A newsletter I always appreciate:

The amount of information circulating in cyberspace about autism and related things can be plain old overwhelming, but I always appreciate the weekly newsletter from the US Autism and Asperger Association. It's short and sweet and almost always something interesting.

http://www.usautism.org/USAAA_Newsletter/usaaa_newsletter_2012/usaaa_newsletter_031412.htm

Austin - Autism Expo, April 6, 2012

The Autism Society of Greater Austin and Easter Seals are again joining to offer the

3rd Annual Autism Expo, April 6, 2012 6:00-8:00 pm, 1611 Headway Circle, Bldg. 2

Austin, Texas 78754

For more information:

http://support.autism-society.org/site/Clubs?club_id=1040&sid=16570&pg=event

Spring Break ideas for special needs kiddos - part 3

Morgan's Wonderland

It's a bit of a drive from Austin, but totally worth it. This is a totally accessible theme park in San Antonio that can be enjoyed by special needs kiddos AND their families, sibs, or friends. My DD has been there twice, and enjoyed it, and she is easily overloaded with sensory stimuli. Great day trip for the whole family!!

http://www.morganswonderland.com/

http://www.facebook.com/MorgansWonderland

British Court Throws Out Conviction of Autism/Vaccine MD

I personally am thrilled to read this news.

British Court Throws Out Conviction of Autism/Vaccine MD

Spring Break ideas for special needs kiddos - part 2

Another place my DD (deeply autistic) enjoys is the Botanical Gardens in Zilker Park.

It's usually calm there, lots of twisting paths, pretty flowers, shady trees, tons of things to look at but not overwhelming, there are open spaces, closed-in spaces, ponds to stick fingers into, and a Japanese Tea house with amazing textures to explore.

http://www.zilkergarden.org/

Unfortunately not free anymore - admission is $2- for adults and $1- for children. The grounds are quite accessible - most areas are though, there are just a few paths that are too narrow for a chair or big stroller.

Have you been here? Did your family like it? Please leave a comment for others!!

Awesome lunch stop nearby: PTerry's.

http://www.pterrys.com/locations.html

They offer gluten free french fries!! Most fast food places also fry things coated in wheat flour in the fryers, but PTerry doesn't have anything like that on their menu and so their fries are the only items that get dunked in the fryer. Over the many years we've been going there my daughter has never had a negative reaction to those fries! They are also good about making a bun-less burger, or if you need it, just a patty. The location on So. Lamar and Barton Springs road only has outdoor seating, and helpful grackles to clean up after messy eaters. The eating area is not really chair accessible, unfortunately.

Have you been here - please leave a comment for others!

Spring Break ideas for special needs kiddos

Spring break can be a real challenge for special needs kiddos and parents - the normal routine is disrupted, the first couple of days home can be a nice break, but then boredom, anxiety, and behavior issues can set in.

It can be a real challenge to find activities that are suitable for the whole family - special needs and neurotypical alike - over the next few days I'll post some of my DD's favorite outings:

High on her list:

Texas Memorial Museum - on the UT Campus: http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/

It's fully accessible: http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/visit-tmm/accessibility.html

It's FREE! There are indoor and outdoor exhibits, and lawns to play on too. And it's a beautiful 1930's building. My DD likes the Great Hall - she wanders around touching the beautifully inlaid stone walls, examining the intricate mosaics in the floor, and absorbing the cool rocks and insects in the display cases. The lighting is subdued and it's usually quiet. Happy making for my autistic girl. And plenty of dinosaurs and other cool exhibits for "regular" kids. I learn something new too, every time I go there.

I'd suggest calling about parking - UT doesn't have much free parking, but over Spring Break they sometimes allow visitor parking on the streets that are normally reserved for faculty parking.

Hope your family enjoys this outing as much as mine does.

Have you been here? Did it work for your family? Please leave a comment!