jenio -
my niece has an almost 14 yr old dghtr, an 11 yr old autistic son and a 10 yr old son. the son with autism has improved every year since we discovered his challenge - there is certainly light at the end of your tunnel with your vinny. my advice after watching my niece raise her children - instill your family values and stay on top of the changes and advances in the treatment of autism - know more than your treating physicians and treatment team!
her son's meltdowns have decreased over the years to the point where he can now enjoy wdw - unlike several years ago when the intensity of it all and the overwhelming activity in the parks stressed his sensitivities beyond his limits. since that time we learned that he adapts best when going to the hilton head island resort because of its laid back atmosphere...no sensory or stimulus overload. and since it is such a family oriented resort - everyone enjoys the trip!
we gave my niece's family the choice to go back to hhi this year or go to wdw - so she decided to have a family meeting to make the decision. she got out the pix from their trips to hhi and put them beside the material i had sent her about dvc, the old key west resort and the magic kingdom. they watched the vacation planning cd and then sat for a couple of hours talking about all of the features and opportunities and then asked the kids where they wanted to go - wdw won!
from that point on she made sure that each of her kids was totally engaged in planning the trip - right down to planning a park schedule, planning meals in the villa and out to a restaurant, and deciding who would sleep in the sleeper chair which night [they had a two bedroom - but someone always wanted that chair!
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the planning helped her autistic son become familiar with where he was going to be staying so when he got there he felt really comfortable with his surroundings. he knew he was going to have to wait in line for some attractions - but my niece did a super job incorporating alternatives in the event that something was not acceptable - and she got the okay for the alternatives from the kids in advance of the trip. each child had their own spending $ on the day of their arrival and knew there would be no more when it was gone and there would be no questions asked when they decided to spend their own money. the number and the intensity of this year's meltdowns were greatly reduced!
may the lord give you the strength and the wisdom to travel your road ahead; may you enjoy the unexpected hug or kiss or i love you even more than you dread the unexpected meltdown; and may you reap the joys that the gift of life you have been given to nurture will return to you through the years.
