How to Help Children with Autism Manage Transitions Smoothly

Strategies From a Behavior Analyst to Help Autistic Children With Task Switching

For many families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), transitions can be some of the toughest parts of the day. Whether it’s leaving the house, ending a favorite activity, or moving between therapy tasks, change can feel overwhelming. With the right strategies, however, transitions don’t have to derail the day.

Hopebridge Regional Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Khloe Mossman has supported her team in helping hundreds of children with autism in North Carolina and East Tennessee develop routines and coping skills to make change easier.

In our previous post in this series, we explored why transitions can be difficult for autistic children. Here, we’ll share evidence-based applied behavior analysis (ABA) strategies used in Hopebridge centers, as well as practical tips families can use at home.

How ABA Therapy Supports Transition Skills

At Hopebridge, our clinicians use ABA therapy to gradually build tolerance for transitions. This includes strategies like:

• “Priming” / Preparation: Giving kids a heads-up about upcoming changes. For example, “In two minutes, we’ll turn off the tablet and get ready for lunch.”
• First-Then Schedules: Creating clear sequences, like “First clean up toys, then we play outside.”
• Reinforcement: We try to make every transition worth it here in our center by using preferred reinforcers for their efforts.
• Visual Supports: Using schedules, timers, or choice boards to communicate change clearly.

Khloe notes that Hopebridge centers are uniquely set up to support routine. In a center, BCBAs can teach and honor a routine the majority of the time, but our clinicians know this is more challenging at home. What happens when the routine has to be broken because the dog has an accident or a friend puts their cup where your child likes to set theirs?

“Here in our therapy centers, we don’t have competing priorities, whereas families might have to get a sibling off the bus or tend to dinner cooking on the stove,” said Khloe. “It isn’t always easy for families to balance these techniques with the chaos of daily life, but our family guidance sessions can be helpful in making transitions meaningful and manageable.”

Khloe told us about one of her favorite transition “wins” in the center. This child loved creating routines but struggled when those routines didn’t align with the real world, such as packing up at the end of the school day. Step by step, Khloe and her team taught the child how to pack their lunchbox, zip their backpack, put on their coat, and line up for the bus.

After weeks of practice, the child was able to follow a similar routine when their mom called out, “We have to get ready to go, grab your stuff.” This was a busy time for this mother, who was going back to school, so it was a huge relief when her child managed to switch tasks so successfully that they arrived 45 minutes early! Even better, the child gained real independence in this process, which sparked confidence for all of them.

Transition Tips for Families

Khloe suggests several strategies caregivers can use in their daily routines:

• Communicate clearly about what’s happening.
  Let them know where they are going and when they’ll return to their preferred activities. Kids may not always be able to ask, but they want this information. Proactively let them know what to expect.
• Prepare your child for what’s next.
  Timers, visual countdowns and/or visual schedules can be beneficial in this process. It’s extra effort in the beginning, but it pays off in the long run. Remember to build in extra time for transitions rather than rushing through them.
• Be aware of schedule shifts.
  Many autistic children also struggle with sleep-related issues, so weekends and days off cause a major shift in routine that can be difficult for them to digest. If there is a day off, keep a different yet similar routine to what you do during the week. Get up and get ready as you normally would, but rather than going to the therapy center or school, head to the park and then run errands.
• Keep routines as consistent as possible.
  It’s natural to have extra activities pop up, such as an early flight to catch, an errand to run or a doctor’s appointment. Rather than cutting something out of the routine to make way for these disruptions, shift the day up 30 minutes. If you need to cut a step, don’t cut one that your child enjoys—maybe you can skip putting pajamas in the hamper today, but make sure they still have time to choose their breakfast plate.
• Offer reinforcement and choices during potentially tough transitions.
  It’s important to be mindful of our kids’ feelings and preferences during these moments, as they’re often at the whim of adult schedules. Partner with them to move through the routine rather than dictating it to them. How can you compromise to meet them where they’re at? Providing choices can give kids a sense of control. For example, “We need to leave right now, but do you want to bring the stuffed animal you’re playing with in the car?”
• Be strict with yourself to follow through.
  Sometimes transitions seem to happen easily for the child, but it could be tougher than it appears. Caregivers should continue to treat the situation like it was difficult for them. Even if you think they don’t need reinforcement for the transition, don’t skimp in this area.

Get Help with Transitions Through Autism Therapy

Task switching will always be part of life, but with the right supports, children with autism – and their families – can build resilience, independence and confidence to manage them.

At Hopebridge Autism Therapy Centers, our clinicians partner with families to create strategies that work not only in therapy, but also in homes, schools and communities.

If your family needs more support in this area or other areas of daily living, communication or behavior, Hopebridge 360 Care provides a range of interdisciplinary services. From autism testing and ABA therapy to occupational therapy and speech-language therapy, visit hopebridge.com/contact to get started.

*Informed consent was obtained from the participants in this article. This information should not be captured and reused without express permission from Hopebridge, LLC. Testimonials are solicited as part of an open casting call process for testimonials from former client caregivers. Hopebridge does not permit clinical employees to solicit or use testimonials about therapeutic services received from current clients (Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts 5.07-5.08; BACB, 2020). Hopebridge does not provide any incentives, compensation, or renumeration for testimonials provided by a former client or client caregiver.