#AskFizzwig – is your child(ren) having trouble with the fireworks?
One of our parents has asked the following question:
#AskFizzwig a question:
“Scared of fireworks? My young son is absolutely terrified of fireworks. Obviously, on the run up to 5th November, there are always rogue fireworks being set off. How can I help him?”
If you have a sensory child, firework season can be a very stress time for your child(ren) and the family. When fireworks go “boom” or “bang” you can see the fear written all over their faces.
While some families look forward to Bonfire Night, others dread it as the loud bangs leave child(ren) incredibly upset. This year’s festivities will again be a nightmare and some will become frustrated and unable to sleep. Children will even get so upset they will bite and/or hit themselves (sometimes on the face). Even the bright lights can be very sensitive to our child(ren) along with the noise.
So, if your child(ren) are terrified of fireworks, the key here is heavy/proprioceptive work (calming activities). If you do lots of this throughout the day (or as much as you can) it will help the noises become less of a pain and aid regulation.
You could also have a little quiet area where you could have a cuddle, play some calming music (classical can be a great soother), do more deep pressure activities (ie rolling a therapy/gym ball over their body). Have a search on here for these types of activities and don’t forget our website as there are lots of tips on there too. At this time of year with fireworks being set off, if you have a sensory child, you need to nurture them more ie cuddles, squeezing, be calm and attentive.
Do let us know how you get on. You just have to find the right calming technique for your child but any or all of the above will help.
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