Special Needs Christmas

Winter break is almost here.  The magical time when the progress my son made this year will regress in two weeks time.  Simple things which come easy for other kids took years for him to learn.  Kids with special needs have strict schedules and order, unfortunately, the holidays are time of chaos and sensory overload this translates into regression, tantrums, and still we will have joy.  
from Shafer Autism Report

#10: There Goes Routine
(sung to the tune of "Here Comes Santa Claus")
There goes routine,
There goes comfort,
There goes therapy.
Here comes boredom,
Here comes whining,
There goes sanity!
School break's here
And I should cheer
The time to spend with my kids.
But though I bless
Togetherness
I feel like I'm losing my wits.
But here comes New Year's.
Here comes three cheers,
Here comes tears of joy.
Get the backpacks,
Meet the buses,
Goodbye, girls and boys!
Though it means
More homework scenes
And teacher battles and such.
Ending Christmas break
Can make me
Love that school so much!
 

Autism is now at 1 in 150 babies born today.  There is a good chance you or someone close to you has an autistic child.  Most children with autism do well when there is a schedule. Anxieties are reduced when they know what to expect; unfortunately, two week breaks from school can wreak havoc on special needs kids.  

Here are some tips I have learned from past vacations.  Please share your tips too.  We are all in this together and need all the help we can get.      

1.  Don't do too many presents.  Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, significant others, please don't overindulge the child.  When everyone else has unwrapped their stuff, our son is still fixated on the first one given to him.  Keep it simple or else all hell can break loose.

2.  Loud noises, bright lights, large crowds.... can bring out the worst in all of us not just the autistic.  Shopping malls are not the best place to be with someone who has autism spectrum disorder.

3.  The best gift does not come from the mall. For the parents or caregivers, the best thing in the world you could give them is respite care.  If you are unable to care for the child yourself, then contact the school system or a doctor and find out who can help.  Special ed teachers and their aides often will help or will be able to recommend someone.  

4.  A savings account is a great gift.  Family members and friends can contribute to it.  Autism requires plenty of therapy and planning for the future.  Many states, such as Tennessee, do not provide services for autistic or developmentally delayed adults.  One has to be diagnosed as mentally retarded for state services to apply.   Many autistic will never be able to live independently they will always need help, it is important to plan for this.  There is a little less stress and worry when we know there is a plan for his/her future.  

5.  Please limit the junk food.  None of us need it, try not to keep it around.  Limit the gluten, sugar and dairy foods if you can at the holidays.  Tangerines, grapes, and apples usually are a hit with kids.  If no one is allergic to nuts then nuts are a healthy snack.

Please share your Christmas tips, laughs, stories, songs, and fun with us.  

Here is another song for your enjoyment.
From the Schafer Autism Report

#6: Have a Hypoallergenic Christmas
(sung to the tune of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas")

Have a hypoallergenic Christmas.
No gluten for you!
Hold the eggs and dairy, hold the peanuts, too.
Have a low-carb, diabetic Christmas,
Light and sugar-free.
No sweet treats, no sugarplums beneath your tree.
Here we are, eating carefully.
Eating healthfully, for sure.
Missing things that aren't good for us,
Can be difficult to endure.
One day there may be a cure that lets us
Eat what we skip now.
Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow
And have the Christmas a restricted diet allows.