Category: Holidays

It’s back! America’s holiday season—a time for family, feasting, parties, shopping, gift-giving and a break from regular routines such as work, school, and extra-curricular activities. While most of us look forward to the holiday season, there’s no question that it can be stressful. Holiday stress may be compounded for families with children with disabilities. Yet, with some careful planning, you can minimize the stress and maximize the joy of the holiday season. Here are some of the best strategies:

1. Pace yourself

Holiday season is chock full of parties, family events, school concerts, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanza and New Year’s get-togethers. While you may feel pressure to participate in all of them, resist the urge to do too much. All children, but especially those who are young or have special needs may become easily overwhelmed, over-tired and over-stimulated by large crowds of people, loud noise and blinking lights associated with holiday season, so choose family activities carefully, and approach the activities you do select planfully.

2. Have an escape route

Be prepared in case a family outing doesn’t pan out as you had planned. One Friendship Circle blogger who is the parent of a special needs child says that she and her husband bring two cars when they go places with their kids so “one of us can leave if our child with special needs is acting up. This way our other children can remain (if they wish), and our child with special needs can go home where he feels more comfortable.”

Likewise, when attending a party or special event, scope out a quiet place where you can take your child if she becomes over-stimulated or upset and needs to decompress.

3. Prep relatives and friends for their visit with your child

Friends and family members who don’t know your child well or haven’t seen him for a while may benefit from a briefing about your child’s special interests, food and gift preferences, sensory sensitivities, etc. After all, giving old Aunt Gertie the heads up that her great nephew dislikes hugs and strong perfume can go a long way toward a successful visit!

4. Prep your child for holiday activities and social occasions

Before you take your child to a party, performance or other event, spend some time preparing her for what she can expect there. For example, the folks at Living Well With a Disability recommend parents “introduce” their children to invited guests before gatherings. “Show your child pictures of relatives and friends before the party starts. Remind children if they have met the guests before and explain their relationship.” Living Well also suggests role-playing social behaviors prior to social events. “Practice how to receive a gift, how to thank the giver and how to greet guests at the door.”

5. Bring a “care package”

Don’t hesitate to bring your child’s favorite foods, toys, books or DVDs along to parties or family gatherings. If she’s had enough socializing but you’re not ready to leave, encourage her to do her thing, while you and the rest of the family enjoy the company and activities at the event. That way, everyone can enjoy himself or herself.

6. Seek holiday events designed for children with special needs

As awareness of sensory processing disorders has increased, many entertainment venues, museums and stores now offer performances and activities adapted for children with sensory sensitivities. For instance, Autism Speaks has partnered with Noerr Programs Corporation to offer “Sensory Friendly Santa” programs across the country. The autism society has partnered with AMC movie theaters to offer sensory-friendly films four times a month at its theaters across the country, and the Theatre Development Fund’s Autism Theatre Initiative offers sensory friendly Broadway shows. Don’t live in New York City? No problem! Nowadays, you can find sensory-friendly performances nearby, no matter where you live.

7. Shop online

For those of us who detest crowds, long lines and traffic jams, online shopping is a holiday blessing. No need to drag your special needs child to the mall anymore. No need to waste time in stores looking for toys adapted for children with physical disabilities or those for children with sensory processing disorders either. This season, shop Enabling Devices.com to find gifts for the special children in your life.

8. Give yourself a break

Self-care is crucially important, especially during the busy holiday season. So don’t skimp on babysitters, and take friends and family members up on their offers to chip in with carpooling, shopping and errands. Happy holidays!

It’s the rare child who doesn’t look forward to celebrating Halloween. Children with disabilities are no exception. Depending on the issues presented by your child’s disability you may need to come up with some creative ideas to make the most of the holiday. We’ve surfed the web to find the best advice for making your Halloween fun and accessible.

1. Be creative!

Now six years old, Elena Walke, daughter of Easter Seal’s blogger, Bernhard Walke, was born with quadriplegic cerebral palsy. As a very little girl, Elena was unable to sit up on her own. That didn’t prevent her father and mother from making sure Elena celebrated Halloween in style. Since Elena needed to be held, her parents dressed up as chefs, and carried Elena, who was wearing a bright red lobster costume, around the neighborhood in a giant pot!

2. Incorporate the wheelchair

If your child uses a wheelchair, make it an important part of his costume. Cinderellas can ride door to door in beautifully decorated coaches, and Batmans’ wheelchairs can be transformed into bat-mobiles! For more great ideas on wheelchair decorating, visit Magic Wheelchair.com a nonprofit started by Ryan and Lana Weimer, parents of five children, three of whom have spinal muscular atrophy.

3. Make the costume comfortable

If your child has sensory integration issues, be sure that the costume she wears doesn’t have tags, seams or a texture that irritates her skin. Likewise, make-up or masks may be too uncomfortable for those who are sensitive. Easter Seals, N.J. recommends using “long popsicle sticks and construction paper to create handheld masks of your favorite characters.” Don’t forget to have your child try on her costume prior to Halloween night. This way, if the costume is uncomfortable, you’ll have time to make any necessary alterations.

4. Make the most of your child’s special interest

Children on the autism spectrum are often hyper-focused on one particular topic. Be it a Disney character, a superhero, or an inanimate object, Halloween is an ideal opportunity to let your child go to town, creating a costume that reflects what he loves. For examples of awesome Halloween costumes that were created to reflect the obsessions of children on the autism spectrum, visit The Mighty.

5. Prepare your child for what she may encounter

Halloween can be scary! If your child is fearful or has trouble adapting to the unexpected, make sure to talk with him about anything that might be upsetting to him and devise a game plan for how you will handle it should an especially ghoulish creature come around the corner. If your child is simply too frightened or over-stimulated by the Halloween action, don’t insist he trick-or-treats. Have a Halloween celebration at home, and if he is willing, let him answer the door for other trick-or-treaters. Then try again next year.

6. Plan for any dietary restrictions

Some children with special needs aren’t able to partake in the treats typically distributed on Halloween. Make sure your child doesn’t feel deprived by having some of her favorite goodies on hand. You may also decide to make an exception to your child’s special diet on Halloween.

7. Get your child’s service dog in on the fun

If your child has a service dog, it can be a wonderful accessory that will make him the envy of other trick-or-treaters. Ramona Taylor, writing for United Cerebral Palsy’s blog, My Child Without Limits makes the following suggestion: “Your child could be a circus performer and their dog can be their very well trained lion.” When dressing up your service dog, take precautions to ensure that the dog isn’t uncomfortable.