Tag: summer
Summer Safety and Children with Autism
It’s never too soon to start thinking about summer, especially here in the Northeast, where it has rained every day for the past week! Care2.com recently did a post on thinking about the needs associated with a child with autism and their transition to summer, especially when it comes to the issue of summer safety. At SafetyNet, we’ve recorded a podcast that addresses several topics related to summer safety and children with autism. Take a listen. What are some of the protective measures that you take to help keep loved ones safe from wandering, particularly during the summer?
Posted on May 19, 2011 | No Comments | Category: Autism, Wandering | Tags: Autism, caregivers, children, LoJack, parenting tips, safety, SafetyNet, summer, Wandering
Autism and Summer: Learning social skills
Lawrence Journal
Some kids spend the summer learning archery, the backstroke or tennis. Some children with autism are working this summer on their social skills – an area where autistic people often need help.
The Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center in Nashville is holding a Social Skills Summer Camp this summer. Campers 7 to 11 years old work on basic social skills; 12- to 14-year-old campers continue to learn social skills and build on them with field trips; campers 15 to 21 years old learn social skills and early on-the-job skills.
In Wisconsin, a group of parents, teachers and others started an 8-week Social Summer Experience for autistic children. And The Autism Project in Rhode Island is offering a variety of social skills classes for children on the autism spectrum this summer.
In Lawrence, Kansas, a high school for autistic students offers a summer course on socialization with field trips to a variety of community settings.
From an outsider’s point of view, the scene looked pretty chaotic as students and staff from Free State High School’s summer autism program took a trip to a restaurant.
Of the dozen students on the outing, several were yelling, one was crying, and others expressed emphatically that they simply didn’t want to eat there.
One by one, staff members worked to calm the students.
The program and the community outings are all part of social skills lessons the program emphasizes during the summer months when the students are away from regularly scheduled classes.
“These kids need to be out in the community as much as anybody else,” said staff member Emily Hughes. “Our biggest goal is to help them learn how to be independent.”
via Free State High School’s summer autism program encourages social interaction / LJWorld.com.
Posted on July 20, 2010 | 1 Comment | Category: Autism | Tags: Autism, autism teenager, children with Autism, social skills, socialization, summer, Summer autism
Bicycling with special needs: Lose the Training Wheels Camp
WFMZ
TREXLERTOWN, Pa. — Learning how to ride a bike can be especially challenging for kids with special needs.
But the Eastern Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Center is trying to change that.
This year the group hosted a volunteer-driven camp to help children “lose the training wheels.”
via Anchors Away: Lose The Training Wheels – News Story – WFMZ Allentown.
Posted on July 7, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism, Caregiving, Down Syndrome | Tags: activities, Autism, children with Autism, cycling, Down Syndrome, summer, summer camp
Autism and Summer: Sports and autistic children
Sports have many benefits for autistic children — exercise, structure and, of course, fun!
But many children with autism don’t do well on athletic teams. If communication or social issues are keeping your autistic child on the sidelines, think about individual sports this summer.
Skateboarding has really caught on in the autism community, thanks in part to the work of the A.skate Foundation, which holds clinics nationwide.
Swimming is an important skill for your child to learn — and some communities even offer swimming lessons for children with autism.
Your autistic child may also enjoy tennis, martial arts or hiking.
Skateboarding, hiking, karate…. or Little League? Does your autistic child do better with solo sports? Any recommendations on good sports for children with autism?
Posted on July 7, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: Autism, sports, summer
Autism in Summer: Travel Tips
LoJack SafetyNet
Any family vacation takes some planning. Planning is especially important when you are traveling with an autistic child.
Here are some Summer Travel Tips for Families Living with Autism from the Autism Society of America.
An autism dad whose been there has advice on vacationing with an autistic child.
Both these posts have something in common – they recommend calling ahead, so do your research!
Recently, two hotels opened rooms designed specifically for families with autistic children. The Clinton Inn Hotel in Tenafly, N.J., and a Wyndham hotel in Austin, Texas, both have features designed to make families with autistic children safe and comfortable. Let’s hope that trend catches on!
Do you have any summer vacation plans with your autistic child? Any tips to share on making travel easier with a child with autism? Please share!
via Autism Society of America: Summer Tips.
Posted on July 2, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: Autism, Caregiving, children with Autism, summer, travel
Cooking club helps autistic children build life skills
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Brownie pizza was the featured entree at a recent cooking club meeting in Burlington County.
Four tiny chefs scrambled around the kitchen in the Medford community center, grating their white chocolate “cheese” and taking a quick break for “pin the pepperoni on the pizza.
“Brownie pizza may not be the most essential recipe for a 9-year-old to master, but Rosy Gruber says the cooking is secondary for her son, Jason.
“I tell people he’s going to a cooking class and they think, ‘Oh, he’s learning to cook.’ No, he’s learning to be a competent human being,” she said.
The class is part of a program organized by KidsAhead Consulting & Center for Development, which works with autistic children and their families to foster emotional development and basic life skills. KidsAhead offers consultations and parent education, with supplemental summer programs such as the cooking club, a crafts club, and a summer camp.
via Cooking club helps autistic children build life skills | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/01/2010.
Posted on July 1, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism | Tags: activities, Autism, children with Autism, summer
Autism in Summer: For some, it’s time for camp
For a lot of kids, summertime means summer camp. In recent years, more children with autism have been getting in on the summer camp fun.
There are a variety of autism camps being held this summer. In Florida, Joey Travolta, (brother of John Travolta) runs a film camp for children with autism.
In North Carolina, Funshine Camp lets children and adults with autism and other disabilities enjoy the outdoors for four days at no cost (they bring caregivers).
In Wisconsin, the organizers at Camp Awesum say they try to provide a traditional summer camp experience but accommodate the needs of autistic children with things like special sensory areas.
My Summer Camps, a directory of summer camps around the country, has a list of camps for children and teenagers with autism and Asperger’s syndrome.
Here is Spirit of Autism’s list of questions to ask when looking at summer camps for your autistic child.
Is your child at camp this summer? How’s it going? Any tips to share on making the transition to camp?
Posted on June 29, 2010 | No Comments | Category: Autism, Caregiving | Tags: Asperger's, Autism, camp, summer, teens
