The Theory of Energy Accounting

Energy accounting is a bit like managing a budget. We have deposits and we have withdrawals. Ideally, we want to make sure that there is enough in our account to cover any withdrawals that we may make.

Another analogy that a younger child may understand is that of a battery. They will probably know that when they use a device regularly, the battery will drain and get low. To remedy this, we regularly need to charge the battery. But what does all this have to do with autism and meltdowns? Let’s consider how we can apply the theory of Energy Accounting to real-world settings.

Make Two Lists

Start with a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. This is your ”energy account.” On one side of the line, think about activities that drain your energy. These could be things like socialising, going to school, shopping, crowded places and homework. Now fill in the other side of the line with things that replenish your energy. These could include reading, video games, massage, going for walks or doing crafts.

Once you have the two lists, you need to assign each item a value in points. For example, socialising at a party might be a huge energy drain, so you might give it 100 points. Homework might be intimidating, but less stressful than socialising so you might only give it 30 points. Do the same for the ”battery charging” activities. Maybe an hour of video games would be worth 50 points or a long walk 70. The points system is unique to each individual.

Balancing the Energy Account

Now comes the hard work of putting it all into practice. Regularly use language with your child that refers to the energy account. Talk about ”recharging” or taking time out for yourself regularly. Write these activities on the chart and see how the energy accounting model impacts on everyday life. Be sure to put plenty of ”deposits” into the account, with plenty of fun and restorative activities to balance out the stressors of each day.

You could even print out a picture of a battery for younger children to fill in so that they become familiar with the activities that decrease and increase their energy reserves.

Many have found this innovative approach useful. I hope that you do too. For more information, I recommend this excellent video from Purple Ella.

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Apps for Anxiety

We were introduced to the idea of using apps for anxiety at our last CAMHS appointment. My autistic son has a problem with ruminating thoughts and often gets agitated. Our counsellor recommended several apps that could help. Out of the list, Calm Harm and Clear Fear were our favourites.

Downloading the apps is simple. They are available on both the Google Play store and the Apple App Store. We prefer using our tablet as it is more user friendly. However, having them on a phone can be useful as they are always available to hand.

Calm Harm and Clear fear can both be used for anxiety, but both focus on different things. You may prefer one over the other, so it’s worth trying both. They are free to download and use.

Calm Harm

I will start with a brief overview of the Calm Harm app. This app has been created with teenagers in mind who may be suffering from the urge to self harm. It has been created by the mental health charity stem4.

The app describes the urge to self harm as a wave. This wave can pass and we can “ride the wave” using different techniques. The main methods are comfort, distract, express yourself, release, random and breathe. Different techniques will appeal to different people.

Each section of the app presents the user with a selection of timed activities, designed to help the urge pass. For example, you may have to name an animal for each letter of the alphabet, or count the 19 times table. This is called Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

Calm Harm then lets the user record and monitor any changes by creating a log. Hopefully, the person will feel more in control of their emotions by using the app regularly.

Clear Fear

The Clear Fear app is slightly different and may appeal to younger children. Nevertheless, it can be used by any age.

The app looks at the different types of anxiety that we can feel, including social anxiety, phobias and OCD. It used mindfulness techniques and breathing exercises to help the user calm down.

One activity that I really enjoy on the Clear Fear app is the video clip section. You are presented with a short video, such as a beach or forest, and encouraged to spot as many small details as you can. This is a distraction technique which allows the user to become absorbed in the activity, hopefully making them feel less anxious.

Our Experience Using Calm Harm and Clear Fear

We have found both apps helpful and continue to use them daily. Now, when my son gets upset or angry, I encourage him to use the apps. He says that he feels a lot happier and calmer when using them.

I will mention one slight problem we had with the Calm Harm activities. Because some are timed, my son felt under a lot of pressure to complete the activity in the allotted time; increasing his anxiety. Because of this, I make sure he doesn’t do the activities that make him feel this way. I also told him that it doesn’t matter about doing the whole activity in the time, but some autistic people may feel compelled to. Therefore some caution is needed.

I have recommended both apps to friends and people seem impressed with them. They can be used by anyone, not just teenagers.

You can read more about Calm Harm here and Clear Fear here.

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Preparing Your Child

Depending on your child, you may wish to talk them through the steps of the massage before beginning. There are some videos on YouTube that can be useful in this regard. It’s also important that they are ok with the idea of you touching and rubbing their back. Some autistic children love massage, whereas others don’t like to be touched. Ask permission or consent from the child.

The Steps of Pizza Massage

Let the fun begin! We start by kneading the dough. We do this by imagining that the child’s back is the dough. Let’s squish and press the skin gently, just like kneading real dough. Do this for a minute or two to relax the child and unknot those tense muscles.

Next we roll out the dough. We make gentle rolling motions down the back as if we were rolling dough out onto a worktop. Furthermore, there are different ways of doing this. We could use a wooden massage roller or a ball. In addition, we could make a fist and rub it down the back in straight lines.

The third step is to spread the sauce. Make a flat palm and rub it smoothly over the back as if you were spreading tomato sauce over a pizza. Make smooth, as well as sweeping motions.

Now we add the toppings. We could ask the child which toppings they’d like! Try making gentle tapping and patting motions over the surface of the back as we sprinkle all of the imaginary toppings on our pizza.

It’s time to put our pizza in the oven. Rub your hands together and blow on them to create warmth and then place them on the child’s back. Another way we could improvise this step is to get a heat pad or an item that has been on the radiator or in the tumble dryer. Rubbing it gently over the back creates a pleasant sensory experience.

The final step in pizza massage is to chop the pizza. Use your hand to make gently chopping motions over the child’s back. Now your pizza is done!

Benefits of Pizza Massage

Pizza massage is great for autistic children who are sensory seekers. Moreover, this tactile method is good for anxiety relief as it provides distraction and sensory input. It also helps to strengthen the parent-child bond. It’s a method that is very easy to remember and doesn’t require any special equipment.

So go on! Give it a go today. It’s very relaxing and fun. Maybe you could treat yourselves to a real pizza once you are done!

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