Transitioning from one activity to another is not easy for most of us, especially if we like what we’re doing at the moment. Inertia comes into play as well as other emotional factors. I work in a home office and often need to prod myself to go to work in the morning, especially if I am enjoying the activity of the moment. Imagine what that transition would entail if you were affected by autism.

Children and young adults with autism often have language challenges coupled with difficulties in recognizing the needs of others. The task of redirecting the attention of a child with autism from an activity they are enjoying to a less desirable one is often not easy. The challenges faced by parents, teachers and caregivers are daunting.

Jensen Beach Elementary School hosts the Martin County, Florida summer school program for autistic and special needs children along with the Peer Pals program developed by Board Certified Behavior Analyst Alanna Apap. Alanna has been integrating the Digital Aquarium undersea videos into the program for several years as a calming strategy and transitioning tool. During the summer of 2009 I was invited to visit the program and observe the interaction and response of the students to the soothing videos offered by the Digital Aquarium. What I saw amazed me. In one case I saw a group of approximately 25 middle and high school students engaged in an outdoor water activity. The kids were having a wonderful time, lots of running and splashing along with a water slide and tossing what appeared to be water balloons. The teachers and children alike were having a great time.

Imagine the challenge faced by the teachers when the activity was over and it was time to return to the classroom. Through an amazing feat of organization by the teachers and assistants the children were guided through the process of drying off and getting into dry clothing and eventually back to a moderately sized lecture hall. To say they were energized would be an understatement. Program schedules being what they are, it was time for a far more structured learning activity. To get the young people moving in that direction, the teacher in charge projected the Digital Aquarium undersea video onto a wall and lowered the lights a bit. Within 2 – 3 minutes the young people were calm, quiet and apparently totally engrossed in the undersea video and soothing music track that accompanies the video. The teacher let this proceed for approximately 5-6 minutes and then brought the lights back up and stopped the video. The class was orderly and ready to do something new. Later I had an opportunity to speak with the teacher and he told me that he had been incorporating these “Aquarium breaks” for quite a while and the process worked quite well between activities.

This is something that parents and caregivers could easily do at home to help themselves regain a bit of calmness in the daily routine.

by David J Cowan Sr
Creator – Producer of the Digital Aquarium
Jupiter, FL