By Stella Holt

Who would have thought that design could encourage autistic kids to feel positive?

Often, they’re bombarded by overwhelming emotions and this can lead to negative thoughts.

 But by using design you can help your child overcome his or her overwhelming feelings by giving them a sense of control.

Not only can design make learning easier but it also helps calm autistic kids down when the impulses around them overpower their own thoughts.

USING VISUAL STIMULATION TO COMMUNICATE

Language skills are often difficult to understand for children who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

This is because they sometimes struggle to make sense of what they’re hearing. As a result, responding to someone who has spoken to them adds unnecessary pressure which leads to thoughts of negativity.

Visual stimulation on the other hand, can make communication easier.

Your child can use simplistic pictures to indicate his or her intended meaning. This makes it easier for them to express if they’re in pain and can also reduce the tension felt when responding to questions.

Because visual stimulation removes feelings of frustration linked to communication, this encourages positivity.

By seeing ideas visually, ASD children are more capable of understanding these concepts.

They may then feel less afraid of communicating and may even express a desire to do so.

As a result, they’ll gain more self-esteem and will view communication more positively.

COLOR PSYCHOLOGY AND POSITIVITY

Color psychology is a useful tool for encouraging positivity in ASD children.

But it’s important to note that because autistic kids see the world differently, they may not have the same reactions to colors as other children in their age group.

 For example, according to color psychology, yellow inspires feelings of happiness and positivity.

Many ASD boys on the other hand, have shown to become distressed by this color because its brightness is over-stimulating.

 Instead, studies have shown that autistic children prefer natural colors such as brown and green because these colors don’t overburden their senses.

Soft, pale colors can also induce feelings of calm when the kids feel stressed.

That’s one approach of how design is an effective tool for helping autistic kids feel more positive.

Autistic kids also associate color with meaning which can help make communication easier as well.

Overall, selecting the right colors in your design—or décor, mental health center logo, printed mediums or even clothing—is an effective way to help your child feel happier.

THE POWER OF PATTERNS

Designing for autism doesn’t only depend on what pictures you use. Studies have indicated that autistic kids have shown an interest in geometric patterns.

Designs using these patterns have increased autistic children’s attention spans, making learning easier.

These patterns can also make them feel more positive when they’re used in the child’s immediate environment.

When creating patterns to enhance your child’s positive emotional responses, it’s important to ensure that the layouts are not too busy.

Cluttered patterns can have an adverse effect and make your child feel overwhelmed.

Instead, select simple, geometric patterns in no more than two colors as kids will respond better to these designs.

IF YOU MUST USE TEXT

Using text can be a useful design tool, especially if your child is learning to read. The issue is that if there are too many words on a page, mural or learning tool, it can make your child feel confused.

In order to promote feelings of positivity, it’s important to ensure that the size of your text is large enough for the child to read without difficulty and build healthy relationships with the parent or instructor.

Using Sans Serif text also makes the words easier to read. By alternating the size of different words, you can also help bring your child’s attention to certain aspects of the lesson.

Finally, breaking up text with images is a useful way to prevent it from being over-stimulating.

Pictures will also encourage your child to keep learning as they’re often easier to process. The easier their learning process is, the less likely they’ll feel negative about their own abilities.

CONCLUSION

Design tools can make the world an easier place to live in for your autistic kid.

These tools can help them calm down when they’re overstimulated and can also encourage feelings of positivity.

It’s an effective tool to make education & communication easier which will diminish feelings of stress. Everyone wins. Will you try it?

Author Bio:

Stella Holt is a savvy blogger who has dedicated her exceptional skills solely to writing, reading, and discovering everything new. She writes for the healthcare industry on patient care, medical ethics, the current healthcare system and so on. When not blogging and writing, Stella can be found gardening in her backyard or playing with her cats, Rosy and Chika.

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect all or some of our beliefs and policy.  Any links on this page does not necessarily mean they have been endorsed by Defying Mental Illness.

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