FAQautism

Occasionally our friends with autism are somewhat removed from their surroundings – sitting aside from others, self-absorbed in their own stimming and repetitive scripts. How can we encourage connections and interaction? Try bubblegum. Bubblegum?!?

Listen Now:

Standard Podcast [ 4:29 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I can feel my grandmother and my dentist cringing as I write these words. I know that bubblegum can get on clothes, ruin teeth, cause cavities, and make a mess. But you should see the look on the faces of some youngsters with autism when I unexpectedly blow a bubble. They often turn toward me, look at the bubble, then actually look into my eyes as if to ask, “where did that come from?” The personal connections, the spontaneous laughter when bubbles burst, and the requests (often non-verbal) for me to blow another bubble are priceless. Some tips for “bubblegum therapy.”

1. Bubblegum therapy can be a spectator sport. If your friend with autism is not able to chew bubblegum, you can do the chewing and bubble-blowing to encourage eye contact, personal interaction, attention, and laughter.

2. Bubblegum therapy can be an adventure. Chewing gum and blowing bubbles is quite a sensory experience for those folks with autism who are willing and able to chew bubblegum. Many of my friends who chew bubblegum are intrigued with the taste and texture, the sound of gum inside their mouths, the sound of bubbles popping, the stickiness when it pops on their faces, and other sensory aspects of bubblegum.

3. Bubblegum therapy changes the subject. When an intense youngster with autism is super-focused on an object or obsessing about a person or activity, bubblegum can interrupt that fixation.

4. Bubblegum encourages interaction and active participation. You can have races to see who can blow the first bubble, the largest bubble, the smallest bubble, or a bubble inside a bubble. Your friend can keep track of the length of time a bubble survives or the numbers of bubbles you can blow in one minute.

TIP FOR THE DAY: Bubblegum therapy is inexpensive and portable. Keep a pack of bubblegum in your “Plan B” kit. It is a great distraction when a person with autism is struggling with issues such as transition, long waits, noisy environments, long rides in a car or bus, or other frustrating circumstances.

Speaking of frustrating circumstances, most of us encounter challenges frequently throughout the day. Click on the Toolkit tab on our webiste http://FAQautism.com for some great resources to equip you for dealing with some of these difficult issues.

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 a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. 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

Automatically generated related posts:

1. Bubbles Made Easy Few activities are more enchanting to any of us than...
2. Masking Problems Sometimes I overhear parents or teachers of individuals with autism...