KIRKWOOD, Mo. – The Magic House is hosting an autism family friendly event this weekend.
Easterseals Midwest is having their ‘Autism Friendly Family Night’ on Aug. 11. If you want to attend, you must preregister by clicking here – the event is free and starts at 6 p.m.
“We all have issues processing sensory input at times, but some individuals with autism can be easily overloaded,” Melanie Mills, director of Autism Services with Easterseals Midwest, said. “If you do not have the ability to communicate what is happening or how you are feeling, it adds to your level of frustration. The point to remember is neuro-typical people can say we’ve had enough or use a coping strategy to overcome this onslaught of sensory stimuli, but individuals with autism do not always have these same skills.”
An Easterseals Midwest spokesperson said, minor adjustments are made at the different host sites to make the experiences more accessible. Typically, the changes needed are minimal and easily executed.
“Common suggestions for accommodations include lighting, whether it’s raising or lowering it based on the environment; the volume of the music or loud speakers; trying not to overwhelm attendees with too many sounds or sights at one time; and being aware of the temperature in the building,” Mills said. “However, sometimes, it’s more about educating the staff that work at each location on topics such as what to do in emergencies, communication styles, visual tools, and more.”
