Tips for Traveling with Disabled Children During the Holidays

They need your help.

The work of a parent never stops. Every time they go out of their house with their children they need to keep absolutely everything in check. Did they take the toys, the food, the extra clothes, the snacks, the favorite stuffed animal? Did they forget something? Of course, that extra sweater in case the weather gets chilly! How could they forget? And would you look at the time? They’ll lose the flight; they’ll be late to the party; they won’t make it to the play! One could say that being a parent is like practicing an extreme sport sometimes.

Now imagine what it’s like for parents of children with special needs. They don’t only need to be sure that all former things are taken care of, they also have to watch out for all their medical needs. The syringes, the medicines that they must take several times a day, the wheelchair. One could say that being a parent of a child with special needs is like practicing an extreme sport at all times. At least, traveling definitely is. Here are a few tips to make your life easier if you’re one of them!

Start small

One thing you should take into account is that your kid probably isn’t used to all the movement, changes and noises that involve traveling long distances. If you make a long trip the first time around, you and your family are probably bound to hate it or spend the whole time stressed beyond belief.  Travel close to your home, start with little trips so your child can get used to what traveling means and what it involves. Try peaceful destinations at first, such as the beach or the mountains, and start escalating from there.

Make a plan

The more you plan, the less likely it is for things to go south. Make a list two weeks before the trip and start gathering all that your child will need; you can also add any extra items that you find necessary before traveling. Map out your trip and talk to your kid about it, get him or her used to the idea, show them pictures, so they know what to expect once you get there. If you’re staying in a hotel, ask for their accessibility to children with special needs.

Consult with your child’s physician

If you have any doubts about the things your child could need when you’re out of town, be sure to contact his or her physician so they can help you figure out the best way to pull this through. Have him write you a medical letter. This way, if your kid needs any type of assistance, every medical services provider will know his or her medical history thanks to it. You can also ask the doctor what things could be harmful to your child and what could you do with them without any risk. Try finding numbers or references of pediatricians in the area you’ll be visiting.

Find transportation to meet specific needs

If you’re going to fly, pick the airline wisely. Some of them do better than others when it comes to accommodating individuals with special needs. Prepare your kid for the experience of flying or traveling by any other mean. Show them pictures or videos and read about it with them. The TSA has launched a brand new helpline for individuals with special needs, called TSA Cares Travellers, may call 1-855-787-2227 before traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint.

Finally, remember that it’s a family trip that’s supposed to be fun. It might not be on the first attempt, but don’t give up just yet. Try to anticipate any possible scenario that could upset your child and prepare beforehand. Give yourself a day to rest once you’re at the destination, kids get tired pretty quickly, and they might need the extra rest to recover some of their energy. If you’re traveling these holidays, we hope you have an awesome time! See you in January at Autism Soccer with more of our content.

You can have so much fun!

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Exercises to Reduce Anxiety You Can Try with Your Kids

Be there to give them your support.

Raising a child with an intellectual disability can always prove to be a real challenge. It’s also an experience full of love and self-knowledge. You’ll study psychology without even realizing it, and you’ll explore parts of the human psyche that might not even have interested you if the circumstances were different. Most of the time, you’ll have to help your son or daughter to overcome their anxiety, if they suffer from it. It might be worrisome, but you need to remember that anxiety is a natural mechanism and that we all feel it from time to time.

However, children under the autism spectrum disorder are likely to experience it more intensely than other kids, to the point that it can interfere with their development. The world might seem like a very confusing and overwhelming place for children on the spectrum, and this can easily trigger their anxiety. On top of that, they usually have problems understanding social cues, so interactions with others can result in unpredictable scenarios that could also be added to the confusion.

How to tell if your child is suffering from anxiety?

Autistic children have problems communicating what they’re feeling, so learning if they’re feeling anxious, might not be as easy as asking them. Some clues might tell you just what you need to know though. If he or she is anxious, they might:

• Insist even more on routine and sameness.
• Have more trouble sleeping.
• Have meltdowns or temper tantrums.
• Avoid or withdraw from social situations.
• Rely more on obsessions and rituals, like lining up or spinning objects.
• Stim by rocking, spinning or flapping hands.
• Do things to hurt him or herself, like head-banging, scratching skin or hand-biting.

How can you help your child?

Getting rid of the things that cause us anxiety, whether we suffer from an intellectual impairment or not, is impossible. Life is full of things that can stress us out. What we can do is learn how to deal with our emotions in a healthier way. That’s precisely what you want for your kids as well. That’s what your goal should be when you try to help them.

However, one of the first things you can do is understand what’s causing their anxiety. If you know what types of situation can trigger a negative response in your child, you can prepare for them and rehearse them before they happen in a safe environment, so they can start coping properly. Some of these techniques can also prove to be useful:

• Counting slowly to 10.
• Taking five deep breaths.
• Running around the yard five times.
• Doing 50 jumps on the trampoline.
• Looking at a collection of favorite or special things.
• Reading a favorite book.
• Closing eyes for a few moments.
• Going to a quiet part of the house.

You should always rely on your child’s therapist to find the best techniques and strategies to deal with your child’s anxiety. Some will work better than others, and every kid is different, so don’t be discouraged if things don’t appear to be working the first time. Remember, with patience and love, even the biggest of challenges aren’t so intimidating.

Try these tips.

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Encouraging Children to Accept Autism

Autistic children could seem like a challenge. As a parent, you need to understand that it's not about your challenge, but what your children is facing.

Parenting a child is not an easy job, and most parents agree on this. The challenge, however, is bigger when you are faced with one of the most dreaded diagnostics: Autism. For most people, this is something incredibly difficult to understand as they think of autistic children as an insurmountable dare. However, they are not. Yes, as the parent of a child with special needs, you are faced with a unique set of challenges, but these will help you create a unique relationship with your child.

As a parent, you are in the position of understanding the particular needs of your child like no other, but you are also responsible for teaching them about their condition. You are the person that will accompany them in front of others and, for a significant part of their lives, you will represent the first and last contact with the outside world. This task is a marvelous responsibility: as an admirable figure for your child, they will get subtle clues that will help them develop and interact with others.

This special connection between you and your autistic child, while different, is no less than the one that other parents establish with their children. Autism is not something to be ashamed of, neither for your kids nor you. While it is a unique condition, is not hard to understand it once you are focused and open to all the aspects. For most parents, this is the hard part. Society has forced the belief that unless you are ‘normal’ (that term used in a derogatory manner for people with special needs), there’s something wrong with you. And this is something that affects children too: they are signaled and singled out because of their condition.

The role of a parent is to encourage their children to create their own place in the world, and for the parents of any child on the autistic spectrum, this is a full-time job. They are regularly creating spaces for children to feel safe and loved, not ‘damaged’ or ‘defective.' While autism is nothing short of a challenge, these children are people and need to be treated accordingly. Without any dismissal or derogatory attitude because of their condition, and showing them instead comprehension and respect.

With Autism Soccer parents are encouraged to get involved in the activities of their children, helping them understand that autism is not something to be ashamed of. Through the practice of sports and the incorporation of other activities that foment love for physical activities and ability to interact with the world in their own time, autistic children can improve their lives. Read all about this fantastic initiative and support them through their social media platform.

If you accept your children for what they are, there'll be an improvement for everyone, and they'll feel truly loved.

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How to Explain Special Conditions to Other Parents

For parents of a child with special needs, one of the hardest things to do is explaining their child's condition to other parents. This happens because of many things that might interfere with the perception that others have regarding the situation of these children. It’s important for other people to understand how the condition not only affects the child but also everyone around them in the close environment of their home, as well as their community. To take the charge of that fact and assume the role of their child's advocate is hard work.

These children rarely have the chance to show others how they feel and what makes their condition different, that’s why for their parents explaining the situation to other parents it’s important. Why? It often sets the behavior of these special kids, as adults explain to them how they are unique and should be respected. It also helps them showcase their children in the best light, not making them the target of jokes, but instead, a learning experience for others. Parenting, in this case, is vital, as it makes the difference between a well-adapted kid with a special condition and a child that’s bullied and it’s not a part of the environment in the activities outside their home.

Here you have some advice on how to make explanations easier for parents of children with special needs:

Be positive: Let others know that although their condition is a challenge some days, you take it as a great experience and a unique moment in your life. That positivity sets their behavior towards your child in a better way.

Explain it simply: Yes, your child might have a thousand little medical conditions, but for parents that are not well-versed in the medical terminology, the simple explanation works better to make them understand your child.

Portray them in a good light: Once again, the way you talk about your child's condition is going to be the main factor that other people are going to consider when processing that information. Talk about your child in a good way, and good reactions will come.

Be proactive: When explaining what your child goes through, make sure to set them into action. Whether by inviting them to a talk if they show special interest, or introducing them to your child. Remember that you are their advocate!

Shake away the fear: Feeling guilt, remorse, failure, and such emotions might come to a parent of a child with special needs, but don’t let that stop you from showing others the wonders of your child. Don’t be afraid, the world is harsh but you can accomplish everything with a good attitude.

Show correct behaviors: Some children react strongly to other people, so when you are explaining their condition to other parents, it's a good idea to tell them about behaviors that are correct when it comes to interacting with your child.

What are you doing to let other parents know how you feel when it comes to your child? Remember that you are their first line of defense against the world and with your help, they can happily be a part of it. Some organizations bring together parents as well as children, helping kids reach out to others in similar conditions by sharing their unique stories. One of those is Autism Soccer, an organization that’s inclusive for both adults and children. Visit their website to know more about their initiative!

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3 Tips on How to Become a Super Parent

Improve and work your way through your children's talent.

Parenting is not easy. In fact, being a parent is one of the hardest tasks anyone could assume nowadays, as it requires helping other human being become model citizens of the world. You are the force that will shape your kid's personality to reach their goals, to strive in the dire situations and to be kind and patient with others. But what happens when you have a child with special needs? Does it change the plans? Not at all! For parents with kids with special needs, the challenge is different in the journey, but the same in the end: to help shape the core personality of their child to make them part of the rest of the world in their unique way.    

What’s a super parent?

Parenting itself is a challenge, but when you transform yourself into a super parent it’s a total game-changer. Super parenting is about being present in your child’s life, but on their level. Comprehension, attention, and love are the core values of a super parent because it’s more than just teaching them what's right and wrong, it’s about giving them challenges and techniques to face the world on their own. From asking them “what do you think that means?” when they ask questions, to helping them with their homework, but letting them do the job in their own terms. It’s important for parents to know that they are not doing anything wrong, but this particular technique of raising a child is about involving them in the world actively without being pushy.  

These are three basic tips to be a super parent.

• Encourage participation: Let your child know that they can participate freely in activities they desire, without feeling depressed. But remember, show them the wide spectrum and let them figure out their preferences on their own.
• Ask questions: Parents need to encourage their child to think, and that’s what super parenting does. These people ask their child questions, let them process and venture their opinions.
• Create fun routines: Children need to complete routines. In super parenting, you create them in a way that’s both interactive and motivational, helping them create their core personality with strong basis.

Prepare yourself and transform raising a child into a superhero story. Remember that through love and patience you can have them reach their goals in life while creating a bond that will stick with both of you forever. It’s always wonderful to see how you can build a happy environment for both of you by incorporating different things to spice up their life and to guide them in the right direction. That’s why in the activities that you create for them, it's vital to include physical activity, such as the one that they could do at Autism Soccer. It’s both participative and motivational for children, and it helps you interact with your kid in a great way!

Parents should be prepared to be the parents that their children need. 

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How to do Physical Therapy at home

You have to know how to help your children get the necessary physical therapy. 

There are many situations in life when people need to do therapy. It is a way of recovering from certain traumas, both physical and psychological. Therapy uses tools and teaches us how to deal with the things that affect us. We can use it to learn to overcome obstacles that may come our way and to move on and live life to the fullest. There are different types of therapy, each specialized in a particular problem but each of these problems can have various ways of approaching them and tackling them. Many different things are considered therapeutic: some people prefer counseling, letting your feelings out and speaking with someone, some prefer working with animals, visiting different places, or working with a physiotherapist.

Therapy can be used to work on all sorts of problems. There's social therapy for people with anxiety and problems socializing with others. There's physical therapy for those who have suffered some kind of injury, and require help to get their mobility back. There's language therapy, learning skills therapy, psychological therapy, etc.

Most people think that in order to get therapy they need to go to a specific place like a health center or a school. But the truth is that there is also the possibility of doing therapy at home. There are plenty of specialists who will drive to a person's home to help them, and there are many benefits to this, as therapists are professionals specialized in helping others to become fully functional people again. Being at home creates a sense of comfort due to the familiar environment and the presence of family members. In some cases, home therapy is actually better than going to a Health Center. People with anxiety and socialization skills will do much better when they receive this help in a place that they feel comfortable in. Being in a safe place allows them to open up and makes the whole process a lot faster and more efficient. Some people just prefer to do therapy at home since they don't need to go through all the trouble of traveling from one place to another and then back. The Specialist to hire can help you by using the furniture in your house, they can help around with chores and be an extra pair of hands to help around.

We have all heard the phrase “There's no place like home” and there's a reason for that, and I don't mean the movie. Home is where we are most comfortable in, is where we feel the safest. It is where we want to be at the end of the day. Physical therapy is all about regaining strength and getting back to a healthy state of being, there's no place better to do that than home. For the kids of Autism Soccer, physical therapy, after any kind of injury playing sports, it's always better when it's done at home. These kids react better when they are in a familiar and comfortable place. They don't really like it when they have to visit new and strange places. Contact them now!

Pair physical therapy with another type of exercise, such as a sport. For example, soccer or yoga.

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How to Handle Bullying to Prevent Children's Harassment

Bullying often happens in public settings, like schools. 

Children tend to play rough by giving each other monikers, or playing handheld games which are, sometimes, part of their normal behavior. But what happens when those names and ‘friendly jokes’ are more mean-spirited? In those situations, when a joke stops being equal and it turns into a humiliation, it’s called “bullying”.

While this is a mild concern for most parents, for the ones with children with special needs, this is one of the most constant worries. What if their child’s life drastically change because of that targeted attack? It is known that one of the most frequent causes for kid’s psychological problems and bad behavior are bullying or harassment they might be receiving from other children.   

What’s defined as “bullying”?

It’s defined as a targeted attack towards another person with an intention to harm, whether it is physical or psychological. In fact, ignoring a particular person is also recognized as a form of bullying. These behaviors can be shown by one or a group of kids and, most of the time, this happens without adults seeing it directly. Sometimes, children lead bullying to high levels and this might turn into targeted violence, which often leads to a long-lasting trauma for the ones who receive the attacks.  

How to handle bullying or harassment?

As parents and caretakers, your obligation is to teach your children that they can ask you for help if they are being attacked. While teachers and other students see what happens in real time, it’s your job to identify the signs of your child is being bullied. Some of those are:

• Personal items lost without explanation.
• Sleeping problems.
• Changes in personal habits.
• Decreased appetite.
• Loss of interest in personally enjoyable activities.
• Faking illness.
• Lesions (bruises and such).
• Diminished self-esteem.

How to help them face bullying?

Once you’ve been able to identify the problem, it’s time to take action. Parents need to give alternatives to their children that will help them feel safer and more trusting of each of their companions at school or other activities. For that reason, it’s important to get to the root of the problem by identifying the bully and knowing why they are acting that way. That’s why it’s vital to get the help from professors and psychologists. In fact, most of the time, when this happens, children that are expressing aggression towards others were harmed that way in the past, or they are reflecting behaviors from home.

What can you do to help them?

• Teach them they can count on you.
• Let them know it’s ok to seek help.
• Help them overcome the fear and show confidence.
• Teach them to stand up to bullies the right way.
• Involve bullies' parents.
• Get assistance from professionals (professors and psychopedagogy).

You, as a parent, need to prepare yourself to deal with children when it comes to their personal safety. Make sure to have the right skills to help them deal with bullying, and help them overcome those situations. One of the things that might help your children overcome that frustration and bad emotions is playing a sport. That’s why you need to contact Autism Soccer. They have a team of people who help children reach their full potential regardless of their condition and, also, they help them gain trust and confidence to face the world after that stressful period.

You, as a parent, need to be aware of the signs that indicate children's harassment to make it stop. 

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