Staring. We all seem to do it at some point, for some reason. We’ve all been stared at by someone else too. Staring at people is a social behavior, albeit one that generates discomfort for the one receiving the stare. Most often, people’s stares are directed toward those with some type of physical difference. They see something which appears out of the ordinary, and the tendency is to gaze at the subject out of curiosity.
Ghosts, goblins, and ghouls: it’s almost Halloween time again and that means trick-or-treating is around the corner! For special needs kids, trick-or-treating can literally be a scary event. Any child or teen with autism may have sensory challenges that can be triggered by costumed trick-or-treaters showing up randomly at the door.
Alternatively, kids with autism spectrum disorder may have a difficult time with the social norms that accompany trick-or-treating routines. Whether kids with ASD are staying home or venturing out on Halloween night, younger and older kids with autism may need guidance experiencing this holiday. (more…)
Air Travel with Autism can be difficult. Airline travel isn’t something we do daily or weekly, so establishing a routine with it is problematic. Airports can be overwhelming for the senses. Airplanes are noisy. Seems like there are rules and regulations left and right. Furthermore, the days of short lines and fast screenings are gone. Riddled with difficulties, airline travel seems out of the question for families affected by autism. But what if you have relatives in other parts of the country, or Amtrak doesn’t make sense? How about if you want to take a vacation, and there’s an ocean between you and your destination? Should you give up on the dream of traveling?
Well, you can give the journey a try. Pay an enormous amount for plane tickets, pack everything but the kitchen sink, and cross your fingers. You have no idea if your child will enjoy the sights and sounds of an airport; no clue if the airplane will delight or disgust him/her. Doesn’t it seem like we often hear stories of kids with ASD and their parents getting escorted off flights by airport police? Who wants to take such chances? The odds of smooth air travel with autism seem stacked against you.
Special Needs Summer Fun – The countdown to summer most likely began a couple of months ago. Once spring break comes and goes, the end of another school year looms in the distance like a rogue wave on the ocean. It’s headed directly for our homes, and it has the power to pack a punch. It’s either going to soak us in summer fun, or it’s going to submerge us in hefty challenges.
Special needs parents often experience a sharp increase in stress just as summer hiatus approaches. Schedules change, the extended school year (ESY) means shorter days and different teachers, and more daylight hours leave us with time to fill. In addition, sometimes the special needs we have make typical activities (camp, sports leagues, Vacation Bible School) hard or impossible to access. So what’s there to do? (more…)
Advocate – Did you see the film “The Walk” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Philippe Petit, the high wire artist? His daring walk between the Twin Towers in 1974 was brought to the big screen. He made eight consecutive crosses at a quarter mile from Earth while holding a pole and avoiding police. It was a feat of epic proportions that required extreme skill and balance.
Advocating for your special needs child can make you feel like Petit as you measure each step, balance oppositional forces, skirt danger, assess risks, and keep your eye on the goal. It’s not a cakewalk. It may not come naturally. And preparation is necessary. You won’t need special shoes or a metal pole, but you will need tenacity and a semi thick skin to have an effect.