Supporting Students with Special Needs: Online Training Modules for School-Based Professionals who Support Students with Disabilities
In stressful situations, such as emergencies, people with autism may experience heightened challenges with communication and sensory perception. The sensory kit below includes items that may be helpful to officers, such as tips on assisting and interacting with a person with autism, as well as communication boards and visuals to make communication more accessible, and sensory items that may be comforting or regulating to the person with autism.
Clicking on any of the graphics below will open a high-resolution, printable version in a full-size window.
Our suggested sensory kit includes:
Autism support tips for first responders:
Communication supports:
Sensory supports:
- Noise-canceling headphones:
- Sunglasses:
- Liquid bubbler:
- Push pop fidget:
- Stress ball:
- Stuffed animal / plush:
Using the support kit:
- Dry erase card:
- Offer simple drawings or short clear instructions
- Offer yes/no or a. b. c. d. responses
- Noise-canceling headphones:
- Softens/reduces noise (/too many sounds at once)
- Sunglasses:
- Reduces visual discomfort (car lights, the sun, etc.)
- Liquid bubbler:
- Calming visual support
- Push pop fidget:
- Calming / anxiety relief, keeps hands busy
- Stress ball:
- Grounding, calming / tension relief
- Plush / stuffed animal:
- Comforting / calming to hug or squeeze tightly
Possible additional or alternative components:
- Kids Weighted Lap Pad 17x22in 2lbs
- 6Pcs Fidget Toys Textured Stretchy String Sensory Toy
- 12Pcs Wacky Track Snap Sensory Click Toys
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