Transitions

Between activities, places, or people — a common flashpoint.

Educational suggestions only — not individualized medical or behavioral advice. Every autistic person is different. Use as a starting point, and involve a trusted professional when things feel beyond what you can support alone.

Action panel

What can I do today?

Small, doable steps for right now, this week, and when to bring in a professional. Educational only — not individualized medical or behavioral advice.

Step 1

In the next 10 minutes

Pause and take three slow breaths together — regulate yourself first.
Reduce sensory load: lower lights, turn off background noise, offer quiet space.
Drop non-essential demands for the next few minutes. Safety and connection first.
Offer a preferred item or activity, or a familiar comfort routine.
Use fewer words. Try a visual, gesture, or written cue instead of talking through it.

Step 2

This week

Track what happens before, during, and after for 3–5 days (ABC notes).
Look for patterns in sleep, hunger, sensory input, and transitions.
Test one small environmental change (lighting, timing, warning before switches).
Introduce or review a visual schedule for the parts of day that are hardest.
Plan a 15-minute connection time daily, without demands, to fill the tank.

Step 3

Questions to ask a professional

Teacher or school team

What does this look like at school, and when does it go well?
Which accommodations or supports are already in place, and what could we adjust?
How can we keep communication consistent between home and school?

Step 4

Helpful printables

Possible reasons

Deep focus (hyperfocus) — pulling out feels like losing a limb.
The next activity is undesired, unknown, or unpredictable.
No warning, or warnings that vary each time.
The transition itself has sensory friction (coats, shoes, car, crowd).

Questions to consider

1Which specific transitions are hard — and which are fine?
2Do warnings help, hurt, or make no difference?
3Is it the transition itself, or what's on the other side of it?
4Are transitions consistent across caregivers?

What to try first

Give clear warnings: 'In 10 minutes we'll…' then 5, then 2.
Use a visual timer they can see (sand, Time Timer, phone timer).
Pair the transition with a favorite song or short ritual.
Give a first/then card: 'First shoes, then park.'

Evidence-supported strategies

First/Then boards

Two-picture card showing the non-preferred then the preferred activity. Concrete and portable.

Transition object

A small item that travels between activities — bridges the gap.

Predictable rituals

Same song, same phrase, same route. Sameness lowers cognitive load.

Printable resources

No dedicated printable yet — browse the downloads library.

Related behaviors

transition difficulties

Related strategies

Videos

Videos open a YouTube search — we recommend previewing before sharing with your family.

When to seek professional help

Transitions consistently trigger self-injury or aggression.
Anxiety about transitions is spreading and shrinking daily life.
OT can support sensory friction; therapist can support anxiety.

When immediate medical attention is appropriate

Self-injury needing medical attention — urgent care.
Elopement during a transition in a dangerous area — call emergency services.

In the US: call or text 988 for mental health crisis. Call 911 for medical emergencies. Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222. Outside the US, use your local emergency number.

Other situations

Won't Sleep

Bedtime resistance, night waking, and long sleep-onset.

Won't Eat

Food refusal, extreme selectivity, or shrinking food list.

Aggression

Hitting, kicking, biting, or throwing directed at others.

Meltdowns

Nervous-system overload — not tantrums, not misbehavior.