A majority of autistic people suffer from autistic sensory issues.

These sensory issues can pose numerous challenges for people with autism trying to live their lives.

One of the best ways to show support for autism is to create places that accommodate autistic sensory issues.

Autistic people might struggle with visual stimuli. 

It is essential to pay attention to the lighting, color, and other visual stimuli when creating places that accommodate autistic sensory issues.

This will reduce the likelihood of an autistic meltdown occurring.

Typically, neurotypical people hear less than autistic people.

In addition, some autistic people struggle to block out sounds.

The acoustics of a place individuals with autism stay will have to be considerate to accommodate autistic sensory issues.

Autistic people often struggle with meltdowns from a broad category of factors.

This could be due to overstimulation or under-stimulation of their sensory needs.

It would be helpful for autistic people to have a meltdown space to manage their sensory needs there.

Find below factors to consider when creating places that can accommodate autistic sensory issues.

Visual Stimuli

A common trait in autism is the different responses to certain stimuli in comparison to neurotypical people.

For instance, it is common for people with autism to respond differently to visual stimuli.

To create a place that can accommodate autistic sensory issues, it would be helpful to consider visual stimuli.

Most individuals with autism have some form of light sensitivity.

They might struggle with processing light, brightness, and visual stimuli.

Certain lighting might even cause a negative reaction or pain in autistic people.

It is essential to consider the lighting and color of the space.

Autistic people respond better to natural lighting.

Try to minimize artificial lighting and restrict the areas of bright colors in favor of dim light.

The colors on the wall and the interior spaces are also important to consider, as some autistic people suffer from color sensitivity.

Instead of brighter colors, it would help autistic people to decorate and paint with more neutral and monochromatic colors.

Visual stimuli are significant to consider in creating a space for autistic people.

Acoustics 

Another factor to consider when creating a place to accommodate autistic sensory issues is the acoustics of the place.

The acoustics relate to the sound of the place and how autistic people perceive it.

Autistic people are likely to be sensitive to sounds.

Some autistic people might struggle to block out sounds.

Autistic people could painfully even hear sounds that are not audible to others, such as vehicles and planes.

It is crucial to be able to control unwanted noises in the place.

It would be helpful to provide insulated places that allow changes to sound pressure levels.

For instance, try to consider if the place for autistic people has good flooring and sound barriers.

Also, use questions about the location and how noisy it usually gets to decide on a location.

In some cases, autistic people ignore sounds or become incapacitated by loud noises.

This can be dangerous if there is a fire alarm going off.

Consider the use of visual fire alarms as an alternative to sound-based fire alarms.

Meltdown Support 

Autism diagnosis has made a lot of progress in the last 40 years. 

Nowadays, more people are diagnosed with autism and receive assistance for the condition.

Although there have been some improvements, most places are still not sensitive to autism.

A way to accommodate autistic sensory needs is to create a meltdown room.

Autistic people typically experience either over-sensitivity (hypersensitivity) or under-sensitivity (hyposensitivity) to ordinary body stimuli.

Both hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity could lead to sensory avoidance in autistic people.

Sensory avoidance is a state of trying to avoid any form of stimuli that could result in ear covering or touch avoidance.

Creating a meltdown space for autistic people will provide a place to manage and meet their sensory needs.

It is essential to select an orderly and well-organized space for the autistic mind to process.

You can employ the use of sub-dividing rooms, sequential circulation, and decluttering of non-essential items to make an area help an individual with autistic.

It would help to include a broad range of objects that help autistic people.

A meltdown room will greatly assist autistic people.

For the welfare of a sizeable population, it is essential that more places that can accommodate autistic sensory issues be created.

Tactile Needs

Autistic people typically have a peculiar sensory system.

Due to their sensory system, certain ordinary occurrences might lead to a different reaction.

This is among the many challenges autistic people struggle with in trying to live a satisfactory life.

It would be helpful for autistic people to have places that can accommodate autistic sensory issues.

A factor to consider when creating a place for autistic needs is the tactile needs of autistic people.

Physically touching some materials and objects could be responsible for disturbances in autistic people.

For instance, autistic people might dislike the texture of some types of furniture.

Try to consider the tactile needs of an autistic person.

You can also include objects of varying textures that might meet the sensory needs of an autistic person.

It is important to remember that autism is a spectrum of different people with different senses.

This means that a sensory environment might still be difficult for some autistic people.

However, a place created with autistic people in consideration will likely be more autism friendly.

Smell Sensitivities 

Like other sensory sensitive, autistic people are more likely to react to certain smells.

In some cases, autistic people can have a stronger sense of smell than neurotypical people.

This is why another factor to consider when creating places that accommodate autistic sensory issues is the smell.

In addition to being difficult to be around, some scents and odors could contribute to stress and maybe even meltdowns from autistic people.

It would be helpful to people on the spectrum of autism to take measures to reduce the smells in a place.

A good spot, to begin with, is to be conscious about the materials and content in the place.

For instance, you could consciously use products with less of a strong scent, such as low-VOC paints and varnishes.

You might want to avoid air fresheners and chemical scents or at least select mild ones.

Also, try to ensure that the space is well-ventilated.

Proper ventilation would help attain a low-scent environment.

It is vital to make your smell decisions bearing in mind autistic people even though you don't smell anything.

Conclusion

Autism-friendly places are places that accommodate the sensory needs of autistic individuals.

Creating autism-friendly places is an excellent way to provide support for autism.

However, certain factors to consider to accommodate autistic sensory issues include visual stimuli, acoustics, tactile needs, meltdown room, and smell sensitivities.

Resources 

https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-create-a-sensory-room-for-your-autistic-child-4686413

https://www.bigrentz.com/blog/sensory-friendly-home-modifications-autism-sensory-processing-disorder

https://uphomes.com/blog/homeowners-guide-creating-sensory-friendly-space/

https://www.bdcnetwork.com/blog/four-keys-designing-autistic-friendly-spaces

https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/sector-support-offer/care-and-health-improvement/autistic-and-learning-disabilities/autistic/considering-and-meeting-sensory-needs-autistic-people-housing