Holiday Tips for Families with Special Needs Children
December 20, 2011
fromDr. Keri Chiappino
& Dr. Brent Reynolds DC, DACNB
Minimize anxiety by preparing your child well in advance of your celebration.
Avoid crowded malls and other overstimulating venues.
Keep to a schedule as much as possible -- it will be hard to get your child (and yourself) back on track.
Expectations – inform your child who to expect will attend social gatherings. View family photos
beforehand; review their names.
Involve your child in holiday preparations. Decorate gradually if he/she has difficulty accepting change.
Traveling during the holidays is stressful for everyone. Pack favorite toys/foods that calm your child.
Make sure the host/hostess offers foods your child can eat if he/she is on a special diet. Better yet,
bring a prepared dish wrapped in a festive bow!
Educate those that will celebrate with you about your child’s needs or dislikes (i.e. hugs from relatives).
Role play – practice opening gifts, waiting for others, courteous responses.
Recognize the signs of overstimulation – if you sense your child is becoming overwhelmed, direct
him/her to a quiet area.
Your child is the most precious gift of all – see the wonders of the season through the eyes of your
child and have a joyous holiday!
Smithtown-based Chiropractic Neurologist Dr. Keri Chiappino is a Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) Practitioner specializing in restoring brain balance in children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders, learning disabilities, ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome, Dyslexia, and other neurological disorders. Dr. Chiappino shares a private practice, New Life Chiropractic, with her husband Chiropractic Neurologist Dr. W. Brent Reynolds. Dr. Reynolds is a specialist in natural methods for neurological rehabilitation and nutritional therapies. Contact the doctors by phone at 631-265-1223 or via the web at www.newlifechiropractic.com.
