Preparing for a Hurricane with a Child on the Autism Spectrum

Children with autism like things to be predictable and there is nothing more unpredictable than a hurricane. If you live on the east coast as hurricane Matthew makes his visit well known how do you plan to prepare your special needs child?

The worse case scenario about any hurricane is the potential for building damage from high winds or flooding, both of which may result in being stranded with no electricity and not knowing what to do or what is going on. Situations such as these are not pleasant for anyone, let alone a child who does not like changes in routine.

Before I share what you can do to physically prepare your family I want to encourage you to prepare everyone emotionally by planning ahead.

– Use a positive voice to talk about the hurricane and keep the focus on the things you can do. Consider having a family meeting, after you and your spouse have decided what to say,  so that everyone will know what to expect.

– Be honest without being alarming. Calmly and factually discuss what a hurricane is –  “A big rain storm with high winds that can be very noisy . . .”

– Anticipate your child’s anxieties and address each one of them by talking about what you will do. “If we lose power, it means the lights won’t work and we will have to use flashlights . . .”

– Make an adventure out of it and get your children to help in the preparation as if you were packing for a trip. Assign someone to check the battery supply or load the batteries into the items you will need. Give a child the responsibility to fill water bottles. etc. . .

– Read a social story. If your child is young, consider creating a quick social story about hurricanes and read it to them. If you are not familiar with social stories, The Gray Center is a great resource to explore.

– Have a practice drill, if there is time. There is nothing better than a concrete, hands on experience to prepare a child as long as it is done in a clear and calm manner. The actual event may not be calm but having run through it before will help relieve some anxieties about the unknown.

As for the actual things you need to do and items you need to have, the following is minimally recommended.

• Cell phone, charged
• Water and food for 3-5 days (1 gal. water per person for each day and focus on non-perishable proteins)
• First aid kit
• Portable radio and flashlight with batteries
• Full tank of gas in car if evacuation is needed
• Medications for 3-5 days
• A full bathtub with a bucket for flushing the toilet
• Each person should have an emergency and identification card on them including important phone numbers (include numbers of relatives or friends who live in other areas than yours)

If evacuated:

• The above AND phone charger (in case there is electricity or battery power)
• Favorite (security) items, games/toys to keep kids occupied (a deck of cards is always good to have)
• Blankets
• Reading material
• Change of clothes
• Toilet Paper
• Wet wipes or hand sanitizer
• Comfort snacks
• Etc…. take the minimal but essential

Empowering your family with information will help alleviate anxiety for many. Also, remember to discuss what happened after the fact. This is a great opportunity to point out the ways in which family members were helpful. This will boost their self-confidence and help them feel less anxious about the possibility of a next time.

If you have any suggestions to add from your own personal experience, please make a comment in the box below.