Seven items you should have for your autistic child

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.

As a father of two boys on the spectrum, I’ve learned a lot about what I need in my home to keep my boys engaged, entertained, and comforted. Parenting special needs children is a special calling that most people have placed upon them as opposed to being able to choose that option. At times it can be painful, confusing, almost hopeless. Other times it can bring tremendous joy. Maybe your special needs child finally used the bathroom correctly after years of accidents, or maybe they finally learned to stop hitting themselves when frustrated. These wins are what keep parents hopeful that their children will have happy and functional lives. Here are the top 7 must haves for autistic kids. These are not in any order of importance and strictly my opinion.

Fidget Toys – Fidget toys or sensory toys can really help sensory sensitive kids that crave certain inputs. I find myself playing with some of these. Many kids really like the feel and texture of these toys. A box like the below helps to give a wide selection of items and you can see which ones your child enjoys the most.

Swing – You really need an outside swing and an inside swing. They are easy to install and not super expensive. My boys like both of the below options. The outside swing is for playing but the inside will be used to calm and relax in many cases. Purchasing a bolt and screwing it to the ceiling where there’s a joist makes install very easy. A drill is necessary.

Chew Toys – I realize that your special needs child is not a dog and chew toys seems primal, but it’s all about fulfilling the child’s sensory needs and for many kids a chew toy really fills that need. Does your child chew on their shirt? Do they bite? Give a chew toy a shot. It’s cheap and might be just what the doctor ordered.

Headphones – I’m not talking about ear buds here. I am talking about a simple set of noise cancelling headphones. Sounds hit different to kids on the spectrum. A normal volume or pitch to people not on the spectrum can easily cause someone on the spectrum to winch or become over stimulated. Headphones can help with that. Plus, my older son loves the pressure on his head.

Amazon Fire / iPad / iPhone – Kids on the spectrum tend to love watching repetitive things on YouTube and playing games via app stores. I find the Ipad is the best option for this, but it is expensive. The Fire works just fine. It has plenty of games and the staples of Youtube, Disney +, Netflix, etc. are all available. It’s important to use these devices in appropriate ways and watch what they get into on YouTube as it’s easy for them to stumble on incredibly inappropriate things. My boys’ tablets are a great way to distract them or keep them occupied while I’m trying to do something. Don’t forget the case

Schedules – Elijah, my older boy, lives and breathes schedule. He sometimes even obsesses over it wanting it repeated over and over. While this can sometimes lead to unwanted behavior the schedule is crucial. A scheduling app such as Choiceworks on his smartphone really allows him to manipulate and review his schedule at his will and he loves checking things off as he finishes them. You can find Choiceworks on the Apple app store for a small fee. Not sure of it’s availability on Android

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/choiceworks/id486210964

Weighted Blanket – In all transparency my boys go hot and cold on the weighted blanket. They both enjoy the pressure of squeezes and hugs. I thought a weighted blanket was a no brainer but found out that for whatever reason my boys don’t use it as much as I’d hope. So why am I including it here? The reason is that I’ve talked to too many parents who swear by it. Autism is a spectrum and what works for one child often doesn’t for others. I’ve had mothers tell me that their autistic child loves the weighted blanket. They are affordable so no reason not to try it. If your kiddo doesn’t fall in love with it, you never know, you just might start using it.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are all items that I believe are must haves for autistic kids. Some are for play, some are for comfort, but they all work together to create an enjoyable home experience for your autistic child.