Special Things for Special Kids, Part I
Last updated on July 28th, 2014 at 10:50 am
Every parent/caregiver has their own list of tools that have helped them get through the tough times. Not all tools work for every kid, so we parents/caregivers of kids with special needs have probably filled storage bins with products that we rate as a fail. We also flushed away lots of money on these alleged miracle products that were going to be our solution to a specific problem. Allow me to share with you some of the things that have worked for my family and friends. Of course, this is not a guarantee that they will work for you, but I truly hope they will make your day easier and happier in some way.
Michel Mercier Detangling Brush
My daughter wants to have long, beautiful hair like her friends…but she HATES to have her hair brushed or combed. She also likes to tumble and roll back and forth on my bed, roll in circles in the grass and flip around in all directions on the trampoline. This results on more than just knots, she gets thick matted hair like she’s growing dreds. Since she is unable to bear it when we try to brush them out we have resorted to keeping her hair short most of her life, but as she gets older growing her hair long seems to be more of a priority to her. Out of desperation we tried the As-Seen-On-TV Michel Mercier Detangling Brush which is available for different hair types. We still have to hold the hair at the roots so it doesn’t pull on her scalp, but so far this seems to be a great solution to our dilemma – and her hair has never looked more beautiful!!
My child with special needs tends to spill things a lot. Most kids and toddlers do, so I know I am not alone in my recurring need to frantically grab something that will soak up wetness quickly. My article “How The Sham Wow Saved My Daughter’s Rug” appeared on Yahoo Voices years ago, and I still use the cloths from that same pack just about every day. My child actually feels horrible when she drops something or knocks something over, but she knows that the bright orange towels will clean it up and make everything alright. I love watching her independently find one and try to mop up the mess before she is even told to do it. No, it’s not going to get blood out of a white shag rug…but if you need to get blood out of a white shag rug then you probably have bigger issues than stain removal on your mind. And I don’t mean redecorating.
Whether you have a teether in the house or just a kid who likes to chew, Sentio’s chewable jewelry may save your child’s pencils and clothes from getting gnawed – as well as provide some much-needed stress relief and sensory input. Sentio Chews are hardy, thick PVC-free medical grade material that is very durable. The necklaces come in fun shapes and colors, and there are lots of other items on the site. There is also a subscription service so never have to be without a fresh new item when one wears out or is bitten one time too many. You may have read my review of the improved Sentio Chews on Examiner called Chew on This!
Earthcalm Home Protection System
A child in school with my son is very sensitive to EMF. Her family noticed how using the microwave always agitated the child, who also struggles with health issues and autism. The family got this system and now they are free to use the microwave without any repercussions. The other family members even felt the difference once the system was in place. I haven’t used it myself, but if this is an issue for your child or your family you can do some research and decide for yourself if it or any of their other products might improve your home.
I will continue this list as I find items that help us in our journey. Got a favorite gadget? Let us know about it in the comments below!
DISCLAIMER: I have included links for your convenience. Some of them are affiliate links, fyi.
Sat. June 21, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 is Sensory Friendly
Last updated on September 21st, 2014 at 07:32 pm
Once a month, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and with other special needs ”Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings“ – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
Does it make a difference? Absolutely! “It can be challenging enough to bring ANY child to a movie theater” 
says PedSafe Special Needs Parenting Expert Rosie Reeves. “For a parent with a special needs child attempting an outing like this may seem overwhelming. And yet getting out, being with the community and sharing in an experience with an audience can be invaluable for just such children”.
On Saturday March 29th at 10am local time, How To Train Your Dragon 2 will be screened as part of the Autism Society “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” program (although not in 3D for our Sensory Friendly audiences). Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program (note: to access list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming July 26th: PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE
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Editor’s note: Although How To Train Your Dragon 2 has been chosen by the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly screening, it has been rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for adventure action and some mild rude humor. As always, please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.
Sign Language for Emergency Situations: ASL, English & Spanish
Last updated on August 31st, 2015 at 12:44 am
It’s been almost four years since the first run of my video – Sign Language for Emergency Situations -ASL, English and Spanish appeared at my front door. I carefully opened the huge boxes and looked at the “zillion” copies that were all over my living room floor. How funny, that this little DVD carried so much history with it… none which is reflected on the DVD itself or its’ cover.
You see, I first decided to create this DVD on a date that will be easy to remember- September 11, 2001. It was a date in which many families, including mine, were intimately impacted by the days’ events. I had a brother and a cousin within sneezing distance of the World Trade Center that day. I had other relatives and numerous friends who all had Manhattan addresses. I also knew that many deaf individuals resided in NYC and wondered how terrified were they on that fateful and tragic day when communication was minimal at best and fear was at an all time high. In addition, my own family lives within a half hour to the nation’s capitol. Our local area, including our neighborhood, has dozens of families who work for government agencies, many of them deaf.
That is the day I decided that I wanted to be part of the communication solution for those in the deaf community. I knew that my brother had benefited that day from the ability to ask questions of others as he walked the streets looking for a way to get home. He was able to assist others with the information he received and be a benefactor of the generosity of total strangers. He also could hear. But, what happened to the people who were not able to communicate during the flurry of madness on this unbelievable nightmare of a day? Pencil and paper was not practical when there was so much happening and the need for safety was tantamount. If only the emergency first responder knew simple signs such as – EVACUATE!, GO INDOORS, ARE YOU HURT?, WHO IS MISSING?, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? EXPLOSION! DO YOU NEED HELP?
It took me a long time to wrap my head around the events of 9/11. I know that I am not alone. But, then it came to me- I needed to develop something to help people who speak two of the four most common languages, other than English, in the United States to get assistance during natural disasters, medical crisis or if ever there was another 9/11! So, with help from my friends, especially Karina Prizont Cowan, I developed Sign Language for Emergency Situations with ASL and narration in Spanish and English. The entire DVD is signed and open captioned – for all to have access.
I started this journey by querying people who would be first to respond during an emergency. I went to fire stations throughout our local area and ask them what they would include. I asked each emergency first responder questions such as – How much time would they dedicate to learning a new skill, such as basics of sign language and what they would want to add, if anything? I also talked to school nurses, health care providers within hospital settings (including pediatrics), educators, parents of special needs children and even people I “met” through social media. I made sure to include deaf people in my “focus” groups. Showing them list after list of vocabulary words and phrases. Finally, the final list was generated and a DVD was filmed. Afterwards, I showed it to many who helped with their initial input. Modifications were made to the video at the very strong request of first responders who wanted it “short and sweet- 25 minutes or less!”. We also decided to add the Sign Language for Emergency Situations mini-chart that accompanies the DVD as an enclosure. The last piece prior to duplication was two super endorsements- Alison Rhodes the Safety Mom and Mackenzie Kelly of NORCAL Ambulance.
When the DVD was completed we put it up on YouTube and asked many people to “check it out”. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Then I began to think how can I get this to the people who it could benefit most. Twitter, Facebook, friends and good old word of mouth were very effective. Harris Communications- a large distributor of products for the deaf and hearing community who wish to learn ASL, etc. “hopped on board”. Hilary Bilbrey, owner of InspiredbyFamily.com and the creator of the Brecker Bunny Series took my DVD to a safety conference and was kind enough to give me feedback from the very people who I wanted to reach- the emergency first responder!
Dozens of phone calls later I have talked to people from all over the country who wanted to know how to access the product, workshops and more. They are excited about the DVDs and the mini-chart for emergencies. They are thrilled that we have a unique product, which no one has encountered before, a TRILINGUAL emergency communication series with English, Spanish and ASL! Also, they like that our little company is accessible and affordable since so many areas have been hard hit financially.
It’s been a while since those first boxes appeared, but during that time I have made a number of guest speaking appearances to help train emergency personnel around the country. Unfortunately, with all the recent school shootings, it has become even more important to ensure each first responder is prepared so they can help children with special needs as well as those without. And it has become our mission to help make this possible.
Four years later we know this is still only the beginning!
HEALTHFUL HINTS
Tips for getting started when learning American Sign Language (ASL):
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Learning ASL can be loads of fun! Start with a few words at a time and practice with your family, friends, and co-workers to help your skills to improve quickly (and teach others!)
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Parents should start with signs such as: MORE, HELP, FINISHED, BE CAREFUL with their children (depending on the age and developmental level of the child would determine where to start)
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Also, knowing the letters of the alphabet and numbers 0-10 should be essential for beginners. Why? Because in a true emergency these would be the words most needed to help convey personal information and get an immediate response. If you can spell or read the ASL alphabet (known as the manual alphabet or fingerspelling) then you can convey any information to a deaf person who can “read ASL” and vice versa, such as names, email addresses, and phone numbers.
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Children and adults with special learning challenges often need to sign adaptively. However, adults who live and work with these individuals should sign correctly. The same is true for parent of young children. “Baby sign babble” will give way to correct signing if the adults are good language models.
Signs for Emergency Situations
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Knowing the Signs for CALL 9-1-1! HELP! PAIN, EVACUATE! could save LIVES!
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If First Responders, Law Enforcement officers, Health Care providers, School Nurses and Educators knew basic emergency ASL signs they could help communicate and facilitate assistance during natural disasters, acts of terrorism, emergency health care situations, or if a person is lost or has been abducted.
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Non-emergency situations also can be a reason to learn sign language such as in the case of looking for a lost puppy or fixing a “boo-boo” that occurred on the school playground.
Enjoy your journey and let me know if I can help you along your way.
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Editor’s Note: It was July of 2010 when we first introduced you to Louise Sattler of Signing Families and her wonderful DVD “Sign Language for Emergency Situations. In the wake of all the recent tragedies affecting children, Louise has made a commitment to focus her efforts on ensuring emergency first responder disaster preparedness. Given her passionate dedication to helping save children’s lives, we wanted to take a moment and re-introduce this wonderful DVD to the Pediatric Safety community.
May 31st, MALEFICENT is Magnificent as a Sensory Friendly Film
Last updated on September 13th, 2015 at 02:18 am
Since 2007, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and with other special needs ”Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings“ – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
Does it make a difference? Absolutely! “It can be challenging enough to bring ANY child to a movie theater” says PedSafe 
Special Needs Parenting Expert Rosie Reeves. “For a parent with a special needs child attempting an outing like this may seem overwhelming. And yet getting out, being with the community and sharing in an experience with an audience can be invaluable for just such children”.
On Saturday October 5th at 10am local time, Maleficent will be screened as part of the Autism Society “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” program. Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program (note: to access list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming June 21st: How to Train Your Dragon 2
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Editor’s note: Although Maleficent has been chosen by the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly screening, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for sequences of fantasy action and violence, including frightening images. As always, please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.
Severity of Child Autism Tied to Motor Skills Development Delays
Last updated on May 14th, 2014 at 08:17 pm
In yet another newly discovered early sign of autism, researchers from Oregon State University have shown that motor skill deficiencies are present in very young children with autism. The study is the first to show how the severity of the delay may also correlate with the severity of a child’s autism. Both fine and gross motor skills may be affected, however the child’s intelligence is usually not affected.
Fine and gross motor skills should be addressed as part of an early treatment plan for children with autism. Lead researcher Meghan McDonald believes that improvements in these areas will help the child’s brain overcome other challenges of autism. Improvements of any kind will certainly help the child feel accomplished, less frustrated and contribute to overall quality of life and well-being.
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Editor’s Note: The study titled “Motor Skills and Calibrated Autism Severity in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder” was published in the April 2014 issue of the journal Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly. An overview of the study can be found here.
The Latest Autism Statistics and How They May Be Wrong
Last updated on January 17th, 2021 at 03:15 pm
You probably heard about the latest statistics on the incidence of autism according to research by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The newest ratio is 1 in 68 children, although many believe that number is still too low.
The research only includes children who have been screened by a healthcare professional or a school, so anyone living without healthcare or doesn’t go to school is not included in the data. This also misses any special needs child who is having “a good day”on testing day as well as parents who were talked out of testing by doctors, teachers or family members.
Despite all the progress that has been made to mainstream special needs children with autism or other conditions, many cultures still tend to ignore or deny these conditions. While they may fool themselves into thinking they are preserving their family’s “honor” or whatever they want to call it, this attitude robs the children of the crucial early intervention that could literally change the course of their future.
Autism Speaks has produced some beautiful PSAs with the Ad Council that target certain communities and educate the public about the early signs of autism. I hope other advocacy groups will come forward with similar encouragement so that all challenges will be allowed to come out of hiding and given the chance to fulfill as much potential as possible. I hope we can erase all the stigmas one day.
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Editors Note: excerpted from Autism Speaks…(some of the early signs mentioned above)
The following “red flags” may indicate your child is at risk for an autism spectrum disorder. If your child exhibits any of the following, please don’t delay in asking your pediatrician or family doctor for an evaluation:
- No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter
- No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by nine months
- No babbling by 12 months
- No back-and-forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months
- No words by 16 months
- No meaningful, two-word phrases (not including imitating or repeating) by 24 months
- Any loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age
One additional resource worth checking: This fall, Autism Parenting Magazine released an updated post and guide on the Signs of Autism in Girls. You can check out the article here.
