primary age children who cannot cope with supermarkets, ok to stop taking them?

[megletthesecond]

We only do short supermarket trips, 10-15 mins but 7yo DD has become more difficult in supermarkets recently. Throws herself on the floor, kicks and hits me and her older brother and over the last few weeks she's started spitting at me or her brother but it's just peaked after she nearly spat on another customer (Cue grovelling apology from me).

I'm a working lp so I sometimes need to top up at weekends (I don't have the storage space to do big on-line shops and I benefit from yellow sticker bargains) but I'm going to have to stop taking dd aren't I?

No dx because paed blamed my parenting, but I've always suspected Asd, she's perfect and bright at school but out of control at home.

If I don't come back for a bit I'm making tea to calm my nerves after the supermarket incident.

If you need to go I don't see how you can avoid taking her unfortunately.

Have you tried things like giving her a list of things to find? Making it into something more fun for her? Linking it into a trip to the park or to buy things for a picnic/baking?

Also could it be a sensory overload thing? Would an iPod and some headphones make it easier for her?

I would avoid as much as possible, but if you do need to go:
give her plenty of warning,
get very organised so you can get in and out as much as possible,
help her manage the sensory overload - hat, sunglasses, headphones,
give constant reassurance that she is doing well,
count down how many more things you have to get.

I've had success with that method

sirzy something to block out the noise might help her. I'll have a look at second hand ipods.

prime and polter I'll stop the supermarket trips for now and try those techniques when we eventually need to go back. I'd better do some serious half term menu planning though so we can avoid shopping that week, I've got the week off work so I won't have to chance to grab anything on my way home.