Caring for Children with Autism During Hurricanes

Hurricanes are about death and destruction. They are difficult for the well adjusted to watch their neighborhoods and homes being destroyed. For a Child with Autism it can be extremely difficult. I have written another hub on hurricane preparedness. That is were you begin your preparation but once you have finished you now need to focus on your child.

This Hub is a good preparation guide for all parents but especially parents of Autistic Children. I have written eetensively on hurricane prepartion and what ot do after a hurricane but I am unable to provide links to those articles.

Get three months of prescriptions in advance. If a hurricane hits the pharmacy will be closed down for a while. After Hurricane Frances and Jeanne which we evacuated from about 400 miles North and we still went through a hurricane but only a Category one we were hit by another hurricane within a few weeks later. That storm was hurricane Jeanne. The Saint John’s River was flooded and couldn’t be crossed for several days. By the time we could return home I was completely out of blood pressure medication. Believe it or not after a hurricane you need your blood pressure medication especially when you are required to clear the post hurricane debris. It is also important you have your child’s medications and several months in advance.

Hey Obama may hate the TV but for parents of children with Autism it is a valuable resource especially during a hurricane. A hurricane disrupts your child’s, with autism, routine. They can’t play outside, got to the beach or really leave the house. It is hot. Your electric is out and there is a horrific storm outside. I keep a battery powered DVD player in the house. And I keep my son’s favorite DVD(s) stored for the hurricane season. I only let my son watch those DVD(s) when there is a hurricane. It worked. We spent 20 days locked in a hotel room through two hurricanes and those DVD(s) kept my son claim and reserved. DVD(s) provided a new routine. It really worked. So I recommend it for all parents of children with Autism.

If DVD(s) fail and hey never have for us, I recommend favorite games, toys and activities. There has never been time to play monolpoly until the end until you have sat through a hurricane. I like scattegories, scrabble and puzzles as well.

Sinc eyou have a child with Autism you should be among the first to evacte an area. Head to high grund in the center of the state and if it is bad enough hit the mountains.

It is difficult to get your child with Autism to eat well under ideal circumstances. In a hurricane you will need to bring some of your child's favorite foods. And it really doesn't mater about the quality. It just has to be foods your child will eat that are either dried products or canned. If you child will not eat these things then start experimenting. Beef Jerky, which I would never eat under ordinary circumstances, is my protein of choice during hurricanes. It is true for hard boiler eggs as well. You can survive on anything but your child will need his or her favorite foods packed.

Maintain as routine as much as possible.

I always like to give my son his own personal flashlight. It gives him a sense of control when the power goes off. I mantain a spare in the event he loses his. But it is really an easy thing to give to your child during a hurricane to make them feel safe and secure.