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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jeni Cantley
HOPELights Media, LLC
360-609-0676
press@hopelightmedia.com
www.hopelightmedia.com
HOPELights™ Holiday Top Five Tips for Children With
Special Needs
Studies show there are over 10 million families in
the U.S. that have children with special needs who
experience some form sensory processing dysfunction,
making all children special this holiday season
PLANO, TX. – October X,
2010 – Holidays are a busy time of year, full of
activity from people to places that can easily over
stimulate children, especially those with special needs.
A survey by the Health Resources and Services
Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, found 10.2 million U.S. children in
the have special healthcare needs, or 14 percent of all
U.S. children. More than one-fifth of U.S. households
with children have at least one child with special
needs. HOPELights
holiday tips are designed to aid the families that love
and support special needs children—having guidance on
high-sensory events like the upcoming holidays are
critical.
According to the Center
for Disease Control, Autism Spectrum Disorder
dials in at an average of 1 in 110 children, while Down
Syndrome occurs 1 in every 800 births. [See related data
at:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html and
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/bd/ds.htm]. Many other
children experience a variety of issues from Mental
Retardation to Developmental Delays, Down Syndrome to
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety to Fragile X,
ADHD and so on.
Even typical needs
children go into over-drive. For example, one
study (Ahn,
Miller, Milberger, McIntosh, 2004) shows that at
least 1 in 20 children (with or without any other
diagnosis) are affected by SPD, a
term that refers to the way the nervous system receives
messages from the senses and turns them into appropriate
motor and behavioral responses.
“This means millions of
children in the United States have some sort of
challenge with things like loud noises, environmental or
event transitions, crowds, sensitivities to taste or
touch just to name a few,” said Dawn Grosvenor, founder
of HOPELight Media. “Which is why putting special
emphasis on how to help children and their families
through the holiday hustle and bustle is critical in
ensuring they have a positive, healthy and loving
interaction with friends and family. Holidays should be
cherished and foster positive memories that last a
lifetime. ”
HopeLights Holiday Top
Five Tips for Children With Special Needs:
1. Make a Visual Schedule
– Many children are used to routine, structure and
consistency, but much of this is lost during the
holidays. If your child can see it coming for days,
hours and minutes before it happens, transitions from
place to place or even events in your own home will be
more welcoming to your child.
2. Identify “Anchor” or
Transition Items – Most children have an attachment to a
favorite blanket, stuffed animal, toy or other item.
Make sure your child has his or her favorites nearby
especially if you are traveling. Let them carry a
special bag of their favorite goodies. It is a little
piece of home and helps them feel grounded and secure.
3. Establish Warm Up
Times and Personal Space Parameters – Holidays bring in
visitors or not-so-familiar faces that your child only
sees once or twice a year. It is important these
visitors give your child time to warm up and
re-establish a connection. Great Aunt Betty may not be
familiar right away, but she will be rewarded with a
warm interaction 20 minutes or so into her visit if Aunt
Betty and your child are prepared for the event.
4. Create and Communicate
Code Words – Special needs or not, every child hits a
melting point. Too many people, too many presents,
skipping or moving a nap time can lead to the
uncomfortable fit. As a parent, we can sometimes see
these coming or at the very least we can intervene at
the beginning. Talk with your family members before
everyone gets together and establish a “Code Word” and
ask them to help when you say this word or phrase. It
can be as simple as “Houston, we have a problem.” By
establishing code words with friends and relatives, this
lets them know when you and your child need a private
moment. You will be amazed how well they understand and
cooperate without hurt feelings and it takes the
pressure off of you.
5. Set Your Own
Expectations in Advance – As parents we sometimes expect
too much of ourselves, and put even more expectations on
the “perfect” holiday. Remember you are only one person
with only one goal, to love your children and ensure
they are safe and happy this holiday season. Create your
own To-Do lists and schedule plenty of time between
events and preparation of visitors so you are not
rushing through the holiday, but savoring each moment.
In honor of this holiday
season, for every new
annual HOPELights Children’s Activity Magazine
subscription for children with special needs purchased
in December 2010, a new subscription will be donated to
a child in pediatric hospice for the coming 2011
calendar year. [See related announcement at:
http://tinyurl.com/25a2wgm].
HOPELights magazine is
available in three subscription options starting as low
as $6.70 an issue with an annual subscription. To order
a subscription for your child or give to a child you
know this holiday season, go to
www.hopelightmedia.com.
About HopeLight Media
HOPELight Media, LLC was founded by Dawn Grosvenor,
mother of a daughter who was diagnosed with autism.
HOPELights serves the purpose of developing materials
and activities for special needs children that motivate
and educate through positive, holistic stimuli. The
materials are well suited across the range of special
needs and provides support to many levels of Autism,
Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, MR, Spinal Bifida,
Muscular Dystrophy and any child experiencing sensory or
cognitive delays.
The HOPELights magazine is the first of its kind
targeted specifically to support the sensory needs of
“differently-abled” youth. The company strives to
support the unique population of parents, families, and
children with an uncompromising, sustained effort of
inclusion and joy.
For more information, visit
www.hopelightmedia.com
or email hope@hopelightmedia.com
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© 2010 HOPELights Media. All
rights reserved.
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