Doctor Karen Gratton-Miscio is senior manager of autism services at Hands – The Family Health Network.

She advises parents to make adjustments at the individual level.

“Sometimes, it’s things such as using social stories for instance to walk the child through what the experience might look like,” she outlines. “ Sometimes it is allowing choice to happen.  Choice of what the costume might be, or how many doors we go to or what’s candy, that sort of stuff.”

Grattan-Miscio notes that because autism ranges from mild to severe, every child exhibits different symptoms.

“And so it really does have to be an individualized approach,” the psychologist reiterates. “There are some standard things that do work well and those are the focuses of some of our tips and tricks.  But at the end of the day, it is really about the individual child and do you support that child.”

Those tips and tricks are found here and here.