant because it is not home.
Be sure to alert your child in advance when you are going to do this, as this will be a break in routine for them, and this can be confusing and upsetting for an autistic person.
Be sure to use supports that your child uses, such as visual cards and checklists.
These can be very helpful. , For example, if she likes hamburgers, a restaurant that has a specialty of hamburgers may be a good choice.
If your child enjoys seafood, go for a seafood restaurant., Print off pictures, the name, and possibly even the menu, and show these to your child.
This may help to better prepare them for what they're going to likely experience.
Should the restaurant's menu suddenly change before you go, be sure that you show your child the new one, especially if they already saw the old one.
Try to scout it out before bringing your autistic child.
You may not realize until you get there that the restaurant has buzzers that go off, TVs playing, or flashing lights, for instance. , Going out to eat is a break from routine, so informing them in advance, and reminding them a few more times before going will most likely help lessen the likelihood of a meltdown when it is time to go., From restaurant behavior, to simply eating at a restaurant in general, social stories will likely help to prepare your child for an idea of what they can expect when they go out to eat., Many good-quality restaurants will be happy to accommodate special needs if they are told ahead of time.
Inform them that your child is autistic, and what their needs are.
This way, they can know ahead of time and make any accommodations, such as getting a table in a quieter area of the restaurant.
Also, this would be a good time to alert them if your child has any allergies or food restrictions, so that once again, they know ahead of time., If your child has a short attention span, they may want to have a tablet, book, coloring book, or other way to entertain themselves.
Also consider comfort items and stim toys.
For example, if your child has a stuffed animal they love to pet, this may help keep them calm., Try to make it include foods that are on the menu.
This way, if your child wishes, they can order their own food.
About the Author
Cynthia Allen
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow hobbies tutorials.
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