News and Knowledge

PCS is a common abbreviation this time of year for military families. It stands for permanent change of station, and summer is when most military moves take place. As a result of PCS, military children will move an average of six to nine times until they finish high school. This is three times the national average of their civilian counterparts. Each PCS is a big transition, particularly for a family that has a child with autism. Fortunately, as a parent, you can take steps to make the transition smoother for your child, including:

• Figure out if you have friends or colleagues who are stationed there now or who have been stationed there. They can be especially helpful resources if they have a child near your child’s age. If you are moving to a new duty station that offers you a sponsor, take advantage of that and solicit your sponsor for as much information as possible in addition to other resources.

• Visit or research the area where you will be moving. In an ideal world, you will be able to visit your new duty station with your child before you move. You can then take them to the new places that you will be frequenting, such as the library, grocery store, school, church, and playground. Take pictures of these places so you can create a book to read with your child after you return home. Read the book at least several times each week leading up to your PCS.

If a physical visit is not possible, then research your new location via the internet or books from the library. Use Google street maps or find websites that will show pictures of your child’s new school. If you plan to buy or rent a home, ask the current homeowners to send you pictures of your new home. If you will be living on base, ask the housing department for pictures or find an acquaintance who might already live on the base to take pictures for you.

• Use social media. Search Facebook to see what autism support groups and organizations exist at your new duty station location and in the surrounding area so you can start to “meet” new people and find families with children who are close to yours in age. Remember, even though the military seems large, it is still a relatively small group and the chances are great that you will have a friend already living in your new location who in turn has more friends with children to widen your network.

• Create a Social Story. This type of story is built around your child and created in the first person. You can use the pictures recommended above in your story. Keep the story positive and focus on the new places and people your child will meet. Carol Gray created the concept of Social Stories, and her website has more details on how to create your own. A Guide to Safety, produced by OAR, includes information on Social Stories in an appendix. An internet search will also produce options for stories that have already been created that can be modified to fit your situation.

• Start a calendar or picture schedule. Children often find it difficult to understand the concept of time, so dedicate a large calendar just for your child’s use. Use pictures or words (depending on your child’s level of understanding) to place on the dates for major events, such as the last visit with a friend, the last day of school, moving day, and travel day. Have your child cross off each day and count down how many days are left until each event.

• Engage your child in preparing for the move by giving her several boxes or containers pack herself or with your assistance. Children like to be given as much control as possible. One container should be for personal items, such as favorite stuffed animals, games, toys, movies, and favorite clothing, your child wants to set aside and keep with her when your family travels to your new home. The other container can be for more toys and favorite items that can be quickly accessed on moving day at your new location.

• Plan ahead for regular correspondence with the friends your child will leave behind. Talk to your child’s friends’ parents and come up with a plan to correspond. This can be done weekly at the same day and time via online platforms such as Skype or FaceTime. If you have an older child and want to also (secretly) work on handwriting skills, you can prepare envelopes with return address labels and stamps, get some stationary or notebook paper, and have your child write a letter to his friend both during travel and after you have been settled in your new home. (For a younger child, help him come up with one or two sentences, and then have him copy the sentences you have written out.)

• Give yourself plenty of time. As you plan your travel, make sure you allow an extra day or two as a cushion just in case your child has an unexpected and lengthy difficulty with the transition. You may want to use the extra day for exploring. Alternatively, you may want to make frequent stops along the way to visit playgrounds, relatives, or other sights that will be familiar or otherwise serve to ease the stress of the transition. Anxiety increases when people feel rushed, so take your time and enjoy the trip.

• Consult with your child’s therapist, teachers, or other professionals for specific suggestions tailored to your child. As an occupational therapist, families tell me as soon as they have PCS orders so we can immediately begin incorporating the transition into the child’s therapy. For example, we might talk about how to meet new friends or what sensory strategies the child can use when she is feeling overwhelmed at her new school. It is important to remember that what works for one child may not work for another, so it is best to consult with the professionals in your child’s life for specific strategies.

  

  We also look ahead to the family’s next duty station and contact therapy practices in the area to help the family secure services or get on a waiting list, as well as fax pertinent therapy documents so it is one less thing for the family to remember when they move. If your child gets any professional services, ask if the practice will do some of these things as a courtesy for you.

These suggestions can help you get started on making a smooth PCS with your child. OAR has a wonderful guidebook: Life Journey through Autism: A Guide for Military Families with even more tips to navigate the military lifestyle with a child with autism. Here are a few more resources you can use:

• Military One Source
• Military.com website

While many families dread their PCS, it can be a positive and unique way to bond with your child and promote creativity. By implementing some of these suggestions, you may find your child is less anxious and even excited about your upcoming move.

Erin Clemens, OTR/L, CIMI has been a pediatric occupational therapist for 15 years, and is the owner of Pediatric Achievements, LLC in Woodbridge, Virginia which provides pediatric occupational therapy services in a clinic setting. She is president-elect of the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association, and is a professor for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Northern Virginia Community College.