ASD can often be defined more by anxiety than other more recognized symptoms, like social learning deficits, repetetive behaviors, and rigidity. Anxiety plays a part in all of our lives, causing us to over think decisions, other’s intentions, our own abilities, and what we might face in the days ahead. I have found one mindfulness exercise particularly grounding for both adults and children. I call this “Doing the S’s”. This exercise was originally taught to me for the purpose of helping individuals with Postraumatic Stress Disorder come back to the present moment when experiencing vivid flashbacks. The purpose of “the S’s” or “doing your S’s” is to help ground the child back in the present using simple observation skills. In this exercise, we are asking the child to notice their sensory environment (Sights, Sounds, body Sensations) in a very intentional way. Our sensory experience is what grounds us in the present moment.
I have found this exercise to be highly effective with clients who struggle with fearful and anxious thoughts before bed, clients who have a hard time calming their bodies before a big test in school, or scenarios where clients find themselves walking into an overstimulating environment. In many ways, this is an exercise to help one CHECK OUT from what is happening internally and CHECK INTO the external environment in a mindful and intentional way. Parent, Caregiver, Teacher, or Therapist will be the guide initially with the hope that the child will learn to self-administer this exercise when needed.

The guided exercise goes as follows ():
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1) Begin by asking the child to take a deep breath in and out. Ask the child to use their eyes as a camera, taking pictures of everything they see in front of them. Then ask the child to close their eyes (children who are uncomfortable closing their eyes may keep them open).

2) Hold up five fingers and say, “I want you to name 5 things you see in the room”. Allow the child to list off five things on their own.
3) Again holding up five fingers, “I want you to name 5 things you hear in the room”. This is often the most challenging for children. Encourage them to really quiet their voice and their bodies so they can hear the sounds around them (the trucks driving by, a plane above, the sound of foot steps, etc).
4) Again holding up five fingers, “I want you to name 5 things you feel in or on your body”. This often requires some examples. I’ll share with the children that I feel myself swallowing, or my pulse beating on my wrist, or the fabric of my jeans resting on my knee.

5) Now, repeat the exercise above 4 times, 3 times, 2 time, 1 time. Each time, the child must name new sights, new sounds, and new sensations.

When the exercise is over, ask the child to notice their bodies. Do they feel more calm? Less jumpy? Were they thinking about other things during the exercise? It is also important for you to notice the shift in their bodies. Statements like, “I’m noticing that your legs aren’t bouncing around as much…that your able to sit on the chair without getting up…that your eyes aren’t darting from one thing to the next quite as much…etc”. What you will notice is a temporary vacation from the stressors.
It is important to note that when it comes to anxiety, stressors stack like bricks – one on top of the other. If we can pause this stacking, and even bring it down just a bit, we can be a part of reducing overall stress and anxiety in the child.