When supporting an autistic child across different environments, consistency is crucial. One of the most effective tools for maintaining this consistency is the use of shared visual supports. This article explores how parents, teachers, therapists, and other caregivers can work together using the same visual supports to address challenging behaviors and create a more predictable environment for autistic children.
What Are Visual Supports?
Visual supports are tools that use pictures, symbols, photographs, written words, or objects to communicate information visually rather than verbally. They can include:
- Visual schedules showing the sequence of activities
- First-then boards (showing what happens first, and what follows)
- Social stories that explain situations or expected behaviors
- Choice boards offering options for communication
- Visual timers showing how long an activity will last
- Behavior charts or token systems
- Visual cues for rules or expectations
These supports provide concrete, permanent information that autistic children can process at their own pace, unlike spoken words which are transient and may be difficult to process quickly.
How Visual Supports Address Challenging Behaviors
Visual supports are particularly effective for addressing challenging behaviors because they:
- Clarify expectations clearly and consistently
- Reduce anxiety by making the environment more predictable
- Provide alternatives to challenging behaviors
- Support communication for children who may struggle with verbal expression
- Create consistency across environments and caregivers
Addressing Specific Behaviors: The Example of Spitting
Let's consider a specific example: a child who spits in various settings. This behavior might occur because the child:
- Doesn't have appropriate ways to express frustration
- Is seeking attention
- Is overstimulated or uncomfortable
- Finds the reaction interesting or reinforcing
Rather than addressing this behavior differently across settings (which can be confusing for the child), or simply relying on saying "stop spitting" which may have the opposite result by creating attention, or ignoring the behavior which may lead to escalation and is unrealistic in many environments, using shared visual supports ensures everyone responds consistently.
Sample Visual Supports for Spitting:
- Create a simple social story with images of the child that explains:
- Spitting spreads germs
- Spitting makes others uncomfortable
- Alternative ways to express feelings (using picture cards, asking for a break)
- Develop a "No Spitting" visual reminder card that all caregivers can show when the behavior occurs
- Design a visual choice board showing acceptable alternatives when feeling frustrated
- Implement a visual reward system that acknowledges appropriate behavior
The Challenge of Multiple Support Settings
Autistic children typically interact with numerous caregivers across different environments:
- Parents and siblings at home
- Teachers and aides at school
- Therapists (speech, occupational, behavioral)
- Relatives who may provide care
- Afterschool program staff
- Childcare providers
Each of these settings presents different expectations, routines, and communication styles. Without coordination, this inconsistency can be extremely confusing and anxiety-provoking for autistic children.
Why Visual Consistency Matters for Autistic Children
Autistic children often:
- Process visual information more effectively than verbal information
- Benefit from concrete, specific explanations rather than abstract concepts
- May struggle with generalizing skills across different environments
- Find comfort in predictability and routine
- Learn best when expectations are clear and consistent
Personalized visual supports address these learning preferences by providing concrete, consistent guidance that remains the same regardless of who is presenting it. When a child sees the same visual cue for a behavior or routine across settings, it significantly improves their ability to understand and meet expectations.
The Challenge of Sharing Visual Supports
Despite the clear benefits of consistency, several practical challenges often prevent the effective sharing of visual supports:
- Different caregivers may create their own unique materials
- Communication gaps between school, therapy, and home settings
- Difficulty in physically transporting materials between locations
- Time constraints in creating consistent materials
- Varying levels of expertise in developing effective visual supports
- Challenges in updating materials when strategies change
- Even the tone of voice the materials are read to the child in can be a factor
Solutions for Sharing Visual Supports
Typical Approaches:
- Email or text visual supports to all caregivers, who can then print and use them. This ensures everyone uses identical materials but requires access to printers and may be cumbersome to update.
- Create portable visual support binders that travel with the child between settings. This works well but requires diligence in sending materials back and forth.
- Hold regular team meetings where all caregivers bring their visual supports and standardize them. This approach fosters communication but can be difficult to schedule.
- Designate a "visual support coordinator" (often a parent or therapist) who ensures all team members have current materials.
Flexible Modern Solutions:
Digital tools have made sharing visual supports much more efficient. One example is Ella, an app designed specifically for creating and sharing personalized visual supports for children.
With tools like Ella, parents can:
- Create personalized social stories featuring their child as the main character
- Develop visual schedules and picture cards tailored to specific needs
- Share identical materials instantly with teachers, therapists, and family members
- Update materials once and have them automatically update for all users
- Access expert-created templates for common challenges
- Create consistent visual supports without specialized design skills
Ella and similar tools allow free sharing of complete collections of visual supports with anyone who needs them, eliminating the problem of different caregivers using different materials.
Implementing a Shared Visual Support System
To successfully implement shared visual supports across environments:
- Start with a team meeting including parents, teachers, and therapists to agree on priority behaviors and preferred approaches
- Develop or select visual supports that work for your child's specific needs and communication level
- Ensure all caregivers understand how to use the supports consistently
- Establish a system for sharing updates when strategies change
- Regularly evaluate effectiveness and make adjustments as needed
Conclusion
Consistent visual supports across all environments can dramatically improve outcomes for autistic children with challenging behaviors. By ensuring everyone uses the same approach, visual supports, and language, you create a predictable world that helps your child understand expectations and develop appropriate behaviors.
Whether you choose traditional methods of sharing visual supports or modern digital solutions, the key is commitment from all team members to maintain consistency. With everyone literally "on the same page," your child receives clear, understandable guidance that builds skills and confidence across all settings.
