My daughter with autism is echolalic and has started repeating her grandmother’s complaints about the hot weather. What are some ways we can change the focus for both generations and add some zip to these dog days?

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A brainstorming session with some folks resulted in these fun ideas. Some are designed to get relief from the heat. Others help turn the temperature into an interesting game for individuals with autism, many of whom are interested in numbers and patterns.
(1) Have your daughter keep a chart recording the high temperature of the day. If she is unable to read and write, have her cut out the weather summary from the newspaper or a print out from Weather.com website and glue in a notebook each day.
(2) Every evening, count out one penny for each degree of heat for the high temperature of that day. She can save her pennies to spend the first day the temperature drops below 90 degrees.
(3) Put an ice cube on a hot sidewalk and see how long it takes to melt. Or put two ice cubes on the sidewalk for a melting race.
(4) Put a bandana in the freezer overnight, then tie it around her neck or put it on top of her head for an instant cooling.
(5) She can lounge under a misty sprinkler in a lawn chair.
(6) Find a snow cone stand and enjoy an icy treat.
(7) Make homemade ice cream or pop cycles.
(8) Take a quart of ice cream to a homebound neighbor.

We welcome any frosty ideas you have. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com