Ultimate Holiday Survival Guide for Special Needs Families (120+ Links!)
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year… But you know that’s not always the case. For kiddos that thrive on routines, face behavioral challenges, get overwhelmed quickly, need special diets, and more, facing the holiday season can fill a special needs parent with dread.
(Secret: You are not alone!)
That’s why it’s so great that the internet is here to provide you with practical advice, help, humor, and hope for your upcoming holiday season.
If you are a special needs blogger who has posts that you feel would be a good addition to this guide, PLEASE send an email to aprille.beautifulinhistime@gmail.com and I will make sure that your content gets put on the blog and makes it into next year’s email.
All of these posts that have Pinterest-friendly graphics will also be pinned to my Special Needs Holiday Survival Guide Pinterest Board.
I truly wish you a happy, healthy, and SANE holiday season – at least as sane as it CAN be, right?
Much love,
Aprille
Autism
I Don’t Like to Eat Thanksgiving Dinner, Adapted Book for Special Needs
Let’s Enjoy a Holiday Meal Social Story
CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING WITH YOUR CHILD WITH ASD
8 Thanksgiving Hacks for Kids on the Spectrum
Surviving Thanksgiving: Tips for Parents with Aspergers Children
Printable Thanksgiving Social Story for Children with Autism
Autism and Thanksgiving: How to cope with the feasting and hubbub
Autism Thanksgiving and Christmas
19 Hilarious Food Requests Autism Parents Hear on Thanksgiving
26 HOLIDAY SURVIVAL TIPS FOR AUTISM FAMILIES
Coping with the Holidays: Help for Aspergers Children
Let’s Talk About Gift Giving Social Story
Holiday Mayhem And Meltdowns Of Children On The Autism Spectrum
Holidays and Autism Parenting Tips: Structure, Predictability, and Schedules
AUTISM NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS — A Poem By Cindy Waeltermann
How To Help Your Autistic Child Cope With The Holidays
Don’t let ADHD (or autism) ruin your Christmas.
Navigating the Holidays with Autism
The Year That I Made Santa Claus Cry
How To Help Your Autistic Child with Santa
Christmas with the Non-Verbal, Autistic, Sensory-Sensitive Child
ADHD
Common Thanksgiving Challenges for Kids With Attention Issues
11 Tips to Help Kids With ADHD Manage the Holidays
Happy Holidays with ADHD Kids!
Managing Sensory Issues in Children with ADHD During the Holidays
Avoid Holiday Havoc: Help for Children with ADHD
ADHD Holiday Help: House Rules for Children
Don’t let ADHD (or autism) ruin your Christmas.
Other Behavioral Challenges
A Message of Hope for Parents of Defiant Children
How To Prevent Power Struggles and Temper Tantrums During the Holidays
9 Ways to Get Though The Holidays with a Defiant Child
Sensory Integration Issues
Thanksgiving Day Game Plan to Combat Sensory Overload
30 Multi-Sensory Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids with Sensory Impairments
5 Tips to Reduce Sensory Meltdowns During the Holidays
Dealing with Sensory Overload During the Holidays
How can I help my family understand my child’s behavior and sensory disorder
30 CHRISTMAS SENSORY STOCKING STUFFERS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS
Holiday Survival Guide For Kids with Sensory Impairments
4 Steps for Low(er)-Stress Holidays with a Child with Sensory Issues
A Very Merry Occupational Therapy Christmas
Reducing and Surviving Sensory Overload During the Holidays
Why I Told My Family to Stay Away this Christmas
Too Many Lights, Too Many Trees: A Christmas Sensory Story
Speech Challenges
THANKSGIVING APPS FOR SPEECH THERAPY
Sharing the Christmas story with People who are Nonverbal
Chronic Illness
How to Enjoy the Holiday Traditions When Chronically Ill
How to Manage Chronic Illness During the Holidays
TIPS ON MANAGING CHRONIC ILLNESS AT CHRISTMAS
MAKING IT THROUGH CHRISTMAS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS AND PAIN
HOW TO SURVIVE & ENJOY CHRISTMAS DESPITE CHRONIC PAIN & ILLNESS
Christmas with Chronic Illness: 10 Coping Strategies
Christmas & The Holidays: Reasons to be Cheerful Despite Chronic Illness
Chronic Christmas: Surviving the Holidays with a Chronic Illness
Six Tips for Treasuring the Holidays with Chronic Illness
‘Chronic’ Tips: How to Wrap Christmas Gifts Easily
Living with chronic illness during the holiday season
Self Care and Mental Health (Anxiety and Depression)
7 tips to help you manage depression, anxiety, and stress during the holidays
How an Introvert Does Thanksgiving
Navigating Trauma and PTSD over the Holidays
Surviving the Holidays With a Child With Anxiety
The Gift that Keeps on Giving: Self-Care for the Special Needs Parent
Gift Guides
Gifts for Special Education Teachers and Therapists (75+ UNIQUE IDEAS!)
The Ultimate Guide for Sensory Processing Gift Ideas
Autism And Sensory Holiday Gift Guide
Fed Up With Fatigue’s 2015 Fibromyalgia Gift Guide
Autism And Sensory Holiday Gift Guide
65+ GIFT IDEAS FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD
5 Tips for Buying Gifts for Children with Special Needs
The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide for Children with Special Needs
25+ BEST GIFTS TO EXPAND YOUR CHILD’S SPEECH DEVELOPMENT {BIRTH TO FIVE}
Toy & Gift Guide for Autistic Kids and Teens
CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Great Toys For Kids With Special Needs
8 Mom-Approved Gifts for Kids With Autism
Great Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids on the Spectrum!
50+ Gift Ideas For The High Spirited Child
Gift Ideas for Children With Language Delays
Holiday Gifts for the Whole ADHD Family
2015 ADDitude Holiday Gift Guide for Kids with ADHD
Gift Ideas For a Special Needs Mom
Other Holiday Posts
To the special needs mom on Thanksgiving Day
TIPS FOR CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING WITH YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD
supporting your child {with special needs} through the holiday season
Surviving the Holidays with Special Needs
4 Ways to Hunker Down for a Special Needs Holiday, Part 1
4 Ways to Hunker Down for a Special Needs Holiday, Part 2
7 STEPS TO TRANSFORM YOUR HOLIDAYS
When The Ache is All You Feel This Christmas
Tips for Making Holidays Special for Kids with Special Needs
10 Tips for a More Peaceful Christmas With a Special Needs Child (or Any Child)
7 Holiday Survival Tips for Special Needs Families
Tackling the Holidays With a Special Needs Child
Don’t just survive, THRIVE this holiday season…special needs style!
FREE CHRISTMAS VISUAL SCHEDULE FOR KIDS
Have A Stress-Free Holiday With Special Needs Kids
Managing Your Special Needs and Non-Religious Family at the Holidays
Special Needs Parenting: 10 Tips for Holiday Stress Reduction
Easing the stress of airline travel for children with special needs
Holiday Survival Guide for Families with Special Needs
Curbing Holiday Stress for Special Needs Kids
Five Things to Remember During the Holidays {When Your Child Has Special Needs}
8 Comments
Tania
Thank you so much for sharing my post! Xx
Tania
Marla Murasko
http://www.musingsfromaspecialneedsmom.com/help-special-needs-child-holidays/
Aprille
I added this link to our holiday survival guide! Thank you for sharing!
Princess in the Tower
Thanks so much for including my Christmas posts! Do appreciate it! Wishing you a joyful one and many spoons to see you through it. ? x
kerry Mellin
Hello,
I Love your website and blog the wonderful inspiration and information you provide.
My name is Kerry Mellin and I have a new adaptive grip called Eazyhold for children that’s making a big difference in the lives of kids with special needs. I think that it may be something that would be interesting to your readers, especially being the holiday season and the options for gifts can be so limited.
This a first of its kind product that I along with my two sisters designed for the arthritis in our own hands. You could take a look at some of the children using it on facebook.com/eazyhold you will see how valuable it has become for so many moms, therapists, teachers and kiddos.
I would appreciate any feed back you might have, and if you’d like a sample, let me know.
Thank you,
Kerry Mellin 661-600-3321
Eazyhold.com
Aprille
Thank you. I shared about this in my special needs group!
calist
A good set of links, thank you!
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