Transitions can be challenging for any child, especially young toddlers. If a child is engaging in a highly motivating activity, it can be tough for them to suddenly transition to another activity or setting. It is especially difficult for children with ASD who may struggle with rigidity, communication, and sensory sensitivities. So, what are some strategies to support children during transitions?
Identify the ABC Data
Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence; or in other words, addressing what happens before, during, and after a challenging behavior. This step can bring your awareness to your child’s specific challenges with transitions, and therefore your game plan can help you target exactly what aspect of a transition is most challenging for your child. ABC data is easy enough to track, and you don’t need anything other than a pen and paper! You could even track it on your phone in the moment.
It is important to look at what is happening right before the challenging behavior to discover the trigger for your child. Keep in mind, each transition may have multiple triggers for your child so your interventions may need to change with them. For example, if you take a child’s car while saying “Okay, it’s time to clean up”, that may be the antecedent to a challenging behavior such as crying, yelling, or hitting you. It is also important to look at what happens after that challenging behavior. Did you give them back the car to stop the hitting? Did you yell? Did you ignore? Did you hug them? Often times a child may engage in a behavior specifically to gain a certain reaction from an adult or peer. Your child may have learned that if mom takes away the car and they cry, she gives them the car back, therefore reinforcing the behavior by giving them access to the car. Your child may have learned that when dad takes away the car and they cry, he gives them a big hug, which may be very motivating for them, and may reinforce their crying behavior.
When collecting ABC data, it is important to collect it over the course of a few days or weeks, because a trigger during one transition one day may not be a trigger for them every time.
Once you’ve addressed the “why”, you are able to move into how to support them.
Below are some helpful strategies!
"Don’t rescue your child from a challenge. Teach them how to face it." -Unknown
Use a Countdown
Many children with ASD become very focused on a specific toy, or may be internally preoccupied while engaging in an activity. For this reason, they may need a longer countdown to help them transition. Typically, with the toddlers I work with, I will utilize a countdown by singing a one more minute song that is short and simple: “One more min-ute” (then clap 5 times) (repeated 2x).
Then, when time is up we will say: “Toy time is allllllll finished in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Time to clean up and get ready for lunch!” This helps children process that an activity has ended, what they need to do next, and what activity will come next.
Use a Visual Schedule
Using a visual schedule is a great tool for kids on the spectrum who may struggle with receptive language. A visual of a person washing their hands for lunch can be a much clearer prompt than you repeatedly calling their name and asking them to come wash their hands. In my room, we utilize a visual schedule for the entire day, and all of the pictures are showing until the activity is finished. This can help eliminate the anxiety of what activity is coming next. When an activity ends, we flip the picture over as another cue that the activity is ending. However, for some children it can be overwhelming to see all of the pictures, so it may be helpful to have all of the pictures flipped to the blank side other than the current activity. Play around with what works best for you and your child!
Use a Timer
A visual timer can be a great tool to help children grasp how much time they have left during an activity. Using a large timer and putting it in a highly visible area can support their awareness of the environment as well. Setting a timer for 5 minutes and verbally reminding them when there is one more minute can be a good option for children who need a longer period of transition than just 1 minute.
Use First/Then Language
What is first/then language? It is a tool that helps you show your child what happens after the work through an activity that may be challenging. For example, you could say “First, clean up toys, Then do dough”. I often utilize a visual that says “First” on one half of the laminated paper, and “then” on the other half, with Velcro on each half where I can place a picture of a person cleaning up, and then a picture of dough.
Use a Preferred Tangible
A preferred tangible can act as a transitional object for a child, and can make their transition much smoother. A transitional object is typically a physical object used in early childhood development that represents the mother-child bond. For example, maybe your child struggles to leave you in the morning during drop off or bus pickup. It may be helpful for them to hold a small car or other comforting tangible. Even this seemingly small change can help a child be much more successful during a challenging transition!
Make Transitions Fun
Who said walking is the only way to get from point A to point B? If your child struggles to transition between settings, you could offer to race them, time them, or simply sing a song while walking together. Singing "Wheels on the Bus", "Baby Shark", "We're Going on a Lion Hunt", or any other song that your child likes can encourage them to walk with you!
Do you have any transition strategies that work for you and your child? Comment below :)
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