Y3K Tutor In Your Home | Brookline, Dover, Natick, Needham, Newton, Sudbury, Wayland, Wellesley, Weston areas

When children have special needs, those closest to them may suffer.  Parents of children with special needs often experience emotional problems such as fear, sadness, rage, loneliness, and guilt.  They also experience physical problems such as exhaustion and self-neglect.  Many report their health as “fair to poor“ and over half say their diets and exercise habits have deteriorated since their parenting responsibilities began.  They also report that they do not regularly keep their own medical appointments.  It is important for those caring for those with special needs to address and treat their own issues as well.

This year's Asperger's Association of New England (AANE) Laugh Out Loud Gala will be held at the Newton Marriott Hotel in Newton, MA.  Bid generously on the Y3K Tutor In Your Home tutoring and test prep auction donation.  As AANE receives no consistent government funding, they rely upon the community at large to help fund the Asperger's services they provide.  Your bid on our auction contribution ensures that AANE will be able to continue providing quality programs and services for individuals with Asperger's Syndrome and their families.

Movie theaters around the country are now welcoming Asperger’s and autistic customers.  Traditionally movie theaters can be over-stimulating and confining for people with Asperger’s and autism.  These Asperger’s and autism inviting movie theaters schedule monthly sensory-friendly movie showings.  During these showings the lights stay on and the sound stays low.

SELF-ESTEEM - Kids that feel bad about themselves and abilities most likely hate school too.  A lot of kids that are deemed “special ed” are discouraged that they are not achieving at the level they want to.

There are many ways certain theater productions are becoming Asperger’s and autism - friendly.  They welcome these patrons and address the sensory overload that usually would deter people with sensory problems from attending. Theaters keep the house lights on but just dimmed.  The play’s noise is reduced.  Actors are introduced to the audience out-of-character before the show begins.  Audience members have stress balls to squeeze during the performance.  People with Asperger’s or autism are free to get up and move around during the show.  If the music feels too overwhelming, they can escape to a designated quiet room.  Some shows offer a downloadable book telling them about the show before the day of the performance so they will know what to expect ahead of time.

Some theater productions are now welcoming Asperger’s and autistic patrons to the audience.  Many children with Asperger’s and autism have certain issues that must be addressed when attending traditional Broadway Theater. Loud sounds and bright lights can be overwhelming for children with sensory issues.  These kids tend to have their senses magnify the intensity and to them the sound seems louder and the light brighter. Some theaters both local and Broadway are making their show an experience all members of the community can enjoy.

Check back here to find out about some of the changes theaters are making to help people with Asperger’s and autism.

A great pleasure in life is having your student do what others including the know-it-all “experts” say your student cannot do.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

Students with Asperger’s or autism commonly experience anxiety.  They can be overwhelmed by the world around them.  Many have sensory problems in which they feel, hear, and see more sharply.  For example a doorbell might sound like a cannon and a clothing label may feel like a porcupine.  This can easily lead to stress. 

Slowing down, limiting stimuli, and training to better handle sensory stimulation can make a big difference for people with these challenges research suggests.  In future Y3K Tutor In Your Home Blog posts, we will offer advice on how to limit stimuli at home by creating a calming environment and how to better deal with situations traditionally over-stimulating such as at a theater.  If you have suggestions of what did or did not work for your child, please share with us so that we may post to help thousands of parent readers.

1/3 of children that have once been diagnosed with autism are no longer considered to be on the spectrum by the time they pass adolescence.