Calming & Coping routine
A concept for autism:
Ideally, individuals with autism have some coping and calming strategies in their repertoire of skills to access with support during their most anxious times. These may include rocking in a rocking chair, listening to music in headphones, deep breathing, watching a preferred video clip, brief periods of vigorous exercise, or acccessing a favorite activity or material.
Ensure that the individual has ample access to these calming activities.
They may be scheduled regularly across the day in the initial weeks of change, then, if appropriate, caregivers may introduce a self-mgmt plan that helps individals track their anxious responses and identify when the calming strategies are needed.
For people with ADHD, a similar idea is conscious Stimming, i.e. using a pre-planned stimming behavior. Another general one is HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired).