Visits to the mosque or any other place of worship will be a different experience for someone with autism. As a parent, grandparent, sibling or friend there are a few things you can do to help them manage the experience better.
Most days, my son finds visits to the mosque soothing.
He likes the wide-open sense of space of the mosque, the high ceilings, and the patterns on the prayer rugs all pointing in the same direction. He loves the sound of the azaan, the prayers that follow the same words and movement and tasbih beads. He doesn’t like it though if other people around him are not following the rules (like talking loudly). He also doesn’t know why the rules change sometimes like for Eid prayers. Once his shoes got stolen from the mosque and he found it very difficult to go back as he thought it would happen again.
He likes the wide-open sense of space of the mosque, the high ceilings, and the patterns on the prayer rugs all pointing in the same direction. He loves the sound of the azaan, the prayers that follow the same words and movement and tasbih beads. He doesn’t like it though if other people around him are not following the rules (like talking loudly). He also doesn’t know why the rules change sometimes like for Eid prayers. Once his shoes got stolen from the mosque and he found it very difficult to go back as he thought it would happen again.Ask your mosque or religious leader to speak about autism to create awareness in your community. You can use our resources to share information on autism.
Other tips that you can use include ideas like:
- Drawing, photographing or video recording the visit and talking through the sequence of what will happen with your child at home before the visit. You can also take photographs of your child for example at the mosque during their first visit and use that to remind them of the routine ahead of future visits.
- Practising what your child will need to do e.g. praying with them at home.
- Writing a social story to explain any part of the visit that your child may find difficult
- Ask the people managing the mosque whether there is any task that the child can be given such as looking after people’s belongings or saying salaam to everyone at the door.
- Be aware of the sensory needs of the child: any noise, smell, taste, sight of feel that they will find overwhelming.
- Take some familiar objects for the child with them during the visit.
- Identify an area where you can take your child if they need some quiet space.
Do you have any strategies, tips or tools to share with others? We are listening.
