Fire Safety Activities for Children With Autism

Children with autism tend to become very confused in moments of stress. For this reason, it is very important to prepare them ahead of time for emergencies, to give them the best possible chance of surviving a fire. This can be difficult because some children with autism are non-verbal, and even those who are very high functioning can become "non functional" in moments of extreme sensory input.

Meet the Firefighter

• Many fire stations have community safety programs that go to schools, care facilities and events to teach people about fire safety. This can be a good opportunity to help your child learn more about fire safety. It may be even more helpful to contact your local fire department yourself and coordinate an event with your local autism society. Why? Imagine that you are suddenly surrounded by noise so loud that you can't hear, colors have suddenly changed and it's hotter than you've ever felt. You might automatically understand that these signs mean fire but your child may not.

  Into this intense sensory overload, a giant hulking creature that talks funny and has no face suddenly appears. It is possible your child may have a meltdown, attack the "monster" or even hide and further endanger himself. For these reasons, it's important to prepare your child, so that in the event of a fire, he will understand what a firefighter is and why she is there. Having an event in which children can meet fire department personnel, see them in their suits and be instructed on how to react in the event of a fire may save their lives.

Use Picture Exchange Communication

• A non-verbal child with autism may be the most at risk because people tend to assume that she cannot learn. Fortunately, you can use PECS or picture exchange communication system to explain fire situations visually and show your child how to respond. Using images that your child relates to rooms in the house, show her escape routes. You can draw how to react when smelling smoke, how to feel a door to tell if fire is on the other side, how to cover her face with a wet cloth and crawl under the smoke if possible. These ideas can be clearly communicated with images, just make sure to the best of your abilities that your child understands the concepts as you are trying to communicate them. Do not use images she is unfamiliar with to introduce new concepts; use things she is comfortable with and then walk her through the actions the images present.

"I Know My Fire Safety Plan"

• "I Know My Fire Safety Plan" is an interactive book created by The National Fire Protection Association, in conjunction with a psychologist and a writer of social stories, to teach children with autism and other developmental disabilities what to do in case of fire. The book can be personalized with the child's name and information about the outdoor meeting place. It is suggested that parents use this book while showing children their at home escape plan. The book can be found at the National Fire Protection Association website (see References for link).

Sensory Issues

• Children with sound sensitivities may need extra help preparing for fire situations. Often, fire drills and alarms are so shocking and distracting that the child stops understanding what is going on around him. A sound or behavioral therapist can work with the child and slowly introduce the sound (possibly at a lower, less jarring volume) until the child becomes accustomed and then teach him how to react upon hearing that noise.