Behavioral Analyst, Haden Hunt, explains the antecedent strategy of using a autism clock timer when working with low-functioning autistic individuals and shares real life examples of how to put this strategy to practice.
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Using Visual Timers: What We Learned at Autism Labs
At Autism Labs, we’ve found some pretty cool ways to help our kids, especially with behavior stuff. One thing that really works is planning ahead – just setting kids up to know what’s next. When kids know what’s coming, they don’t get as frustrated. I want to tell you about Michael and how a simple timer changed his whole day. But this isn’t just Michael’s story – it’s about all the little victories we’ve seen with other kids too.
Planning Ahead
Look, before I get into Michael’s story, here’s what I mean about planning ahead. We don’t wait for problems – we try to stop them before they start. Think of it like baby-proofing your house. Our kids have the hardest time when they’re switching activities or when they’re confused about what’s next.
I remember when we first started working with timers. Some parents thought we were crazy – like, how’s a timer going to help? But here’s the thing: most of our tough moments happen during those in-between times. You know, when we’re trying to wrap up playground time, or switch from iPad to homework, or even just waiting for lunch. Those moments used to be really hard.
Michael Couldn’t Make Sense of Time
FTime was really hard for Michael. When we’d say “five minutes” or “just wait a bit,” he’d get super confused. He’d get frustrated waiting for his mom or a snack because he had no clue how long it would take.
I’ll never forget the day his mom came in looking exhausted. She told me about their morning routine – or lack of one. Getting Michael ready for school was a daily battle. He couldn’t understand why he had to stop playing to get dressed, or why breakfast couldn’t last forever. Every transition turned into tears and tantrums.
Then we tried this timer, and it changed everything. Instead of just telling him to wait, we showed him. It sounds simple, but man, what a difference it made.
Our Timer is Pretty Simple
It’s just like watching a circle disappear, kind of like Pac-Man eating time. Michael can watch it go down and know exactly when he’s getting what he wants.
We added some neat stuff – colors that change and a quiet tick-tick sound. Even when he’s not looking, he can hear time passing. It’s like a little countdown. Some kids really love the colors – we had one little guy who called it his “rainbow clock.”
And here’s something cool we figured out by accident – different kids like different timer styles. Some like the circle countdown, others prefer a straight line that gets shorter. We even had one kid who loved when we made it look like a rocket ship “countdown to blast off.” Whatever works, right?
Why Michael Liked It
The timer made time into something Michael could see. He’s not just waiting anymore – he can see how long until snack time or playtime.
Before, he’d get worried because he didn’t know when things would happen. Now he just checks the timer and keeps playing. His mom told me something pretty amazing last week – Michael’s actually started using words like “almost done” and “wait.” He’s getting it.
Let me tell you about his first success with the timer. We started small – just two minutes waiting for a favorite toy. Those two minutes used to feel like forever to him. But with the timer, he watched it count down, and when it hit zero, his face lit up. It was like he finally understood what waiting meant.
The Best Part? We Can Stop It
Here’s what’s cool – we can pause it. When Michael’s having a rough time, we just hit pause. It’s like telling him, “Hey, let’s try that again.”
When he sees it stop, he gets it. He knows he needs to chill out to get what he wants. When he calms down, we start it back up. Simple as that.
I remember one day when this really clicked for him. He was waiting for computer time, got frustrated, and started to act out. When we paused the timer, he looked at it, looked at us, and took a deep breath all by himself. His mom actually cried when I told her about it.
Making the Wait Better
The timer’s great, but it’s not everything. We hang out with Michael while he’s waiting. Talk to him, give him a thumbs up when he’s doing good. Makes the waiting part not so boring.
We’ve learned lots of little tricks along the way. Like, sometimes we’ll play “I Spy” while the timer’s running. Or we’ll count things in the room. Anything to make the waiting time feel more like fun and less like punishment.
Real Stories from Other Families
Since we started using timers, we’ve heard so many great stories from parents. One mom told me her daughter now uses the timer for brushing teeth – no more battles there. Another family uses it for sharing toys between siblings – way fewer fights.
There was this one kid, Tommy, who used to have meltdowns every single day at pickup time. His mom would show up, and he’d lose it – didn’t want to leave his friends. We started using the timer 15 minutes before pickup. Now he watches it count down, says goodbye to each friend, and walks out with a smile. His mom says she doesn’t dread pickup anymore.
What Doesn’t Work (Because That’s Important Too)
Look, I’ve got to be honest – the timer isn’t magic. We’ve had our fails too. Some kids get too focused on it, almost obsessed. We had to learn to be flexible.
And timing matters – like, don’t start with a 20-minute wait if your kid can barely handle 2 minutes. We learned that one the hard way. Start small, celebrate those wins, then slowly add more time.
Want to Try It?
If you’re helping someone with autism, here’s how to use a timer:
Take it easy at first. Just show them how it works. Let them play with it when there’s no pressure. Some kids like to watch it count down just for fun.
Use it for fun stuff – like getting ready for snacks or toys. We always start with something they really want. Makes the whole waiting thing more worth it.
Hit pause if they’re struggling. Start again when they’re ready. But don’t make the pause too long – just enough to reset.
Talk and play while you wait. Make it fun. Sing songs, tell stories, whatever keeps them engaged.
Do it the same way every time. Kids love knowing what to expect.
Tips We’ve Learned Along the Way
Every kid’s different, but here are some things that usually work:
Keep the timer where they can see it. Some kids like to hold it (if you’re using a phone or tablet).
Use the same sound every time. We learned this after one kid got upset when we changed the timer sound.
Start with super short times – like 30 seconds or a minute. Build up slowly.
Celebrate when the timer’s done. Make it exciting. We do high fives, silly dances, whatever works.
Don’t use the timer for everything. Save it for the tough stuff.
When Things Go Wrong
Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Maybe your kid has a bad day, or the timer breaks, or life just happens. That’s okay. We’ve had days where we had to put the timer away and try again tomorrow.
One time our power went out right in the middle of using the timer. Michael was waiting for his turn on the swing, and suddenly – no timer. But you know what? He handled it better than we expected. Sometimes these “mistakes” show us how far our kids have come.
The Bigger Picture
The timer’s been amazing for Michael. He gets waiting now. He’s calmer. More in control. Sometimes he even tells us, “Timer please” when he wants something. That’s huge.
But it’s more than just the timer. It’s about giving our kids tools they can understand. Something that makes the world make a little more sense.
Looking Ahead
We’re always trying new things with the timer. Some parents have started using it at home for bedtime routines. Teachers use it for classroom transitions. One creative mom even uses it for grocery shopping trips.
Questions? Stories to share? Let us know – we love hearing from other families. Every kid’s different, and maybe your story will help another family figure out what works for them.
Remember, it’s not about being perfect. It’s about finding what works for your kid and running with it. Sometimes the simplest tools make the biggest difference.
Transcript
Hey, guys, it’s Haden with Autism Labs, and today we’re going to be talking about antecedent strategies that we use with Michael’s program. Antecedent strategies are strategies that you use before behavior occurs to promote appropriate behaviors and decrease the likelihood of inappropriate behaviors from occurring in the future. Hope you enjoy.
Antecedent Strategy : The Visual Timer
The visual timer signals to Michael when reinforcement or something that Michael likes is available. So if we are expecting Michael to be engaging in an independent leisure activity, and then he can have his mom and dad’s attention or a snack, the visual timer helps Michael know when that’s going to be available. Another big piece of this, which I think people don’t think about very often, or at least we didn’t think about it, was that if you’re setting a timer for five or 10 minutes, one, the numbers mean nothing to Michael. It’s hard for him to understand seconds, minutes and time in general. And so the visual timer is more of a pie chart that shows ticking down and it changes colors as it gets closer to the finish.
And what’s also helpful is that the visual timer we use also has a ticking audible piece to it so that Michael knows when it’s actually going. So if we have a ten minute duration that Michael is waiting for reinforcement, it’s hard for him to see the actual pie chart moving. But if he hears the ticking, then he knows that the visual timer is going. And maybe he starts engaging in inappropriate behaviors, and so we’re going to pause that visual timer. Well, the ticking stops too, and so it’s more clear for him to know what his expectations are.
Example of using a visual timer
“Tell me one more thing you did with Marion. ‘Speech’ Cool! Look, that’s super cool, man. Nice. So listen, thanks for talking with me. It’s time for Marion and Parker and I to talk. And we’re going to talk for 3 minutes while you listen to your headphones. The timer can keep going as long as you’re listening to your headphones and keeping your hands to yourself. And then we can do something together. Okay?”
“Sounds good. You can say…What can you say? Okay! Sounds good man.”
“That’s another one of activities where regardless of if you might think it’s highly preferred or not preferred, you’re giving him that social attention right there. You’re giving him that social attention regardless. And so he’s enjoying whatever that activity might be. That was perfect. Did you notice how to pause the timer? And we continued our conversation.”
“Hey, Michael. Nice job, dude. Thanks for waiting so nicely. You did awesome! We are finished talking.”
We hope that you enjoyed this video and that you can use some of these strategies at home with and for the individuals that you care for. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave it in the comment section below. Thanks.
