Autism Speaks Official Blog

If anyone knows how hectic life can get – WE DO! That’s why we have created the Autism Speaks Weekly Whirl to fill you in on all of the highlights of the week! The last thing we want is for you to be left out of the loop! Please share with friends and family to spread the word about all of the exciting things going on in the autism community. Keep in mind, these updates aren’t limited to Autism Speaks — we will be featuring news from across the community.

This week we are bringing you our favorite holiday blogs from across the web! We would like to wish you a wonderful holiday and a happy and healthy new year! 

Autism Christmas: Different but not less*
“Around the world families will be awoken by small children in the wee hours of the morning begging to see what Santa has left them in their stockings and under the tree. Later they will welcome guests or perhaps travel to see extended family for a special Christmas meal with all the fixings.” -Adventures in Extreme Parenthood

Nate’s Hanukkah list
“Nate isn’t one for surprises. He likes what he likes and that’s that. So when it comes time for his birthday, or Hanukkah, he types up a list of what he wants and we order it. The package gets delivered, he files his new stuff away with little to no fanfare and it’s over almost before it begins.” - Jeff Katz from Autism Support Network

About the Tree
“But the past couple years she has decided to ignore the Christmas tree completely. Like… Meh. I am not going to pay any attention to these crazy people putting a treein a  house. Rearranging my living room and oohhing and ahhing and carrying on and putting stuff under it that nobody can play with and stuff on it that’s not even fruit. If I can’t climb it, jump on it, hide under it, spin it, or eat it, it’s of no use to me. Tree, shmree. Whatever people.” -Rhema’s Hope

Christmas 2010
“I’m remembering a day that worked. A day in which every member of the family participated in the celebration of the holiday in his or her own way. A day upon which compromises were struck and expectations were sent out to sea. A day in which any unnecessary demands were dispatched. A day when small prizes were treasured and time was valued above all else. A day that never would have been possible just a few short years ago.”
-Diary of a Mom 

I HAVE A LITTLE DREIDEL (FOR AN SPD HANUKKAH)
“Any holiday can disrupt a family’s routine. One that is eight nights long can really change things up. My son, with all of his sensory issues, can’t sit through an organized Temple Tots celebration or anything like that. So for a successful holiday, we’ll be doing all our celebrating at home, just like I did when I was a kid. And this year, we’ll be making our Hanukkah sensory friendly.” – Alysia from The SPD Blogger Network

Christmas Magic
“Life as a special needs child is tough.  When she role-plays, I’m at once elated that she is developing her pretend play skills, and dismayed that her doll is “going to therapy” day after day. Childhood should be about wonder and magic, not mundane, routine therapy. So at this time of year, I find it even more important to put the wonder back into her life.” – Spectrummy Mummy from Hopeful Parents

A Season of Difference
“Schuyler understands how tribes are formed, I think, at least on some visceral level.  And rather than feeling overwhelmed at how we are spiritually out-of-sync with most of those around us, she is encouraged by our little pod of difference.  In her own way, Schuyler understands the concept of family better than most.” -Robert Hummul-Hudson from Support for Special Needs

Early Hanukkah
“Jacob actually yelled “Happy Hanukkah!” to everyone this year instead of “Merry Christmas!” which he used to be wont to do, as there is so much more of that in the world around him to catch his echolalic attention.”  - The Squashed Bologna

Autism’s Season of Hope
“It dawned on me that this could only mean one thing:  perhaps the experts had it wrong.  Perhaps it was actually his profound attachment to me that made him believe I was all-powerful, responsible for the lights and everything else around him. Perhaps it meant that Nat – though profoundly autistic – was deeply connected to me, after all.”
- Susan Senator with a forward from Lisa Belkin

Wonderful Christmas Time
“Last year, a few of my friends from my support group were talking about getting their kids’ pictures taken with Santa at the mall.  Or rather, not getting them.  The lines, the looks, the sensory overload…it was all too much for their kids.”  - Try Defying Gravity

The Spectrumville Christmas Letter
“It’s that time of year again to share with you our adventures in this journey we call life. 2011 has been another year of magic and wonder…” – Erica from Laughing Through Tears