Empowering the Special Needs Community
By Lisa Byrom Brown, Customer Care Specialist at AngelSense
School is out, and even summer school is ending soon. In our case that will mean three weeks’ worth of time to fill. Now don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with my eight-year-old twins, but what are we going to do for THREE WHOLE WEEKS??
What started off as a typical Saturday almost ended in tragedy for this Los Angeles special needs family. Last week, Cris and Paul Houghtaling were 20 minutes into their exercise routine at a local gym when they were informed by an employee that Julian, their non-verbal child with autism, was nowhere to be found.
For many special needs families, summer doesn’t have the same ring to it as it does for other families. With disrupted routines and new sensory experiences, summer vacation is particularly challenging for children with special needs. As a parent, you can do your best to help your special child adjust, but safety remains the top concern for many.
Summer vacation is an opportunity to reconnect and spend some quality time with your special family. With enough planning and some creativity, summer can be a rewarding and rejuvenating time for the entire family. And the best part is that you don’t have to go far to experience the wonders of summer. You’ll be amazed at how much fun your entire family can have in the comfort of your backyard or a nearby park.
Autism affects millions of children and young adults around the world. For many parents what’s most challenging about the condition is their child’s tendency to wander off. In fact, wandering or elopement is so common among children with autism spectrum disorders that it’s estimated that more than half of children with the condition tend to wander off from safe places.
From time to time it’s important to take a break from the stresses of everyday life and focus exclusively on your special family. Because at the end of the day, it’s family which makes life that much sweeter. Uninterrupted quality time is not only an opportunity to bond with your loved ones, but it’s the perfect time to work on fostering healthy habits and improving your family’s overall well being.
We reached out to the AngelSense community for their funny parenting moments, and they were gracious enough to share 11 stories. But it doesn’t have to end here. We’d love to hear your funny special needs parenting moments. All of us could do with a good, heartfelt laugh. After all as the saying goes: laughter is the best medicine!
At times being a special needs parent can feel overwhelming. It takes heart, guts and tears, and there’s often more hard work than me-time. With Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate any special needs moms you know. Even the simplest gesture can make a tired mom feel loved and appreciated.
Kevin and Avonte’s Law, which aims to protect children with special needs from the dangers of wandering, could soon be passed as a law. The bill was approved by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on April 14, and will now be voted on in the full Senate. This marks a significant victory for the autism community, and could go a long way to saving thousands of innocent lives in the U.S.
April is World Autism Awareness Month, and it’s the perfect time to show your support and spread awareness about the condition. Whether your child or someone else you know has autism, there are many ways you can celebrate this special month.