Special Needs | The Angel Forever

Category Archives Special Needs

Emergency Chat for Times When You Can Not Talk

Posted on October 29, 2015 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Last year, I wrote about The Middle School Phone Debate. While my son continues to go without his own phone, I know the time will be coming soon. As we get ready for this major milestone, I have been looking at apps that may help him. NHL is autistic and I recently heard about an app called Emergency chat. The premise of this app is simple. It allows someone that is unable to speak to communicate when it is needed. I decided to put it on my new Galaxy Note 5 phone to check it out.

When in need of the app, you simply press the icon above. For an individual on the spectrum, it could be when they are feeling overwhelmed and anxious. If there is too much going on, they may be afraid to talk, or unable to because they are too busy processing everything from the environment. Once they push the icon, it goes to a splash screen that you can personalize. The example that they include for Aspies is the following:

When you push the continue button, it brings you to a simple chat screen. An example of this chat is seen below. When you set up the app, you can make it automatically switch between two people that would be using the app. From the splash screen, you can also hold it down longer to bring up the settings.

The settings area allows you to personalize the message for whatever no talking emergency that may be need it for. Some additional examples are:

As soon as I put the app on my phone, I knew that I would have to go and set it up for my mother on her phone. After her heart attack in June, I worry about her being alone and unable to talk. When she had her heart attack, she could barely whisper to me while I was sitting next to her at the table. This is certainly something she could keep on the main screen of her smartphone to let people know about her heart condition.

Another item that I really like about Emergency chat is their Facebook page. There are lots of great samples and examples of splash screens and different ways to utilize the app. The possibilities are endless, but include things like blood sugar alert, PTSD, allergic reaction, and more.

I will definitely be sharing this within my autism circles and beyond because I know that Emergency chat will help many people when they may not be able to speak, but have to communicate.

It's Me

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I receive devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 to test out and share ways that I use it in my life. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

Categories:
Phone Apps Special Needs Technology

World Autism Awareness Day

Posted on April 2, 2015 8:22 pm by TheAngelForever

Autism is part of my world. As the mother of a child on the Autism Spectrum, I am an autism advocate. I not only want people to be aware of autism, I strive for complete autism acceptance. Part of the way to do this is to work on educating others about autism so they understand more.

A very smart person once said, “If you know one autistic person, you know one autistic person.”

We are very lucky to have an amazing Autism Community in the Capital Region. We have programs like Friday Knights at the College of Saint Rose that is for the entire family. The Autism Society of the Greater Capital Region is also a fantastic local resource. Now we also have Puzzles Bakery & Café which is a wonderful new restaurant that hires adults with developmental disabilities. More coming soon about our lunch at Puzzles.

If you have a loved one that has a new autism diagnosis, please look for local support in your area. It can be a tough time, where you can feel lonely. Connect with others who will have tips and tricks in your area for places to go that are friendly to individuals on the spectrum. We know and share what works for us and what may have been something to avoid because of potential sensory overload. The more information you have, the easier it will be to get things into place to assist your entire family. Previous posts related to autism may be found here.

If you are interested in the Autism Awareness Jamberry wraps, I am a Jamberry Independent Consultant. You can find the style above and a new one released today on the Commitment to Charity Page. You may also request a sample to see what Jamberry is all about.

Categories:
parenting Special Needs

Middle School is Just What the Doctor Ordered

Posted on October 3, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

For years, I was preparing to send my oldest child to middle school. As a parent of a child on the autism spectrum, I felt like I had to advocate even more for this big milestone. One classroom and teacher in the elementary school would be a lot different than nine periods a day with just as many, if not more teachers. Middle schools are much larger, there are many more students, and it is a tough time developmentally for most if not all preteens.

Without going into too many specifics, we had an amazing IEP for the start of middle school. Everyone at school greeted us at orientation with smiles and showed us around. The day before school, we went back in drop items off to the locker and make sure the lock was mastered. Each time we went to visit, the individuals at school were amazing. They knew my son, welcomed him, and eased my fears.

The first day of school came and went with only parental nerves on edge. NHL was excited for a fresh start. He was thrilled to already have his schedule memorized. He could not stop talking about having Social Studies and Science every day. He came out of school with a smile on his face and I was able to breathe.

What TechyDad and I experienced the next morning shocked us. NHL hopped out of bed and ran into our room telling is to get moving because he wanted to get to school. There was no hesitation, just energy and excitement to go and learn more from his teachers. This continued the following week. Each day, my son was more excited to go to middle school.

After I sent my son to school for the second full week, I did something that was important to me. I stopped to write a note to every member of my son’s team to let them know I was thankful. The middle school transition could have been a disaster. The reality was that because of everyone involved, NHL was off to a great start.

As I pushed the send button, I was a bit nervous. After so many years of fighting for supports and struggles, I did not want to jinx anything. Still, it was the right time to cheer everyone up and let them know. As a middle school teacher, I know you do not often hear positive feedback. So I sent the email to the principals, several people in the Special Education department, and the guidance counselor. At the last second, I decided to add one more person. Yes, my note praising the team at the middle school for helping my son transition also went to the superintendent of our district.

The responses from various people made me know that I did the right thing. It made me feel wonderful to know that I had made them smile and lifted their spirits.

So why am I writing this post?

My hope is that someone may read it and it will help them as their child is transitioning from elementary to middle school. While I know they are likely as worried as I was waiting for middle school to start, I want to reassure them that it may be just what the doctor ordered for your child. The structure of the day, the fresh beginning for each class period, and the mixture of different students helped my son. My Aspie adores knowing his schedule and not having to worry about changes within a single classroom. The structure of middle school allows that and so far he is doing very well. Sure there will be bumps in the road, but with the support of his team and open communication this experience could open up the world for my child.

Categories:
milestone school Special Needs

Movies and Sensory Concerns

Posted on August 7, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

TechyDad’s birthday was on Sunday and we were trying to figure out what to do for his special day. I asked if he wanted to see a movie. More specifically, I mentioned going to see Guardians of the Galaxy. I had heard that, while it was rated PG-13, it would probably be a nice option for our family. TechyDad searched online for a movie time and we went to the mall to get tickets and then have lunch.

When we went to get our tickets at this Regal Cinema location, we realized that there was a snaffu with the online movie guide that TechyDad had viewed. We did not want to see a 3D version of the movie because JSL is not a fan. While we thought that it was a regular showing, it was not. That time was actually for a viewing of Guardians for the Galaxy in an RPX theater. We explained to the person at the ticket counter what happened and told her we would regroup and walked away.

Why did we leave?

There were a few reasons. The cost of the RPX was significantly more, but that was not the big issue in my mind. The sensory experience was something that concerned me. I did not want to ruin TechyDad’s birthday by starting the movie and leaving part way through. Did I know that it would bother NHL? No, I did not know how he would react. At the same time, I was aware that some movies have been too loud and bothered him though he has never had to leave before. Coping strategies have greatly improved as NHL has gotten older. Still, TechyDad and I were unsure about it and felt it was best to regroup.

As we stood off to the side looking online for options at other Regal Cinemas in the area, something happened that we never expected. Another person from Regal asked us to go back to the counter. The woman who had been helping us felt horrible that we left and wanted to make sure we saw the movie for TechyDad’s birthday. Jennifer was beyond amazing and made our day. As she was assisting us, I explained that it was not simply the increased cost of the movie. I told her that our son has Asperger’s and that the bigger screen and better sound system may be too much sensory overload for him. She assured me that IF it was a problem we could simply see someone in the theater and they would help us to see another movie, or we could get our money back. She asked if we would please give it a try and hopefully become fans of the RPX technology. We agreed and thanked her and I noted it on Twitter as well.

After lunch, we made our way to the RPX theater. It was beautiful. It really reminded me of a slight variation of an IMAX theater. We got seats on a side in case we needed to move. When the previews came on, I held my breath. NHL jumped back and immediately held his ears. I feared we would be leaving shortly.

When the actual movie began, I watched NHL out of the corner of my eye. Slowly he eased back into his chair and his hands dropped down to his side. Yes, the actual movie sound was much less intense than the previews has been. I sat with a smile on my face and enjoyed the movie along with the boys and TechyDad. Thanks to a kind person at Regal Cinemas, our birthday celebration was not ruined by our mistake and NHL had another major milestone. He plowed through something that was overwhelming, but coped to reap the reward.

If you have children on the autism spectrum or with sensory concerns, how do they do at the movies? I would love to know if you have ever been to an RPX showing and if you noticed the sound variation with previews compared to the regular movie.

Categories:
Local Business Movies Special Needs

Sharing Our Trampoline Park Adventure

Posted on June 23, 2014 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Several months ago, we heard that the Capital District would be getting a new family friendly destination. Yes, Flight Trampoline Park would be opening up a location in Albany and we were excited. There are very few local indoor play areas for the entire family. We had heard great things from family and friends who have a Flight Trampoline Park near them. When it recently opened, we were looking for a time to head over and check things out.

On Sunday, we went to Albany Flight Trampoline Park for the first time. When I asked TechyDad if we should take his SLR camera, he told me not to bother. Why? Well, he knew that with my Samsung Galaxy S5 in hand I would be able to take picture and videos to capture our memories. This is huge because TechyDad almost always brings his camera with us. In addition to this, I would be able to check in and share photos/videos if I had time while we were there. The check in was key in being able to finally meet someone in person too, thank you social media!

Since we were unsure of the crowds, we did not purchase our tickets online before heading to the park. Once inside the building, we went over to the computers to sign waivers and then went to pay for our visit. FYI – even those who are not planning on using the trampolines must do this. The three boys were going to bounce, jump, and fly through the air. My plan was to watch everyone and take photos. In addition to this, I had to be ready in case my one son went into sensory overload. As the parent of a child with autism, I never know exactly how first treks to a new location will go.

We had about 15 minutes to look around before our designated time would begin. The kids saw the area for little ones, noted where the basketball hoop was, and watched other people fly through the air. Of course, I noticed the rules posted all over the space and took a photo.

What really impressed me, there were staff members all over the trampoline area. They answered questions, talked to people, and watched to make sure that everyone was safe while exploring and exercising.

I also made a quick Instagram video to share what the atmosphere was like while we were there. It was much less crowded at this point and a lot more people showed up half way through the hour.

Just before the boys went off to jump and play, I asked them to take a quick photo. I knew that catching them in action would be difficult to do, especially while they went off in different directions. The other photos show the boys while they were jumping, hopping, and flying around.

For the first half hour or so, the boys had a great time. Then the area got a little more hectic with additional people coming in at 2:30. After about 15 minutes, NHL had seen his limit. He had a great time playing with other kids at the basketball area and even tried dodge ball. His foot was bothering him from being barefoot, so I walked over to a side area for him to decompress. JSL and TechyDad continued to bounce during this time. I was even able to get a video of the kid at heart having some fun.

My suggestion to parents of children with special needs, you know your child. Perhaps try 30 minutes your first time and go from there. Next visit, we plan to head back on the Special Needs Night that they have on the first and third Tuesday each month. I think the pace may be better for NHL. In addition to this, JSL may feel less like he will be run over by so many big kids and adults moving so fast. We have heard from other families that went last week that it was a fantastic experience. Many reported that everyone at the park were accommodating and kind, which we also saw during our visit.

What place have you gone to for the first time recently where you opted not to bring your camera and just use your smartphone? I know I felt so free with just my phone and still being able to capture these special moments.

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I receive devices like the Samsung Galaxy S5 to test out and share ways that I use it in my life. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.