Johnson County Autism Support Group, Inc.  609 Treybourne Drive, Suite D  Greenwood, IN  46143

 

Volume 1, Issue 1

Each year, the Johnson County Autism Support Group, Inc. offers grants to benefit Johnson County children with autism.

As part of our effort to partner with educators in our community, the grants are open to all Johnson County teachers, teacher aids, teacher assistants, school counselors, student groups, parent groups or other school organizations. The purpose is to fund projects, teaching aids and equipment that would enhance the school experience for kids with autism.

We also encourage community

groups to start programs targeting kids with autism. Special needs ministries created by churches, social groups  formed by parents and other unique programs are potential grant beneficiaries. 

Use your imagination to come up with original ideas that our children gain from and encourage others to do the same.

Applications can  be found on our website. Grant requests should describe the benefit to autistic students and should be submitted to JCASG no later than December 15, 2009.

If you are flying for the first time, it may be helpful to bring your child to the airport in advance and help them become accustomed to airport and planes.  Use social stories and pictures to rehearse.

7. Know your child and how much noise and activity they can tolerate. If you detect that a situation may be becoming overwhelming, help your child find a quiet area in which to regroup. And there may be some situations that you simply avoid (e.g., crowded shopping malls the day after Thanksgiving).

8.  Prepare a photo album in advance of the relatives and other guests who will be visiting during the holidays. Allow the child access to these photos at all times and also go through the photo album with your child while talking briefly about each family member.

9.  In preparation for the holiday season, you might want to practice opening gifts, taking turns and waiting for others, or giving gifts to others. Role play scenarios with your child in preparation for them getting a gift they do not want. Talk through this process to

avoid embarrassing moments with family members. You might also choose to practice certain religious rituals. Work with a speech language pathologists to construct pages of vocabulary or topic boards that relate to the holidays and family traditions.

10.  It may also be helpful to prepare family members for strategies to use to minimize anxiety or behavioral incidents, and to enhance participation. Help them to understand if your son/daughter prefers to be hugged or not, needs calm discussions, or provide other suggestions that will facilitate a smoother holiday season.

11.  If your child is on special diet, make sure there is food available that they can eat. Even  if they are not on a special diet, be cautious of the amount of sugar consumed. And while we are talking about health, try to maintain a sleep and meal routine.

12.  Above all, know your child. Know how much noise and other sensory input they can take.

Know their level of anxiety and the amount of preparation it may take. Know their fears, and

know those things that will make the season more enjoyable for them.