Special Needs Trust

What will happen to my child with special needs when I am gone or no longer able to provide care?” This question haunts many families. Whether your loved one is four or forty, you never know how long you will be here. Start Planning Now Write A Letter of Intent- with detailed written instructions about your child A letter of intent should include general information and background about your loved one, medical history, present and future housing arrangements, daily living skills, favorite leisure activities, rights and values you want to preserve, legal papers and their location, circle of friends and professionals, final arrangements and whatever else will help caregivers enable your loved one. . Select guardianship carefully When your child reaches 18 years of age, you need to become LEGALLY his /her guardian You also need to select the right person to be his future guardian after you are no more. The guardian should be able to make decisions as needed and according to the Letter of Intent. More often than not, however , few people are interested or willing to take on the responsibility. Discuss who will provide care Who is available to help? Don’t assume that other family members will take responsibility. Discuss the topic openly, so that each member can decide what role, if any, he or she will assume. Remember, these decisions often involve a lifelong commitment. If there are no siblings and if no one comes forward, consider forming a parent group or association Consider establishing a Special Needs Trust A special needs trust provides professional money management of assets and funds for your loved one’s care. A Special Needs Trust is of no value without funding. It is often recommended that minimal funding take place during the parent’s lifetime. Many people purchase life insurance on the parent, naming the trust as beneficiary. It’s also possible to make the trust the beneficiary of wills, annuities and qualified plan assets. Other family members and friends who want to help out can be encouraged to put money directly into the trust. Seek professional advice Many people will want to help, but few are qualified in this complex field. Find specialists with an expertise in special needs planning, including attorneys who specialize in special needs situations. Creating a financial strategy for a family member with special needs can be demanding, time-consuming and frustrating. But your effort will be worth it down the road, both for you and other family members. Above all, the preparations you make now can help assure your loved one with special needs will be financially secure when you are no longer able to provide for them.

AAC DEVICES ALTERNATIVE AND AUGMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION

http://barrierbreak.com/resources/communication-with-aac-devices/

six-practical-tips-to-help-improve-conversation-skills-for-students-with-autism-spectrum-disorders

http://www.challengingminds.com/six-practical-tips-to-help-improve-conversation-skills-for-students-with-autism-spectrum-disorders-.html

23-ways-to-communicate-with-a-non-verbal-child

http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/04/16/23-ways-to-communicate-with-a-non-verbal-child/

Realistic And (Almost) Totally Free Ways To Get Respite for special needs parents

When it comes to talking about respite for special needs parents, the most common piece of advice seems to be 'It's important to take time out for yourself away from the kids’. But there’s something about this that I really want to know... Is there a parent out there who isn’t already doing that if they have the option? This bit of advice is based on the stereotype that special needs parents are stoic martyrs who need to be encouraged to take a break. We don’t need to be reminded that respite is important, every parent knows that it’s the key to preventing burnout. The truth is that this kind of relief is out of reach for many special needs families, and if they do manage to get some it’s nowhere near enough. What do you do when taking time for yourself isn’t an option? When you don’t have family or friends who can look after your kids? When you can’t afford a babysitter, even if you could find one to cope with your kids’ needs? When you’re a single parent who can’t tag team with a partner? When the waiting list for respite services in your area is months or even years long? The reality is that the parents who are the most in need of respite are the least likely to get it. This is a dangerous situation which is rarely talked about, most likely because it’s a problem for which there are no easy solutions. But this is exactly what many special needs parents need to know - how to survive when taking time for yourself is impossible. So let’s look beyond the easy answer and talk about respite options that are available to everybody. Finding realistic ways to get relief Knowing that you desperately need a break but are unlikely to get one makes you feel hopeless and powerless, which just sends you hurtling even quicker towards this thing called burnout. So we need to change the way that we think about respite, to talk about more realistic options that help us to stay afloat every day instead of saving our sanity occasionally. Because burnout isn’t caused by one big entity called Special Needs. It comes from a ton of little (and not-so-little) challenges that en masse create an overwhelming, unrelenting and unbearable amount of stress. So preventing burnout isn’t as simple as waiting for the Magical Respite Fairy to appear on your doorstep once a month and take the kids out while you sink into a bubble bath with a glass of wine and a good book. The realistic solution to respite is finding ways to give yourself the breaks that you need even when you can’t get time to yourself. It’s about getting relief by doing a lot of little things, every day, to stop the escalating cycle of pressure that this kind of parenting stress can bring. And it starts with the realization that as a special needs parent you need lots of different types of respite - emotional, mental and physical: A break from the intense barrage of feelings and the roller coaster of highs and lows Relief from information overload and a mind that’s working overtime to find solutions Periods of rest and physical recuperation All of these count towards reducing the cycle of pressure that leads to burnout. This is good news because you can get consistent doses of this kind of respite every single day, even when the kids are around and without spending a lot of money... it just requires a lot of thinking outside the box. So take a look at your day and find the places where you can take an emotional, mental or physical break, no matter how small. Block out sound You can keep an eye on the kids without listening to them. Give yourself a break from the constant sensory onslaught by blocking out noise with ear plugs or listening to some soft music with headphones - stealing a few moments of peace will give you the chance for some mental rest or to actually finish a thought or two. Take an emotional holiday Press pause on the frustration, disappointment and anger by spending time looking through a good day library of things that trigger happy memories. Flood your mind with images of fun days, smiley faces, successes and achievements. Go for a drive If your kids don’t mind being in the car, use that to your advantage. Pick up a drive-through coffee and take the scenic route or park somewhere interesting. There have been days where this has literally saved my sanity - the change of scenery, something yummy and knowing that the kids were safely contained in their carseats gave me much-needed mental breathing room from the constant vigilance and cabin fever of being at home. Read less Arming yourself with knowledge is important, but there’s only so much advice and information you can cram in before you start hitting information overload. Your mind has to work harder to process and remember new things, so give it a break by pacing yourself and mixing in some easier stuff for it to do. Phone it in Allow yourself one day a week where you do the bare minimum needed to keep your family afloat - feed people, clean anything unhygienic and keep everyone out of trouble. That’s it. That’s the sum total of your goals for the day. Schedule the rest of your week around it so you don’t have to interrupt your break with errands, groceries, appointments or anything else that requires you to change out of those pajama pants. Swap the kids I’ll be honest, at every play date there’s a moment where I look over at the other parent and wonder why we both have to be there. We’re done with the coffee and the small talk, the kids are off playing... one of us could be home taking a nap. If your kids have friends they like to hang out with, don’t squander the potential. Arrange to look after the friends at your house for an hour/afternoon/day, with their parents returning the favour the next week. It’s win-win. Say yes to screens 
If you have kids who will sit independently to play a computer game or watch TV then use that time to take a break - and don’t feel guilty. Those limits surrounding healthy screen time were made for someone else with a different set of challenges and priorities. Phone a friend Don’t wait until you have a spare moment to sit down or when the kids are quiet, because that moment's never coming. Get yourself a hands free headset so you can talk to a buddy while running around or doing housework. Sharing your day with someone else gives you a reprieve from doing it all alone and can help to relieve that pressure valve just a little. Get off Facebook Yes it can be an important lifeline of support and friendship, but your feed is also a VIP ticket to ride the emotional roller coaster. Sad thing, funny thing, angry thing, puppies! Hop off that train every now and then to take a break on more steady ground. Take a break from worry You don’t have to solve all the problems today... but your mind doesn't know that. Every time you worry it sets your mental gears into overdrive as they try to come up with a solution. So give yourself a break every day where you don't allow yourself to fret about how you're going to afford that equipment or whether you should be doing more hours of therapy or trying a gluten-free diet. Set up a play pen The need for constant vigilance is exhausting. If the kids are able to be contained somewhere safe where they can still play and you can see them, then do it. Or conversely, use it to block them from getting into areas that cause a problem - play chess with their brother or drink your hot coffee inside the play pen. Bribe a teenager Okay, so the reality is that you’re never going to be able to leave your kids home alone with the teenage babysitter next door. So flip it - take the kids with you and leave her at home to vacuum or do your laundry in exchange for a bag of Doritos and some alone time. Feed a therapist Early intervention and physical therapists are often college students or recent graduates who might be glad to swap some extra babysitting for a home-cooked meal. The bonus is that they’re someone you can trust who already understands your kid’s needs. Share the driving Set up a carpool with a friend or other local school parents for drop-offs and pickups. Not only will it free up the driving time for other things, it will give you a break from the mental stress of traffic and all those transitions in and out of the car. Learn to say no There’s only so much of you to go around and right now your kids need it all. So until you find yourself overflowing with energy, give yourself a reprieve from volunteering for the bake sale or helping your cousin move house. You’ll help out when you can afford the time and right now you’re broke. Find the funny Laughter is your body’s natural pressure valve - it lowers anxiety, boosts your immune system and releases pain-killing endorphins. But the best part of laughing is that it’s like a little holiday from your mental day job, getting you out of your headspace even if just for a moment. So spend more time with people that make you laugh, make a slideshow of funny photos, play with your dog, join in with the kids’ games... surround yourself with stuff that makes you smile. Start a respite gift fund People want to give you gifts. You know they’re going to do it, they know they’re going to do it, so why not make it easy for them to give you something that you really, really want... a fricken break. Set up an account where friends and family can contribute to a specific gift like ten hours of babysitting, or set one up on a site like Shareagift. The bottom line Respite can be a realistic goal for you. You don't have to put your sanity and health on the shelf while you wait for that elusive break away from the kids. Taking small mental, physical and emotional breaks every day can add up over time to give you a more sustained relief from the pressure and challenges that you're facing.

teach kids to tell time

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2970837767571&set=o.402026923158242&type=1&relevant_count=1

SHARED-Autism and the Dentist – Tips for the Visit

SHARED-Autism and the Dentist – Tips for the Visit One aspect of health care than can be considerably more difficult for kids with autism is seeing the dentist, autism and the dentist don’t naturally mix. Dental care is made more difficult because kids with autism have so many sensory issues. The dentist office can be a scary place, even for people without autism. There are so many things that make noise and feel weird, so many people close by you who want to put things in your mouth and do strange things to you that may hurt. What can you do to help your child with autism at the dentist’s? Autism and the Dentist – Special Needs Dentistry There is actually a subset of dentistry called special needs dentistry. A special needs dentist has usually received at least some training on how to work with kids and adults with a variety of disabilities. Some will devote all or most of their practice to working with special needs patients. These dentists can be good to seek out, because they have experience in how to make the visit as comfortable and tolerable as possible for your child with autism. You can google the term “special needs dentist” with your city and state, or ask your doctor or autism society if they know of anyone in your area. Autism and the Dentist – How to Make the Appointment go More Smoothly Seeing a dedicated special needs dentist is not always possible, however. Sometimes, you just need to find a patient dentist who is willing to be educated. You can share tips with them about how to make the appointment work for your child. 1. Call dentists in your area ahead of time and tell them you have a child with autism. Tell them that you may require more time in the visit. Talk about the unique challenges that your kid has. What tends to put them at ease? What sensitivities do they have that you have to avoid? Do loud noises bother them? Does touch bother them? Etc. 2. Consider sedation. There is actually a whole specialty of dentistry called sedation dentistry, which helps people with either a lot of fear of the dentist or other problems be able to be calm enough to withstand dental treatment. This can be done using nitrous oxide (otherwise known as laughing gas), or short-term acting anti-anxiety medications like Ativan. You can discuss these options with the dentist when you meet him or her. 3. Talk to the dentist about your expectations and their policies. Some kids with autism have trouble lying or sitting still for very long. You will want to think about how you can manage that. Some dentists will have a policy of restraining special needs kids who can’t sit still. You want to make sure that you are on the same page as the dentist on issues like this before any treatment starts. 4. Allow your child to have some control over the process. Try to visit the office ahead of time to familiarize your child with it, to give them time to see what it’s like. During the appointment, if they can do little things like holding the tubes that squirt water and so on to keep their mind off what is happening, it may help. 5. Keep in mind sensory issues. You may want to reduce the amount of lighting in the room, or have your child wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from the glare. Music can be a great distraction – bring an IPOD with their favorite music on it. Make things as quiet as possible, and tell your child what is going to happen before it happens. 6. Something is better than nothing. With some kids, you won’t be able to get as much as you want accomplished at first. In fact, you may only be able to accomplish a cursory visit to make sure nothing is majorly wrong. Take what you can get and keep your expectations realistic. 7. Be aware of the risk factors for autism and dental problems. Kids with autism are often sensitive orally, which can make teeth brushing and other oral care routines difficult. Also, parents may avoid going to the dentist as often as they should because it’s such a difficult thing to do. Habits such as chewing and biting can alter certain tooth structures which may need attention. Using candy as a reward for things can increase the risk of cavities. Autism and the Dentist – Things to Consider When Choosing a Dentist There are several factors you should take into account when choosing a dentist. Experience You don’t always want the dentist with the most experience. Sometimes, a dentist with less experience and enough patience and knowledge to work well with kids with autism will be the best choice. Don’t put medical knowledge above all else. It is important, yes, but so is ability for the dentist to work well with autism. Insurance Sometimes the dentist that is the best fit for your child will be out of your network of approved dentists. Find out how much it will cost to go out of network, and if your insurance will pay anything. Ask if the dentist will submit paperwork. Personality You want the best possible match for your child with autism, and personality is important too. You want someone who is patient and willing to accommodate your child’s needs. Someone who will try to understand them and build a relationship with them. We all respond better to people who try to build relationships with us rather than just treating us like a number on a chart. Those with autism are no different – they can sense if someone really cares or not. The right dentist can make a lot of difference for the anxiety issues your kid may have. Issues with autism and the dentist can be tricky, but the right dentist will make it a lot easier. Tips for Improving Oral Health of Kids with Autism 1. Try to give your child control over the tooth brushing routine. Let them choose the toothpaste – try several different flavors and kinds. Some might want a fruity flavor, some are okay with mint. Some might be reactive to certain inactive ingredients in toothpaste like sodium lauryl sulfate. In this case, it is fairly easy to locate a toothpaste brand without it. The toothbrush may be too big for their mouth, or perhaps they can’t grip it well. Try using a visual timer to count down how long they should brush for. 2. For young kids, try not to let them suck on bottles for too long. The sugar in the milk can be damaging to the teeth. This goes for hard candies or anything else with sugar in it. 3. Mouth guards may help. If your child is unsteady on their feet, bangs into things, or has meltdowns that include head banging, you might want to consider getting a mouth guard to protect their teeth, especially their front teeth. If you follow these tips, rest assured that dealing with autism and the dentist will likely become much easier for you.

potty training

http://einstein-syndrome.com/development/potty_training_description/

CAPD activities

http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/ears/central_auditory.html#a_How_Can_I_Help_My_Child_

Sensory Diet

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1DaJtXzRn91N2JlYzEwNTAtZjUyOC00Y2U4LTk5MTUtM2VlZTcyMjhkZGU5/edit

www.nationalautismresources.com