As you watch your child struggle to wait their turn at the playground, frustration and concern might fill your heart. Learn 40 activities used by Speech, Occupational, Physical, and ABA professionals to transform challenging moments into opportunities for learning and growth.
Table of Content
What is Impulse Control in Autism?
Think of impulse control, a common difficulty in autistic individuals, as pressing the pause button when you play a video game. It gives children with autism time to stop and think about what they should do next. This is really important in autism as it aids in decision making, like waiting for a turn or thinking about how actions make others feel.
Is Impulsivity Common in Autism?
Yes, impulsivity, an aspect of impulsive behavior, is a common trait in many children with autism. However, it's important to note that not all autistic children display impulsivity, as each child's behavior varies. In this study, Autistic children display similar levels of impulsivity as those with ADHD.
Does Autism Affect Impulse Control?
Yes, autism can often affect a child's ability to control impulses. Impulse control is a component of executive functioning, which is a set of cognitive processes regulated by the front end of our brain (prefrontal cortex), responsible for managing thoughts and actions in accordance with internal goals.
Areas That Make It Harder for Kids with Autism to Control Their Impulses
Sensory Processing: Kids with autism might feel sounds, lights, or touches in a really strong way or not much at all, which can make it hard to focus and control what they do.
Social Cues: Understanding and seeing social signs, like facial expressions or body language, is tricky for them, so they might not know when to wait or act.
Communication: Talking about what they need or feel can be tough, so sometimes they might do things quickly without thinking to show how they feel.
Routine and Predictability: They really like things to be the same and can get upset if things change, which might make them act quickly.
Executive Functioning: Planning, focusing, or remembering things can be hard, so it's tough for them to stop and think before doing something.
Emotional Regulation: Understanding and managing big feelings is hard, so they might do things quickly when they feel a lot.
At What Age do Kids Have Impulse Control?
Impulse control development in children typically becomes notable between the ages of 5 and 7, as highlighted in Dr. Gordon Neufeld's video. From birth, children gradually begin to learn impulse control, with a noticeable acceleration around age 3.
Encouraging and assisting children, especially those with autism, in practicing and refining this skill as they grow is crucial. Such guidance not only enhances their cognitive development but also fosters greater independence in later years.
How to Recognize Impulse Control Issues in Your Child
Not Always Aware of Safety: Your child may not always be aware of safety concerns. During walks, near the stove, or while playing at the park, they might engage in risky behavior without considering the potential dangers, such as running off or touching hot objects.
Struggling to Wait: Imagine your child sees a cake and wants a piece right now, not after everyone sings "Happy Birthday."
Switching Activities Quickly: Your child might start one thing, like a puzzle, but soon move to another, like drawing, without finishing the first activity or putting things away.
Big Emotions Happen Fast: Kids can feel really strong emotions suddenly. A common time for this is when it's time to stop playing and get ready for bed.
Loves to Feel Things: At school, they might rub or bump against walls for fun, or in stores, they might want to touch all kinds of things.
Hard to Take Turns and Wait: It's tough for them to wait for their turn in games, and they might often interrupt others when they are talking.
Not Always Aware of Danger: Walks outside, being near the stove, or playing in the park can be worrying. Your child might do something risky, like running off or touching something hot, without thinking about getting hurt.
Note: Remember, these signs may vary depending on your expectations for your child at home.
Occupational Therapy (OT) for Improving Impulsivity in Autism
OT works on impulsivity in children through Sensory Integration Therapy and Executive Functioning Training.
Sensory Integration Therapy helps children with sensory processing issues, which often impact impulsive behavior, by improving their response to sensory information. Meanwhile, Executive Functioning Training develops crucial skills like planning, organization, and self-regulation, aiding in better impulse control.
10 OT Activities for Improving Impulse Control in Autism
Space Sensory Bin: Take pictures of space-related items in a sensory bin, and then ask your child to find these items in the sensory bin. This practices impulse control by instructing the child to remove only the item shown in your pictures.
Dino Sorting: Sort dinosaur figures by size or color, enhancing fine motor skills and impulse control by following specific rules.
Car Wash Station: Set up a car wash for toy cars, involving steps like getting the car wet, washing it, and then drying it. This activity practices following sequential steps and resisting the urge to skip any of them.
Lego Maze Creation: Build a maze with Legos and navigate a small toy through it, focusing on task completion and resisting impulsive actions.
Superhero Stretch: Perform stretching exercises, like Superman pose, cobra pose, cat pose, etc., while role-playing superheroes. This focuses on controlled movements and posture.
Puzzle Scavenger Hunt: Complete a puzzle while spreading puzzle pieces throughout the room, focusing on task persistence and resisting the urge to give up.
Space Rocket Stomp: Count down like a rocket launch, then jump onto a switch to blast the rocket into the air! (check price)
Dino Habitat Craft: Create a habitat for dinosaur figures, enhancing planning skills and patience.
Car Traffic Control Game: Direct toy car traffic through a race track (stop, go, slow down, go fast, turn left/right), enhancing decision-making and impulse control.
Superhero Costume Design: Design and create superhero costumes, focusing on task completion and attention to detail.
Speech Therapy (ST) for Improving Impulsivity in Autism
In ST, enhancing communication skills and teaching social skills are key strategies for managing impulsivity in children.
By improving communication skills, children learn to express their needs and frustrations more effectively, which can significantly reduce impulsive behaviors. Additionally, focusing on social skills like turn-taking and interpreting social cues helps children better navigate and control impulsivity in social interactions.
10 ST Activities for Improving Impulse Control in Autism
Villain Freeze Game: Play a game where they freeze in superhero poses when a 'villain' appears. This helps in managing impulsive movements and enhancing body awareness.
Princess dress-up: Provide clear instructions on the order of dressing the princess. For instance, first the shoes, then the gown, followed by the crown. This teaches the child to follow a sequence, pay attention to temporal concepts such as “first, next, then” and to control impulses to skip steps.
Galactic Red Light, Green Light: A space-themed twist to "Red Light, Green Light." Have your child pretend to be spaceships, moving on 'Green Light' and freezing on 'Red Light.' To change it up 'Yellow Light' means slow-motion movement like floating in zero gravity. Excellent for practicing self-control and working the ability to respond to auditory cues.
Superhero Story Sequencing: Sequence pictures or cards related to a superhero story, and then retell the story. This exercise enhances narrative skills and the ability to control the impulse to skip ahead or go off-topic.
Mr. Potato Head: Make it a turn-taking game where each participant can add only one piece at a time. This aids in learning to wait and respect turn-taking norms as well as respecting someone else’s option of body part or accessory being placed on the Potato head (perspective-taking).
Lego Instruction Game: A team-building game: one child gives instructions on building a specific Lego structure, while the other listens and builds. This encourages communication, attentive listening as well as cooperation and perspective-taking.
Scattergories/Headbands: These games are not only engaging but also aid in developing crucial social skills, such as turn-taking and effective communication, while gently guiding children towards better impulse control and self-regulation
Monkey Hang Challenge: Take turns hanging monkeys on the tree, waiting patiently to name each monkey aloud during your turn without making the tree topple! (Check Price)
Tailored Stories: Create or choose and discuss stories that specifically address situations where self-control and being flexible is important. For example, a story about a child learning to wait their turn to speak, play with a toy, wait for the swing on the playground, not having enough time to watch their favorite show or not being able to use their favorite cup to drink out of. You can also talk about strategies to assist when they encounter a problem like that such as taking deep breaths, counting or taking a break. Click Here.
Alternative Endings: Ask children to come up with different endings to the story, focusing on various ways to handle a situation, which promotes predicting, problem-solving and perspective-taking. Click Here.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for Improving Impulsivity in Autism
ABA employs techniques focused on self-regulation skills and social skills training to assist children in managing impulsivity.
These methods include teaching children to recognize their emotional states and impulses, coupled with strategies like relaxation exercises, deep breathing, and pausing before acting to control their reactions.
Additionally, enhancing social interaction skills through ABA helps children better recognize and regulate impulsive behaviors in social settings, contributing to more controlled and appropriate responses.
10 ABA Activities for Improving Impulse Control in Autism
Balance Tower Challenge: Carefully hook sticks onto the structure without causing it to collapse, practicing patience and self-control with each move! (Check Price)
Dinosaur Stomp & Freeze: Teach children to control impulsive movements in a playful dinosaur-themed activity. Big stomp - Freeze - RAWR!
Space Mission: Enhance ability to listen and process information before acting, a crucial skill in managing autism and impulse control. Ask your child to find the scattered tools needed to fix the spacecraft.
Lego Color Building: Build Lego structures only with a specific color or by combining two colors (this building can only be red and blue), reinforcing impulse control through recalling the rules.
Car Race Patience: Engage children with autism in a game where they line up toy cars and only move them on a given signal. This teaches impulse control by encouraging them to resist the urge to race ahead.
Dino Dig Restraint: In this activity, kids with autism pretend to be archaeologists digging for dinosaur bones but must stop when the 'lunch or break bell' rings. This promotes self-regulation and mental flexibility, key skills for managing impulsivity in autism.
Superhero Breath Control: Introduce deep breathing techniques in a fun superhero role-play. To practice deep breathing as a superhero, encourage your child to take slow, deep breaths in and out while imagining themselves as a superhero preparing for a mission. This activity aids children with autism in emotional regulation, an essential component of impulse control.
Space Exploration Delay: In this imaginative game, children with autism pretend to be astronauts and must wait for a timer to go off before 'blasting off' to softly crash in the landing zone (bed, couch). This reinforces patience and delayed gratification.
Puzzle Patience: Strengthen delayed response skills in children with Autism by introducing a puzzle one piece at a time. Encourage them to wait and search for the next piece within the living room. This activity promotes impulse control and problem solving.
Lego Tower Wait: Build a Lego tower but introduce a rule where children with autism must walk to the construction zone and wait behind a line to place their block, teaching delayed gratification and patience. Once inside the construction zone, they can either destroy or build another tower.
Physical Therapy (PT) for Improving Impulse Control in Autism
PT offers structured physical activities that can be beneficial for children with autism, particularly in improving their balance, coordination, strength and impulse control through structured exercises.
10 PT Activities for Improving Impulse Control in Autism
Dinosaur Obstacle Course: Create an obstacle course themed around dinosaurs. This activity requires controlled movements, which is an important aspect of impulse control in children with autism. Take your dinosaurs from one end to the other without falling.
Space Hopscotch: Implement a hopscotch game with a space theme, where children with autism practice balance and controlled jumping, skills vital for managing impulsivity.
Superhero Fitness Challenge: Children complete a series of exercises modeled after superhero actions. This focuses on controlled strength and endurance, helping to improve impulse control. Click Here.
Lego Balance Beam: Navigate a balance beam while balancing Legos. This enhances coordination and impulse control, crucial for children on the autism spectrum.
Puzzle Piece Relay: Collect puzzle pieces in a relay format, focusing on controlled speed and coordination, a key aspect for children with autism to manage impulsivity.
Dino Tail Tag: Engage in a game of tag where kids pretend to have dinosaur tails. This activity emphasizes controlled running and stopping, which are essential for managing impulsive behavior in children with autism. You can build a dinosaur tail using a cereal box, Click Here. Once your child wears it, if it gets removed during the game, they have to chase you.
Space Jump Stations: Jump between stations or cushions with space-themed activities. This practice of controlled jumping and landing is beneficial for children with autism to develop better impulse control.
Car Crawl Race: Guide toy cars through a race track while your child crawls or bear crawls. This activity emphasizes balance, control, and strategic planning, aiding children with autism in managing impulsive actions.
Superhero Toss: A game involving throwing rolled socks at targets, enhancing body awareness and control, which is significant for children with autism to manage impulsivity.
Lego Tower Reach: Build a Lego tower while practicing reaching exercises. This focuses on controlled arm movements, aiding in the development of impulse control in children with autism.
Thoughts on Therapy for Autism and Impulse Control
As we have seen, a variety of therapy approaches, including Occupational Therapy (OT), Speech Therapy (ST), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and Physical Therapy (PT), offer valuable strategies and activities to help children with autism improve their impulse control.
These therapies address different aspects of impulsivity and impulse control issues, providing a comprehensive approach to helping individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
It's important for parents and caregivers of children with autism to remember that impulse control is a skill that can be developed and improved with patience, practice, and the right therapeutic interventions.
The activities and strategies discussed here are designed to reduce impulsive behaviors and enhance the ability of children with autism to control their impulses, ultimately leading to better social interaction, behavioral problems management, and overall quality of life.
About the Authors
Sergio A Rodriguez, OTR, MOT, and Rosa Benavidez Saldivar, M.S., CCC-SLP, serve as the foundation of Pediatric Constellation, a platform committed to streamlining the process of finding the right therapy services for parents.
Sergio, with five years of specialized experience as a pediatric occupational therapist, focuses on enhancing functional skills crucial for child development. Rosa complements this expertise with her three years in pediatric Speech-Language Pathology, employing a blend of modeling, play-based activities, and a total communication approach to improve children's speech
and language skills.
Collectively, they exemplify the company's vision of making high-quality, specialized therapeutic services accessible to parents in a quick and efficient manner.
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