Children who may be on the autism spectrum, have ADHD, or sensory issues may become overwhelmed by family gatherings and activities that come with the celebration of the “holiday season”.  The daily routine, so important to many of “our children”, is broken and the inability to “predict” what events will play out in a day can lead to behavior issues. Holiday decorations, lights, music, smells, foods, unfamiliar pets, loud conversations, cigarette smoke, perfume, hugs, and having strange people around are not exactly normal to their routine.  When you look at it all through “our child’s” eyes, it is understandable that they may struggle with the events of the holidays.

When preparing “our children” for the unpredictability of the holiday season, you want to start preparing them early and to practice for the new or out of the ordinary social experiences. I have been asked to  provide parents with a brief overview of some of the therapy-based options, family-oriented ideas, and travel suggestions that you can implement when preparing your child for holiday festivities.  To follow is a partial list of ideas to consider and follow with fidelity that are sure to make this holiday season, a wonderful time for all.

Therapeutic Options


• Social stories can help prepare your child for any new or uncomfortable event. Find stories (using the internet, via books, or from professionals) that cover how to act during holiday activities such as parties, being around unfamiliar people and large dinner gatherings, or write your own personalized social stories (be sure to keep ALL of the verbiage positive).  These stories allow your child to visualize the out of the ordinary situations and see them in a positive light.

• Behavioral therapy can help your child deal with the behavior problems created by their perceptions and emotions.

• Your child may benefit from therapeutic social skills groups.  Children are encouraged to practice social situations with their peers (through role playing and modeling) as they are being taught by professional therapists how to generalize solutions to perceptual changes.

• It is not recommended to make medication changes during the holiday season, unless you are given specific directions to do so from your child’s providing physician. We want our children to remain as balanced as possible during the holiday season.

Family-based Ideas

• Make sure your child’s favorite foods and activities are included in the celebrations.  Any time you can add in their special interests or some of their limited favorite foods, you will increase their comfort level and the enjoyment of everyone around.

• A.L.T. Take precautions to minimize the chances that your child is (H) hungry, (A) angry, (L) lonely, or (T) tired. Any of these conditions by themselves is enough to heighten sensitivity and impair your child’s perception, which will impact everyone they come in contact with.

• For those holidays where gift giving is the norm, inform gift givers of your child’s specific interests and dislikes. If possible, parents can help other gift givers make appropriate gift choices. Some of “our children” are sensory sensitive to the texture and/or sound of items, whereas others are emotionally sensitive and will “react” poorly if they perceive they are being given a gift appropriate for a much younger child. Receiving unwanted items may even lead to a meltdown.

• Have an alternate plan for times where sensory issues become a problem. Anything from a quiet place to regroup or calm down, to planning to stay for only part of the time of the event, may be necessary.

• Virtually any parent who has a child with “perceptual and or “social challenges” knows the value of having not only “Plan A” and “Plan B”, but, “Plan C, D, E, and F”.

• Set your child up with a “buddy” during holiday festivities, the “buddy” can be a responsible sibling, cousin, or adult. Parents need to know the child is safe and hopefully enjoying themselves, while parents and others are entitled to a stress-free (or at least, reduced stress) holiday season.

Ideas for Traveling

• Parents would be wise to research the location the family is going and the means of transportation being taken to get there. Fortunately, today, many facilities and organizations understand about the “special needs” some of our children have.

• If your child has sensory issues such as sensitivity to noise, smell, touch, or lighting, see if you can reserve accommodation that are less stimulating to your child. Sunglasses, a hat, and earplugs may also be beneficial.

• If you are traveling by plane, ship, or train, you can inform the agency of the needs your child may experience and provide them with a “heads-up” of potential issues. Once again having “Plan A, B, C, and D” in place should greatly increase the level of holiday enjoyment for everyone involved.

• When sensory issues are involved, it can be worth bringing along your child’s normal bed sheets and pillows in case they find those in a hotel unpleasant. Any new clothes for the trip may need to washed several times if your child finds these ‘scratchy’ on the skin.

• The use of electronics (with headphones) has proven to be helpful to help “our children” so they become distracted from overly stimulating situations and have a method to relax.

• Some of our children are extremely comfortable on airplane’s, some are not. If your child has the potential to struggle with being confined on an airplane for hours, you may want to consider different options. You do have the option of boarding first, choosing special diets, and optimal seating. Service animals may also be an option for your family.

There are parent support groups and therapeutic service providers who can serve as valuable assets to having a wonderful holiday season. Don’t just leave this to chance, prepare and you will be rewarded.

 

Dr. Eric Nach, PhD, MEd, ASDc

Scheduling Your Time 

Your time is valuable, so you should treat it that way. Your schedule can get busy and sometimes it can seem like there are not enough hours in the day. But when that happens, we just need to take a step back, and manage our time effectively. When we schedule our time and resources in a way that benefits us and aides in becoming better organized, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish, because, “The Sky’s The Limit”.

Have a Master Calendar

It can seem like a good idea to have several calendars for every area of life, but when you use more than one at a time, it’s easy to get them confused. With multiple calendars, you can run the risk of double booking events or miss important appointments. Instead, get one calendar and put it somewhere you can see it every day, such as in your technology, on the refrigerator or hanging by the front door. Write all of your personal, school, and work reminders on it, including deadline dates, appointments, events, tests, and reminders. When you use one calendar for everything you do, you are not only able to manage your time better, but you can get rid of the paper reminders you have posted everywhere.

Use Technology

Cozi is one example of a free “app” that can be used by individual or families to coordinate daily events and things to-do. Complete with an automatic “sync” function to Apple© products, Cozi© is a real-time calendar, to-do-list, shopping list, and journal. 

Setting Deadlines

When scheduling our time, deadlines provide a sense of structure and balance for us. While every person responds to deadlines differently, they are a key tool to better time management. By setting deadlines, you are putting a concrete need in your schedule, and it helps prevent it from being forgotten or lost in the near future. They give us a sense of accountability when it comes to things we either want or need to get done. So whether you write them on a calendar or program them into a mobile device, the next time you plan to do something, set yourself a deadline first and stick to it. You’ll find that when you take the time to schedule them, you are more likely to make time for other things.

Tips when setting deadlines:

Keep your deadlines in arm’s reach – write them down where you will see them

Set periodic reminders – give yourself reminders that a deadline approaches

Pad your actual deadline a little – give yourself some extra wiggle room

Remove or Limit the Time Wasters

A time waster is something that can distract you or take away from the task at hand. They can occur at home, school, or at work. Removing or even limiting some of these wasters can improve your concentration and help you stay focused on what you want or need to do. They can include personal time wasters, such as excessive; checking messages, texting, social media, searching the web, or watching videos, or can even be as simple as wasting extra time to go look for that extra pencil. Practice cutting or limiting one thing that distracts you the most. Give yourself a set time that you will not let these things distract you or take away from your current responsibilities. You’ll be amazed how taking these small steps will improve your time management.

Some common time wasters and distractions:

• Excessively checking email/text/phone messages

• Social media

• Boredom or daydreams

• Extra time spent away from your work area

• Extra time spent looking for things

• Taking on extra projects

Coping with Things Outside of Your Control

There are many things in life that we cannot control, such as an illness, rude or mean people, and especially the weather. But we learn to cope with them every day and adapt ourselves to them. You can control how you react to certain circumstances and setbacks. When we are faced with something we realize we cannot change or control, the key to dealing with it is to, first, accept it. Once you have accepted that you cannot change the fact that it rained on your beach day or that someone almost rear ended you in traffic, we can learn to cope with them by remembering what we can control. You can control what alternative plan you have for beach day and you can control how you choose to respond to the rude driver. Focusing on what you can control rather than what you can’t will help you feel more empowered and less likely to let other obstacles overcome you.

Excerpt taken from the “Organization Skills for High School, College, and Career Readiness” course offered at the Support for Students Growth Center in Boca Raton, Florida.

https://www.supportforstudentsgrowthcenter.com/high-school-college-and-career-readiness-program/

Each new school year means a new grade, new teachers, new goals, and maybe even a new school! This list was created to help you and your child with special needs be as successful as you can be, and to help make the transition into a new school year a little easier and more enjoyable.

1. Start the New School Year by Making Introductions
   Send a short ( 1-2 paragraphs) welcoming note to the teacher and staff. List some of your child’s issues and “quirks” including likes and dislikes and invite the teacher to contact you for additional information. (provide them with your cell phone number and best e-mail).
2. Helping Everyone to Get Organized
   Let your child know what to expect the first few days. Use visuals if necessary. Find some quiet time to discuss any fears or anxieties that your child may have. Keep a family calendar of school events, special education meetings, conferences, etc.. Set up a box to keep all school letters, mailings, and schedules. Build in time for homework, studying, and recreation ( be as consistent as possible). Make sure your child has a clear distraction free area to do their homework and for studying). Set bedtime routines and post where they are visible.
3. Start a Communication Log
   Keeping track of all phone calls, e-mails, notes home, meetings, and conferences is important. Create a “communication log” for yourself in a notebook that is easily accessible. Be sure to note the dates, times, and nature of the communications you have.
4. Review Your Child’s Current IEP
   The IEP is the cornerstone of your child’s educational program, so it’s important that you have a clear understanding of it. Note when the IEP expires and if your child is up for reevaluation this year. Most importantly, be sure that this IEP still “fits” your child’s needs! If you’re unsure, contact the school about reviewing their needs. Make sure that all goals and objectives have measurable outcomes.
5. Keep Everyone Updated
   It’s important that you and the school communicate early and often! If there is anything (concerns, changes, questions about the IEP or changes in medication that you feel is important to share with the staff working with your child before school starts, or during the year, don’t hesitate to contact them! The more proactive and honest you are, the better the school staff will be able to meet your child’s needs.
6. Establish Before and After School Routines
   Discuss and plan the changes in you and your child’s daily routine that will happen once school starts. You can even begin practicing your new schedule, focusing on morning and evening routines, and begin implementing them well in advance of the first day of school.
7. Stay Aware of News in Special Education News
   Being knowledgeable about your child’s IEP and their disability can help you become a better advocate for your child. Try to keep up-to-date on new special education legislation, news, and events. The more you know, the more prepared you will be to navigate the world of special education and successfully advocate for your child! Join your local disability chapter. Keep informed of school board updates.
8. Attend School Events
   Take advantage of Open House, Back-to-School Night, and parent-teacher conferences to help you and your child get a feel for the school and meet the teachers, other staff, students, and families. Share the positives about working with your child, and let the teacher know about changes, events, or IEP concerns that should be considered for children in special education.
9. Make New Friends with Other Parents
   Find some other like-minded parents to share activities and conversations with. Help your child get into playgroups or social groups with appropriately aged children.
10. Balance Your Activities and Trust Your Instincts
    Managing a household involving a child with special needs can be daunting. Do your best; do what you can manage without stressing yourself. Balance your (and your child’s ) wants with identified needs, and try to find time each day to relax, enjoy your child, and remember that you need to pace yourself.
11. Ask for Help When You Need It
    We all need to ask others for help now and then. Learn the names and contact numbers of organizations that can offer support, instruction, and council if needed.

Adapted from the Unicorn Children’s Foundation email newsletter, August 2012

Transition into the School Year Social Skills Groups in Boca Raton

Ages 8-14 for any student who could benefit and is mainstreamed

Topics Include

• What to expect in a new grade and/or school
• How to make an amazing first impression with new peers and teachers
• Making a successful transition from summer to school year
• Preparing to complete daily homework
• Managing bullies
• How to organize your time
• Following directions
• Creating a balanced student life
• Self advocacy in the school setting

The entire full week, 1 hour per day, from 5-6:00pm

August 8-12

Fee $300 per week

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BACK TO SCHOOL SPECIAL

No charge interview ($75 value) for new clients or pay only $250 for the entire week for active clients
($50 savings, must have been receiving services within the past 12 months to get this discount)

Interview required for new clients!

Contact us @ 561-990-7305 or DrNach@SupportForStudentsGrowthCenter.com

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Dr. Eric Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D. certified
Developmental and Behavioral Specialist
President of the “Support for Students Growth Center” of Boca Raton

New for Fall 2016

High School, College, and Career Readiness Program

(be watching for more details)

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Did You Know We Also Offer…

• High School, College, and Career Readiness Program
• “Social Skills” and “Learning Strategies and Organization Skills Program”
• Academic Coaching/Consulting and Behavior Modification Programming
• Individual and Family Coaching and Training
• Summer/Winter Break Camp for children and teens with special needs (ages 6-14)
• “Professional and Staff Development /Training”
• EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING and ADVOCACY (bring us to your next IEP meeting)

Smile and Laugh Every Day!

It’s easy to get all wrapped-up in day to day affairs. Take the time to laugh and remind those you love how important and special they are. There is no time like the present to treat others with kindness, compassion, understanding, and affection.
Smile and Laugh Every Day!

Professional Help is Available!

Let us help you serve the needs of your children, teens, and young adults with academic, social and behavioral needs.