Saturday, Ice Age: Collision Course is Sensory Friendly at AMC
Last updated on July 24th, 2016 at 11:09 pm
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 July 23rd at 10am local time, Ice Age: Collision Course will be screened as part of AMC and 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 wonderful program (note: to access list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming July 26th: Ghostbusters
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Editor’s note: Although Ice Age: Collision Course 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 mild rude humor and some action/peril. 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.
Tomorrow, The BFG is Sensory Friendly at AMC
Last updated on July 19th, 2016 at 06:38 pm
AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other special needs “Sensory Friendly Films” every month – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy fun new 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! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. 
Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden“.
This month, AMC and the Autism Society’s “Sensory Friendly Film” are offering the chance to see The BFG on Tuesday, July 12th at 7pm local tune. 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 full list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming Soon in July: Ice Age: The Collision (Sat, 7/23); Ghostbusters (Tues, 7/26)
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Editor’s note: Although The BFG has been chosen by the AMC and the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly Film, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for action/peril, some scary moments and brief rude humor. As always, please check the IMDB Parents Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.
A Little Boy Grows Up – Through the Eyes of an Optometrist
Last updated on March 5th, 2018 at 12:20 pm
I strongly believe that children with undetected vision and ocular health problems can face many challenges in life academically, emotionally, and athletically. Every child deserves to have high quality eye care to assist them in succeeding all of life’s obstacles and adventures. Be aware that a vision screening performed at a pediatrician’s office is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam at an optometrist’s office. Vision screenings are a very limited process and will not evaluate how healthy a child’s eyes are or how well their eyes work together. It is important to have a relationship with a caring and knowledgeable eye doctor who is invested in a child’s growing visual world.
During my first year of private practice as an optometrist, I met a handsome little boy named Connor. Connor’s mom wanted to bring him to me for a comprehensive eye exam. Being only seven, he was curious and very excited for his first eye exam. The only thing big about him were his large, blue eyes behind his long eyelashes. To reach the height of my slit lamp microscope, Connor had to sit on his knees within the exam chair as I examined him.
In the course of the preliminary testing, I could already tell that Connor’s vision in his left eye was slightly weaker compared to his right eye. Due to this slight visual imbalance, he could not pass a standard depth perception test. Also, his left eye could not focus up close on smaller print to read as well as his right eye. Connor’s difficulties were due to a combination of farsightedness and astigmatism in his left eye. I prescribed a pair of eyeglasses which would allow his left eye to see more clearly, receive an accurate visual signal, and promote proper visual development.
My staff and I had a lot of fun selecting the perfect frame to complement Connor’s adorable face. We taught him how to properly handle and care for his new glasses. Knowing how important his glasses will be for is eye development, I encouraged him to always wear them reading and all near visual tasks.
Throughout the next ten years, he would return for each of his subsequent annual eye exams. His visits gave me the opportunity to get a glimpse of his world. Each visit allowed me to know what is important to him, and how I could provide him the clearest picture to that world. When baseball became his world, I introduced him to contact lenses to improve his hand-eye coordination. I knew that when his eyes were red and itchy that the pollen index was above 5.0, and he would need some prescription eye drops for his eye allergies. When he got his first life-guarding job, we discussed the benefits of UV and glare protection with the use of polarized sunglasses. When he told me he was about to test for his driver’s license, I was confident that I had prepared his eyes to pass the visual exam with flying colors. As Connor’s world shifted towards a world of digital devices such as computers, tablets, and smartphones, I warned him about overexposure to blue light from these device screens which can be harmful. I advised him on how to take visual breaks away from his monitors and ways to block the harmful blue light before they eventually damage his retinae.
This summer, Connor came in for his typical annual eye exam. He had just completed his final year of high school and was leaving for college in the fall. I could not help but feel so many different emotions about him leaving for college. In the past ten years, I have been seeing the world the way Connor has seen it. In that moment, I saw how fast all those years had passed through my exam room. I was happy, proud, and sad to see how Connor was transformed from the little boy that barely fit into the exam chair to a young man who I now need to look upwards to in order to speak directly to him. It has been incredible and almost unbelievable how much life has changed for him. In my small contribution, I have had the honor and privilege to help him achieve his full potential by providing him with the best eye care that I knew how.
Tomorrow, AMC has X-Men: Apocalypse Sensory Friendly
Last updated on June 15th, 2016 at 06:33 pm
AMC Entertainment (AMC) has expanded their Sensory Friendly Films program in partnership with the Autism Society! This Tuesday evening, families affected by autism or other special needs have the opportunity to view a sensory friendly screening of X-Men: Apocalypse a film that may appeal to older audiences on the autism spectrum.
As always, 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! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden“.
AMC and the Autism Society will be showing X-Men: Apocalypse tomorrow, Tuesday, June 14th at 7pm (local time). 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 full list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming later in June: Finding Dory (Sat, 6/25)
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Editor’s note: Although X-Men: Apocalypse has been chosen by the Autism Society for a Tuesday Sensory Friendly screening, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for sequences of violence, action and destruction, brief strong language and some suggestive images. As always, please check the IMDB Parents Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your family.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is Sensory Friendly at AMC on Sat
Last updated on June 15th, 2016 at 06:35 pm
AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other special needs “Sensory Friendly Films” every month – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy fun new 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! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden“.
This month, AMC and the Autism Society’s “Sensory Friendly Film” are offering the chance to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows on Saturday, June 11th at 10am local tune. 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 full list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming later in June: X-Men: Apocalypse (Tues, 6/14), Finding Dory (Sat, 6/25)
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Editor’s note: Although Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows has been chosen by the AMC and the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly Film, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for sci-fi action violence. As always, please check the IMDB Parents Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.
AMC has Alice Through the Looking Glass Sensory Friendly on Sat.
Last updated on May 29th, 2016 at 10:32 pm
AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other special needs “Sensory Friendly Films” every month – a wonderful opportunity to enjoy fun new 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! Imagine …no need to shhhhh your child. No angry stares from other movie goers. Many parents think twice before bringing a child to a movie theater. Add to that your child’s special needs and it can easily become cause for parental panic. But on this one day a month, for this one screening, everyone is there to relax and have a good time, everyone expects to be surrounded by kids – with and without special needs – and the movie theater policy becomes “Tolerance is Golden“.
This month, AMC and the Autism Society’s “Sensory Friendly Film” are offering the chance to see Alice Through the Looking Glass on Saturday, May 28th at 10am local tune. 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 full list, please scroll to the bottom of the page).
Coming in June: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (Sat, 6/11), X-Men: Apocalypse (Tues, 6/14), Finding Dory (Sat, 6/25)
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Editor’s note: Although Alice Through the Looking Glass has been chosen by the AMC and the Autism Society as this month’s Sensory Friendly Film, we do want parents to know that it is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for fantasy action/peril and some language. As always, please check the IMDB Parents Guide for a more detailed description of this film to determine if it is right for you and your child.
