The good news? With each passing year, retailers, mall operators, fashion designers and performing arts venues are catching on to the needs of individuals with sensory sensitivities. This year’s sensory-friendly offerings are more prevalent than ever. We’ve compiled a list of sensory-friendly holiday experiences that may be available in your hometown or city.

1. Sensory-friendly shopping
Walmart, America’s largest retailer, announced recently that every one of its stores will have sensory friendly hours from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. every single day from now on. The decision came after the company offered sensory-friendly shopping hours on Saturdays during back-to-school shopping season that were extremely well-received by customers. During sensory-friendly hours, the store will dim overhead lights, turn off radios and change TV walls to static images. “During these hours, we hope our customers and associates will find the stores to be a little easier on the eyes and ears,” the company said in a press release. “These changes are thanks to those who shared their feedback on how their stores could help them feel like they belong.”

Target has also announced sensory friendly shopping hours for the holidays but so far, the policy is limited to a couple of the chain’s Ohio and Alabama locations. Stay tuned for announcements of more sensory friendly hours at Target and other retailers.

2. Sensory-friendly Santa events
This month, you’ll find Santa Cares events and photo opportunities at malls across the country. The events, offered in partnership with Autism Speaks, take place outside of normal shopping hours and feature reduced crowds and wait times, low lights and music volumes and Santas and staff members trained to understand the needs of individuals with disabilities.

3. Sensory-friendly entertainment
These days, sensory friendly entertainment has become par for the course. At holiday time, you can find lots of seasonally inspired options. For example, the legendary Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes offered an autism-friendly performance on Nov. 19. According to the theater development fund’s website, the show featured “slight adjustments to lighting and sound” and a break area staffed by specialists. Prior to the show, audience members were able to download an event narrative with photos of the theatre and the production. Visit the Rockettes website for other disability-friendly performances.

4. Sensory-friendly zoos and museums
During the holiday season, zoos such as the Bronx Zoo, the Columbus Zoo and the Southwick Zoo are providing sensory-friendly experiences and holiday light shows. Museums including the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Children’s Museum in Buffalo, New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh currently offer sensory friendly hours and/or special programming for visitors on the autism spectrum all year round.

5. Sensory friendly worship
Religious organizations are increasingly aware of the need to make congregants with family members on the autism spectrum feel more welcome at services. Check out organizations like the Autism Faith Network, New Jersey Special Needs Connection, Arise Special Needs Ministry,  Muhsen, and the Disabilities Inclusion Learning Center to find lists of autism-friendly religious services in your area. Congregations are adding services for members with disabilities all the time, so visit the websites of local houses of worship regularly to see what’s new.

The post Sensory-Friendly Holiday Guide appeared first on Enabling Devices.

Prior to becoming the Post’s first disability reporter in 2022, Morris, who is hearing impaired and the child of two deaf parents, served as the first New York Times reporting fellow to focus on disability issues. In an essay for the Times, Morris explained her role as follows:

“I aim to shift the way that the news media reports on and writes about disabled people. Some of my work dismantles long-held stigmas and negative attitudes that many people have toward disability — such as the flawed idea that having a disability is inherently bad or is limiting. I’ve never felt that my disability has made me “less”; instead, my disability is an important part of my identity and has given me a different perspective to offer the world.”

In August 2023, Morris won a $1,000 “Own Your Work” microgrant from Study Hall, a Brooklyn-based media newsletter and online support network for those working in the media space.

Morris says she will use the grant to create a website for the Society for Disabled Journalists, an entity that she and fellow disabled journalists Emyle Watkins, Shruti Rajkumar, Kate Guarino, Eric Garcia, Hannah Wise and Sara Luterman founded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She told Study Hall that the journalists plan “to create a place where disabled journalists can come together to share experiences and improve the way the industry treats disabled professionals.”

Though Morris brings her personal experience of disability to her work, she doesn’t pretend to know everything about the disabled people she interviews. She views each person as an individual and emphasizes that disability is just one aspect of a person’s identity.

“One of the hardest parts about reporting on disabled people is that there are so many different types of disabilities and their experiences vary widely,” writes Morris in the Times. “I’m not an expert on every disability, but the key to being a disability reporter is to acknowledge that — and listen to those who are.”

While the Society for Disabled Journalists may be the newest organization to support the work of journalists with disabilities, it isn’t the only one. Other similar organizations include the Disabled Journalist Association and Disabled Writers. These organizations are also dedicated to creating support and resources for reporters and writers working in other genres who happen to be disabled.

Additionally, The National Center on Disability Journalism, located at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, offers “support and guidance for journalists as they cover people with disabilities.” NCDJ is committed to ensuring that reporting about people with disabilities is fair and accurate, and that issues of importance to the disabled is not overlooked or under-covered.

The post Disabled Journalist Advocates for Fair and Equitable Coverage for Her Community appeared first on Enabling Devices.

1. Cook with your child
Cooking is a wonderful way to bond with your child. Not only does cooking teach important skills like math and reading, it also helps with attention, executive functioning and is a great way to provide sensory stimulation. Equally important, cooking is a way to help your child interact with food without the sort of expectations that may exist during mealtimes. When your child sees the ingredients used to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dish and feels a sense of accomplishment for their role in making it, they may be more enthusiastic about tasting it. If you’re lucky, they will begin to view Thanksgiving foods in a positive light.

2. Choose menu items thoughtfully
Look for Thanksgiving menu items that are well-suited to your child’s food preferences. As Autism Parenting blogger Rebecca Conik writes, “holiday casseroles are hard for hesitant eaters; you cannot quite tell what is in them, and it is hard to predict the taste. For the best chance of success in introducing and cooking new holiday dishes, choose recipes that are straightforward, customizable, and contain at least some familiar ingredients.”

3. Create a Thanksgiving Sensory Feast
A Thanksgiving sensory feast is a terrific way to expose children with ASD to new foods while teaching them about the meaning of the holiday. Music therapist Rachel Rambach recommends making pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce playdough; dry corn and dry stuffing sensory bins; and potatoes and gravy stamp paintings. For detailed instructions, see Rambach’s blog here.

4. Be flexible
Don’t stress yourself or your child by insisting that they eat everything on the Thanksgiving menu. Encourage them to try a couple of foods, but come prepared with some backup snacks to ensure that your child is sated and comfortable.

5. Choose autism-friendly ingredients
According to Gabriel Williams at Neural Balance, Thanksgiving can spell trouble for children with ASD who react poorly to diets high in gluten and casein. Williams recommends using organic ingredients that are gluten and casein-free. In addition, be mindful of the turkey you select. “Any turkey that has been injected with anything is likely to contain allergens, writes Williams. “Some farms will use arsenic on the feed, which in turn becomes ingested and stays in the meat of the turkey.”

For some autism friendly recipes, visit Neural Balance here.

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Yet, for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities, whether congenital or acquired, learning to play a musical instrument can be challenging. Thankfully, advances in technology have made it possible for even the most severely impaired to make music. Here are some options for your budding musician.

1. Switch activated instruments
Adaptive musical instruments available through Enabling Devices include our switch-adapted Drum, Drumbourine, Bongo Drums, Lighted Musical Tambourine, Little Rock Star Guitar and Band Jam. Any of them will have you or your child rocking out in a flash!

2. EyeHarp
Created by musician and computer scientist Zacharias Vamvakousis in 2010, EyeHarp is the first musical instrument that can be played using only eye gaze or head movements. According to the company’s website, the eye harp is appropriate for individuals with “cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, amputation of an upper limb or spinal cord injury, as well as to those with intellectual disabilities.” The digital instrument “offers the same expressive qualities as any traditional instrument.” Check it out at eyeharp.org.

3. MiMu gloves
Musician Imogen Heap developed these groundbreaking gloves that enable wearers musicians to compose and play music by gesturing. According to soundbrenner.com, MiMu gloves “track the position, direction, velocity, and posture of the hand. They can be programmed to trigger and perform custom musical functions.” Learn more here.

4. Subpac
Like MiMu gloves, Subpac is a wearable device. The Subpac resembles a vest and works by transferring “deep bass frequencies onto the body to create an immersive experience.” This device is most useful for musicians with hearing loss. More information is available at shop.subpac.com.

5. Clarion
Created by Open Up Music in the UK, the clarion is an award-winning accessible instrument that can be played using any part of the body. According to Open Orchestras, “Clarion software works seamlessly with assistive technology hardware that young disabled people use in their everyday lives, such as EyeGaze or Infrared head trackers.” Available on iPad and PC, the clarion is customizable so the musician can change setting to meet their individual needs. To learn more, visit openorchestras.org.

6. Jamboxx
The Jamboxx resembles a harmonica and is controlled entirely by the musician’s breath. Use the breath to vary expression, bend notes and coolest of all, change instruments with the click of a button. Find more information at https://www.jamboxx.com/.

Photo courtesy of JamBoxx

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New York’s annual race is the largest marathon in the world and one of the World Marathon Majors.

In the women’s wheelchair race, Catherine Debrunner won her first NYC Marathon finishing in 1 hour 39 minutes and 32 seconds and breaking the race’s all-time record by more than three minutes. Debrunner won $35,000 for winning her division and another $50,000 for setting the new course record.

In an ESPN interview, quoted by the New York Times, Debrunner said: “I knew it was the toughest marathon and it was my first time. I came away much earlier than expected and I did the whole race by myself. It means the world to me. I won the whole marathon series and that’s so insane. It’s been a fairy-tale season.”

Marcel Hug, aka the Silver Bullet, won the men’s race for the third time in a row, breaking the record for consecutive wins in the NYC’s men’s wheelchair marathon. Hug ran the course in one hour and 29 seconds, just three seconds short of his 2022 record. The NYC marathon win – Hug’s sixth — also broke Kurt Fearnley’s record five NYC Marathon wins. Hug is also the first person to win all six World Marathon Majors in the same year. He was awarded $35,000 for winning his division.

After the race, Hug told ESPN that his win was “incredible. At the moment, I’m just so, so tired. It was really tough. But I’m happy as well.”

The 26.2-mile NYC Marathon has included wheelchair races since 2000. The first races were won by Kamel Ayari and Anh Nguyen Thi Xuan.

Hug and Debrunner aren’t the only disabled marathoners who made headlines this year.

Back in March, Alex Roca, a runner with cerebral palsy, became the first person in the world with a 76 percent disability to complete a full marathon. A native of Catalonia, Spain, the 32-year-old runner completed the Barcelona Marathon in 5 hours, 50 minutes and 51 seconds. Roca developed CP after contracting cerebral herpes as a baby. The condition left Roca with impaired mobility on his left side, and the athlete communicates exclusively through sign language. Prior to the marathon, Roca told Spanish newspaper El Mundo, “the limit is up to you, and if you want to achieve an objective, whatever difficulties you have, with attitude, willpower, perseverance and resilience, you can achieve everything you propose. And if you do not achieve it, you will have given everything and must feel gratified.”

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Meanwhile, an Oct. 2022 article in the New York Times headlined “These Doctors Admit They Don’t Want Patients with Disabilities,” reveals shocking details about the ways in which doctors avoid treating patients with disabilities.

In light of all this, we were pleased to see a recent press release about the Orlando, Florida-based SMILE with Stella Tremonti Down Syndrome Clinic, aka SMILE, a brand new health center that’s part of AdventHealth for Children.

SMILE, which opened on Oct. 17, provides interdisciplinary treatment for individuals with Down syndrome from birth through adulthood. The clinic is named for 2-year-old Stella Tremonti, daughter of Mark Tremonti, former guitar player for the Grammy Award-winning band Creed, and his wife Victoria, who are founding donors for the project. Additional partners for SMILE include the National Down Syndrome Society and the Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida. It is the first such facility in the Southeast and one of 11 across the U.S. that specialize in holistic treatment for people with Down syndrome.

Every year, approximately 5,100 children in the United States are born with Down syndrome and about 200,000 people in the U.S. currently live with the chromosomal condition. Thanks to scientific advances, lifespans of individuals with Down syndrome have risen dramatically in the last six-plus decades. In 1960, the average person with Down syndrome lived to be only 10 years old. Today, the average lifespan of a person with Down is 60 years of age. While this is a wonderful development, it also means that many more individuals with Down syndrome will, as they age, experience a variety of medical conditions that are more common to people with Down syndrome. These conditions include heart defects, hearing and vision problems, leukemia, gastrointestinal ailments and dental problems. Unfortunately, identifying primary care doctors and specialists willing and able to treat individuals with Down syndrome can be extremely challenging, especially once patients reach adulthood.

In a press statement, Dr. Stacy McConkey, medical director of pediatrics at the
SMILE clinic, explained that “navigating life with a child who has Down syndrome can be overwhelming for parents to do on their own. Individuals with Down syndrome require yearly screenings and testing, bi-annual appointments with cardiologists, orthopedists and other specialists, regular check-ups to monitor hearing and vision, as well as speech, occupational and physical therapies. To be that central provider holding families’ hands along the way and making sure all of the specialists are on the same page, it’s incredible to see how our health care professionals come together to make a difference in a child’s future.”

Mark Tremonti said “After we found out our daughter would be born with Down syndrome, like most parents I was afraid, I didn’t know what to expect. But it immediately became my family’s mission to raise awareness and support for the Down syndrome community,” said Mark Tremonti. “My dream for this clinic is for people to come from around the country or even from around the world because it’s the best and most comprehensive place for individuals with Down syndrome.”

For more information about the SMILE program, visit adventhealth.com/hospital/adventhealth-children/down-syndrome-program.

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As we’ve written in the past, adaptive apparel is designed to make dressing easier and more comfortable for individuals with disabilities. Some examples? Magnets instead of buttons; shoes without laces; apparel without tags, labels and scratchy fabrics; and garments that provide easy access to the stomach for medical devices.

According to The Conversation, “The key to effective adaptive clothing is catering for the vast array of needs different consumers have, while maintaining style and fashionability.”

The NFL’s new offerings include long and short-sleeved T-shirts with magnet snaps on the shoulders, and fleece crewnecks and hoodies with adaptive side zippers and buttons down the back, which make it easy to take on and off. The gear is available for fans of any of the league’s 32 teams. The NFL is the first professional sports league to offer adaptive garments but hopefully not the last.

In a statement provided to USA Today, Joe Ruggiero, SVP of Consumer Products at the NFL, said “our apparel is created with the fan in mind and with the design expertise offered by industry leader, G-III, we produced the League’s first-ever adaptive and assisted apparel that serves our diverse fanbase. The collections will allow fans to cheer on their favorite team with confidence, comfort and independence.”

Carl Banks, President of G-III’s Sports Division made this statement: “G-III is proud to design the first adaptive and assisted apparel fashion collections for NFL fans. These collections make sports apparel more inclusive than ever before and are a natural expansion of the classic sports collection we already produce for the NFL. Our innovative designers were able to create apparel that is super functional and provides new options to empower fans to express themselves, as they confidently support their NFL team of choice.”

NFL apparel comes in sizes small to 2XL and ranges in price from $44.99 for a short sleeve T-shirt to $64.99 for a hoodie. The gear is available at the NFL’s online shop.

Let the games begin!

Photo credit: Eric Espino/NFL

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“A strong workforce is the sum of many parts, and disability has always been a key part of the equation,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams in a press release. “People with disabilities make up a wonderfully multifaceted group. By recognizing the full complexion of our community, we can ensure our efforts to achieve disability inclusion are, in fact, truly inclusive.”

This year’s NDEAM theme is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation.” But how equitable is the American workforce and what is the current status of disabled workers in our country? The answer is complicated.

This week’s blog looks at disability employment – the advances worth celebrating and the path forward.

Worth celebrating:

1. Record-breaking employment numbers
During the pandemic, employment of disabled workers rose dramatically. After vaccines became available and COVID deaths plummeted, many in the disability community feared the upward trajectory would end. Happily, the reverse was true. In fact, the latest employment numbers for people with disabilities are stronger than ever. According to a new report from the Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD), in September 2023 the employment-population ratio for disability employment stood at 37.9 %.To provide some context, in 2019, it was just 19.3%.

2. Remote work is here to stay.
A major reason employment rates among disabled workers rose during the pandemic, was because remote work became widely available. Since mobility and travel are difficult for many people with disabilities, the ability to work from home made it possible for a large number of disabled individuals to enter the workforce.

Disability activists feared that once the pandemic slowed, employers would insist that workers return to the office. Though some have, they’ve encountered resistance from employees with and without disabilities and many have continued to allow remote work.

3. Diversity in the workplace is viewed more positively
In recent years, study after study has proven that diversity is good for business. As employers have become more aware of this fact, they are making greater efforts to accommodate disabled workers. In some cases, employers are even creating programs specifically geared toward training intellectually and developmentally disabled workers.

4. Assistive technology boom
Video conferencing services such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams as well as improvements in assistive technology have made it easier for employers to accommodate the needs of all their employees.

5. Adoption of telehealth programs
During the pandemic, medical and healthcare businesses accelerated their use of telehealth services. Most have continued to utilize telehealth, opening up new positions for disabled individuals with skills in health and mental health care.

 6. Online training opportunities
In recent years, remote training and higher education opportunities have increased dramatically, making it convenient and more affordable for individuals with disabilities to gain career skills and certifications that made them more attractive to employers.

 The path forward:

While all of the developments we’ve mentioned are good news, it’s important to recognize that disability employment rates are still dismal when compared to non-disabled employment numbers. Likewise, disabled individuals who are employed are approximately twice as likely to work part-time than their non-disabled counterparts. Additionally, employees with disabilities are often paid less than non-disabled employees for the same jobs.

Though employers are becoming more cognizant of the value that disabled employees offer, some remain uninformed about the simple and inexpensive steps they can take to make their workplaces more accommodating and inclusive. They may also be unaware of their implicit biases against disabled people. That’s where celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month can help. NDEAM helps to educate employers and other non-disabled people about the strengths and talents of people with disabilities, breaking down stereotypes, challenging assumptions and encouraging prospective employers and colleagues to welcome disabled employees and co-workers.

For more information about how you can help raise awareness about both the obstacles facing disabled workers and ways to overcome those obstacles, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

The post It’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month! appeared first on Enabling Devices.

• Satisfied from providing excellent care to your child or adult family member.
• Pleased about giving back to someone you care for.
• A sense of purpose and meaning in your life from caring for someone else.
• Pride and personal growth from work you value.

But caregiving is also tremendously demanding. In your caregiving role you may be responsible for everything from preparing meals and administering medications, to bathing, dressing and toileting.

As you tend to your family member’s needs, it’s vital to pay attention to your own needs as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes many potential physical, mental and emotional caregiving health effects. Implementing self-care practices is a proven way to keep your health in check — and keep doing the job you love.

Follow our six-step caregiver self-care checklist to stay healthy and feel supported, cared for and empowered.

1. Manage Your Physical Health

Caregivers advocate for their family member’s health at doctor’s appointments. Are you an advocate for your own physical health? Addressing your medical concerns enables you to stay healthy so that you can care for your family.

Make sure daily exercise is built into your routine, whether you go to the gym, walk around your neighborhood or do yardwork. Regular exercise — regardless of its intensity — can help you:

• Become more flexible.
• Improve your balance.
• Increase your strength.
• Enhance your endurance.
• Feel more energetic.
• Be alert.
• Get better sleep.

When you feel sick, don’t wait. Make an appointment to visit your doctor. A trusted adult can care for your family member while you heal. And you will prevent other family members from getting sick.

2. Have Your Own Hobbies and Interests

Some caregivers spend a lot of time caring for their family member and little to no time on hobbies or activities they enjoy. A healthy approach to time management and mental health means establishing a balance between your family member’s well-being and your own.

If you’re a caregiver, aim to divide your time and energy between yourself and your child or adult family member. As you provide care, take the time to participate in your hobbies and interests. Doing something you enjoy can help boost your mental health.

Positive caregiver hobbies and interests include:

• Keeping in touch with your friends.
• Reading.
• Cooking new recipes or favorite dishes.
• Knitting and crocheting.
• Doing gardening and yardwork.
• Playing a musical instrument.
• Painting and drawing pictures.

3. Set Reasonable Expectations and Barriers

Caregivers can put too much emphasis on perfection. If you find the following statements ring true for you, you may need to reconsider your expectations:

• You think you are responsible for your family member’s health.
• You believe you are the only person who can take care of this child or adult.
• You rarely consider or address your own needs.
• You think it would be selfish to put your needs first.

These thought patterns can impact your mental health. Since many factors are out of your control, it’s unrealistic to think that you can guarantee a family member’s well-being. Unrealistic expectations, beliefs and attitudes can prevent you from taking good care of yourself.

Managing and setting your expectations can lower your stress and make you a better caregiver. You can begin adjusting your mindset by:

• Acknowledging your patterns and correcting them.
• Engaging in positive self-talk if you’re being hard on yourself.
• Taking care of your needs to keep your physical and mental health in check.

4. Take a Break

Caregiving can be a 24/7 job, yet caregivers need to take some time for themselves each day. Build some break times into your day and life — even if they’re brief — so you can feel rejuvenated and refreshed. You’ll be a better caregiver when you feel energized and motivated to return to your caregiver role.

Caring for yourself as a caregiver could mean taking breaks to:

• Go for a walk.
• Take a relaxing bath.
• Read a book.
• Take a trip with friends.
• Book a getaway with your partner.

5. Pay Attention to Your Emotional Health

Caregivers need to manage their mental and emotional health to care for themselves and their family member. Caregiving can make you feel many emotions, and these feelings are natural and valid. Acknowledging and understanding your emotions allows you to address them before they become unmanageable.

Some caregivers feel stress, which can lead to:

• Feeling sad, depressed or irritable.
• Having low energy.
• Oversleeping or having trouble falling asleep.
• Crying often.
• A change in eating habits.

You can manage your stress by:

• Recognizing the signs of stress in your thoughts and behaviors.
• Identifying the sources of your stress and finding ways to deal with them.
• Engaging in stress-reducing activities like meeting a friend or taking a walk
• Practicing stress-reduction techniques like yoga or meditation.

If your emotional distress is intense, speak to a physician or mental health professional about treatment options.

6. Ask for and Accept Help

Some caregivers hesitate to ask others for help or accept offers of help from others. Taking care of a child or adult with special needs does not have to be your sole responsibility — it’s okay to let others help you.

Most likely, there are people in your community willing to support you and your child or adult family member. You can seek help from reliable and trustworthy adults, including:

• Family members.
• Friends.
• Professional caregivers.
• Health care providers.
• Community services.
• Support groups.

Consider respite care to get short-term professional care for the child or adult if you plan to take an extended break from caregiving, such as for out-of-town plans or a vacation.

Depending on your family member’s abilities and interests, you can ask a trusted adult to:

• Take the child or adult on a walk or to an inclusive playground.
• Run errands for you.
• Prepare a meal for your family.
• Mow your lawn.

Browse Assistive Technology From Enabling Devices Today

Caregivers of children and adults with special needs must remember their own needs and practice self-care to stay healthy. Self-care is not selfish — knowing how to take care of yourself is critical because it allows you to be a better caregiver to your family member. These caregiver self-care ideas can help you care for yourself physically, mentally and emotionally, so you can be there for your family member.

Enabling Devices has various products to help people with disabilities participate in the world. For over 40 years, we have designed and manufactured capability switches, communicators, and switch-adapted and switch-activated toys. Browse our shop online or contact us for more information today.

The post 6 Ideas for Self-Care as a Caregiver: Why It Matters and How to Take Care of Yourself appeared first on Enabling Devices.

What makes a costume adaptive? According to website The Bump, adaptive costumes “are outfitted with accessibility features—such as discreet openings for feeding tubes or medical devices, or silhouettes intended for those who use wheelchairs, aren’t ambulatory or may spend a lot of time seated or lying down.”

Until recently, parents who wanted to provide comfortable and creative costumes for their children with disabilities had no choice but to make them themselves. Fortunately, in recent years, retailers such as Target, Party City and Disney have carried a selection of adaptive costumes and wheelchair decorations that appeal to a variety of interests and imaginations. Here are some examples of cool costumes for the trick-or-treater in your life.

1. For the Princess who Likes an Epic Ride:
Your child will be the belle of the ball when she arrives for trick-or-treating in this Princess Carriage Halloween Costume Wheelchair Cover with Headpiece from Target. This 13-piece set, which retails for $35, includes wheelchair wheel, side and back covers plus hook-and-loop tape. A princess crown tops off the look!

2. For the Minnie Mouse Maven:
The Minnie Maven in your life will swoon over this pink, sparkly, satin dress and matching Minnie Mouse ears. This costume is designed with openings at the abdomen and in the back to accommodate your child’s needs. Available at Target.

3. For the Batman in Your Life:
Your child will look positively heroic in this Adaptive Batman costume that includes a top with an accessibility flap, seatless pants, a cape, and matching mask. Available at Target.

4. For the Police Officer Who’s on Halloween Duty:
Dress up your little one’s wheelchair like a police squad car and let her patrol the neighborhood searching for candy! In addition to wheelchair panels and wheel covers, this complete set includes a police hat! Available at Party City.

5. For Dash Incredible:
Your kid will look “incredible” in this cool Disney Store adaptive costume designed with openings in the arm sleeve, stomach and pant inseam openings for easy accessibility. Available at Walmart.

6. For Your Little Mermaid:
Your Halloween is destined to go swimmingly well when your child tours the neighborhood in this adaptive wheelchair wrap with matching mermaid hairpiece. Purchase the mermaid costume for the whole look!

7. For the Harry Potter Fan:
This adaptive Harry Potter costume will enchant your youngster. Designed for comfort and accessibility, it ensures a magical Halloween.

The post Have a Happy and Accessible Halloween! appeared first on Enabling Devices.

While any child can be a target for bullies, “children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied than their non-disabled peers,” according to the Pacer Center. Bullying takes a tremendous toll on victims, who may experience a variety of adverse reactions including:

• School avoidance
• Falling grades
• Low self-esteem
• Fear
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Substance use
• Suicidal ideation

What’s more, research finds that the impacts of childhood bullying can be felt long after bullying has subsided. Adults who were bullied during childhood and adolescence experience higher rates of mental and physical health problems; have more difficulty maintaining personal relationships; are less successful in their professional lives; and even make less money than individuals who weren’t victimized as children. Additionally, when bullying takes place, it doesn’t just harm victims. Bystanders and the bullies themselves may also face negative consequences.

So, how can you help to prevent bullying? Experts recommend the following actions which can be taken during the month of October and any time of year.

1. Recognize the signs of bullying
According to Stopbullying.gov, bullying is defined as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.” There are several different types of bullying – verbal, physical and social aka relational bullying. In recent years, cyberbullying has become a pervasive and extremely damaging form of bullying.

2. Help your child to recognize the signs of bullying
Some children, especially those with developmental disabilities, may not recognize when they are being bullied and may not know that they don’t have to put up with hurtful behavior from peers. Let your child know what bullying entails and assure them that they do not deserve to be treated badly by classmates.

3. Let your child know you’re available to listen without judgment
Some children may be afraid that telling an adult about bullying will cause the bully to retaliate. Children may also feel ashamed, confused or helpless to stop bullying. If your child comes to you with concerns about bullying, listen calmly, let your child know that you believe them, but don’t rush in to fix the situation for them. Instead, ask open-ended questions to learn more about what’s going on, and find out how your child wants to handle it. Then, work with your child to come up with a plan of action. Avoid telling a child to stand up to a bully; suggesting the child just ignore a bully’s behavior; or minimizing the impact of bullying with adages like “Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me…,” “Boys will be boys,” or “Girls are catty.” These will only discourage your child from sharing their struggles. Arrange for your child to meet with a counselor or mental health provider to ensure that they have the support they need to handle the repercussions that come with bullying.

4. Know your child’s rights
Bullying isn’t a new phenomenon. Indeed, it’s existed throughout human history. It was not until the late 1990s, however, that Americans began to take notice of its serious consequences. The first law against bullying was enacted by the Georgia General Assembly in 1999. Today, all 50 states have laws prohibiting bullying. While there is no federal law against bullying, according to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, “in some cases, bullying overlaps with discriminatory harassment which is covered under federal civil rights laws enforced by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).”

5. Work with your child’s school
If you determine that bullying needs to be reported to your child’s school, be prepared to express your concerns and priorities clearly and calmly and do your best to listen to feedback from school personnel without becoming defensive or overly emotional. Make sure you understand how the school plans to respond to your concerns and follow up to make sure that the plan is enforced. Keep notes on any meetings you attend. Be prepared to move up the chain of command in your school district if you don’t feel the situation is being handled appropriately.

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1. Admire fall foliage
Fall is the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors. Visit a local park with accessible hiking trails; embark on a driving tour; or even take a fall foliage train ride to see the changing leaves in all their glory. The colorful scenery, clean fresh air, flocks of birds flying south and the sounds of the leaves under foot provide a truly fabulous feast for the senses.

2. Carve a pumpkin
Whether you purchase one at a supermarket or visit a neighborhood pumpkin patch, pumpkin carving offers an array of sensory experiences. Designate an adult with excellent fine motor skills to carve the pumpkin. Observers can participate by touching the pumpkin, noticing its physical characteristics and coming up with ideas for what the carving should look like. Once the pumpkin is carved, let observers touch the gooey insides of the pumpkin and smell the pumpkin’s sweet aroma. Cap the experience by cooking and tasting pumpkin seeds, or making and eating some pumpkin pie.

3. Go apple-picking
Visit a local orchard to learn about and sample the variety of apples available. Is the apple sweet or tart? What is the apple’s texture and color? Pick the apples you like best, take them home and make an apple pie or apple sauce. Taste and enjoy!

4. Take a hayride
If accessible, take a hayride. Feel the wind in your face, the texture and smell of hay, and enjoy the slow bumpy ride. Nothing says fall like a hayride!

5. Pick leaves
While a trip to a park is great fun, you can pick leaves just about anywhere. Recognize the colors, shapes and textures of leaves from different trees. Listen to the sound of the leaves when you crumple them in your hands, or walk and ride over them in your wheelchair. Then come home and make a leaf collage.

 6. Make a fall sensory bin
You know those leaves you picked? They can go into a fall sensory box which may also include gourds, mini pumpkins, acorns, dried corn husks, kernels and beans. Add some plastic measuring cups and scoopers, and let the kids touch, scoop and pour. Sensory box users who don’t have use of their hands can try Enabling Devices’ switch-activated pouring cups to get in on the fun.

While you enjoy these sensory activities, start your Halloween planning. It’s time to for kids and older Halloween enthusiasts to decide how they want to dress for the holiday. Think about favorite book, TV and movie characters they may want to portray, and begin brainstorming about costume ideas. Look for Enabling Devices’ upcoming Halloween blogpost for more ideas.

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