Christmas!

Staring at sky scrapers


Dominyck and Douglas




Douglas made it through the holidays without a hitch! Christmas went surprisingly well this year for him; much, much better than Halloween was. Some times I wonder what makes some days easier than others, but for now I am just going to be thankful it went so well. He opened so many gifts and is excited to play with many of them! This year, since we knew what Douglas' struggles are we were able to come up with a plan to keep him from getting upset. We cut down on holiday running quite a bit. We brought a bag of a few toys, books and a chewy for him to play with. Keeping him occupied was quite simple. I also tried to keep him out of the lime light as much as possible. It worked pretty well. He even went and enjoyed the chilly cold night at the Holidazzle Parade. Granted, he was more interested in the tall sky scrapers than the floats, but atleast we were able to enjoy the night as a family! It was the other two that got rammy that time! haha It always works out that way, doesn't it?!

Please share any tips that worked for you over the holiday season.

Boys will be Boys

A mom of a son, works from son up until son down!

Surviving the Holidays

Helping Parents of Kids with Autism Handle the Unique Challenges of the Holiday Season

The holiday season is a joyful time, but as we all know, it can also be incredibly stressful. Nobody appreciates this more than the parents and families of children with autism, who already face unique challenges.

Routines and structure are more difficult to maintain during the chaos of the holidays, and kids with autism must deal with new faces, places and a disruption of their schedules. And, since many children with autism are also sensitive to noise, touch and light, the din of the holidays can become disorienting and overwhelming. This can mean a new level of stress and anxiety.

The following are tips provided by medical experts, educators and families of kids with autism. Several of the professionals and parents are available to discuss these and other ideas for making the holidays more fun for everyone involved:

•Plan ahead whenever possible. Compile a list of activities that can help your child fill his or her time wherever you go.
•Use rehearsal and role play to give children practice ahead of time in dealing with new social situations, or work together to write a "social story" that incorporates all the elements of an upcoming event or visit to better prepare them for that situation.
•If you are going to visit family or friends, make sure there is a quiet, calm place for retreat.
•Keep an eye out for signs of anxiety or distress, including an increase in behaviors such as humming or rocking - they may indicate it's time for a break.
•Engage kids with autism in repetitive activities such as stringing popcorn for trimming the tree.
•Practice unwrapping gifts ahead of time, which will help a child with autism learn the understanding and the meaning of gifts.
•Take toys and other gifts out of the box before wrapping them. It is more fun and less frustrating if a child with autism can open the gift and play with it immediately.
•Try to relax and have a good time. If you are tense your child may sense that something isn't right.
•Get a list of gift ideas for relatives from your child's teacher and therapists.
•Don't shield your child from the extended family. Family members need to understand the challenges you face.
•Take pictures when you and your child trim the tree, visit relatives, open gifts, etc. Make a book about your holiday by gluing the pictures onto construction paper, writing a short sentence under each picture, and stapling the pages together. When someone asks your child a question regarding the holidays, your child can use the book as a visual cue to help tell about the things he or she did.

Tips provided by: Dr. Gary Goldstein, clinical scientific advisor for Autism Speaks and president and chief executive officer of the Kennedy Krieger Institute; Dr. Fred Volkmar, director of the Yale Developmental Disabilities Clinic; Dr. Melissa Nishawala, clinical director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Service; Dr. John Brown, Director, Reed Academy; Dr. Ivy Feldman, educational director, The McCarton School; and Diane Marshall, mother of a son with autism.

Looking for resources?

After having gone through the experience myself I have seen that resources can be hard to come by. If you need more information on Autism these are some great resources.

Autism Response Team - a group organized by Autistm Speaks. They are trained to help families with the day-to-day challenges of living with autism. Contact: 1-888-AUTISM2(288-4762) or familyservices@autismspeaks.org

State-by-State Resources: Find information on intervention, health services, advocates, and much more for your state:
Autism Speaks State Resources

Do you have a resource you recommend? Please leave a comment with any thing that might help a person looking for help through this process! Thank you.

Oles create an 'Awesome' club for children with autism

Oles create an 'Awesome' club for children with autism

A brotherly bond

I am slowly trying to teach our youngest son about his older brothers disability. He is only 6 years old so he is unable to grasp the differences in his brother. Instead he looks up to him and embraces his differences. I hope that they will always have a bond like this and that he will continue to love his brother through everything. The brothers in my previous post reminded me much of my sons. I find our situation to be a great learning experience for our entire family and it will make each one of us stronger individuals.

If you have any advice on how to teach young children about a siblings disability please leave a comment!

eHow: How to Teach Young Kids About Autism

Expressway: A big brother's view of autism

Photo credit: Wallace Family | James Wallace, 4, left, and his brother, Joey, 3, as members of the East Meadow Strikers soccer team. The brothers, now ages 11 and 10, live in Dix Hills.

View his story at:
Expressway: Abig brothers view of Autism




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A song for SIBLINGS!

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Helping Hands of Autism

ART CREATED BY: Douglas Lane

(with edits made by: Britni Lane)

If you are interested in learning more about Autism or how you can help please visit these great sites! We can all be the helping hands of Autism.

Autism Speaks:

http://www.autismspeaks.org/

The Autism Society of Minnesota:

http://www.ausm.org/

The Autism Society:

http://www.autism-society.org/

<3

Autistic OR Artistic?

Children with Autism think differently. Some times they are visual learners, these are the artists and builders of the bunch! One of the best things I had ever heard: "there is only one letter difference between ARTISTIC & AUTISTIC". My son has always had an amazing ability to create things that are very visually appealing. He is an incredible artist who has spent many hours creating works of art. He loves to draw very detailed houses. He often times will build them afterwards with his Lego's and has even recently began creating "blueprints"! Some day he dreams of building his own house! Autism has made my son an Artist, which is a true blessing for him!