Children With Autism and Spectrum Disorders Can Have Their Pictures Taken With Santa

A very special opportunity to sit with Santa happens this weekend at Sangertown Square.

A few years back I took some time off from radio to work with children who have autism. It was really rewarding and I gained a ton of respect for little ones who endure this developmental disability.  I was a live-in counselor which means I got to witness firsthand the unique challenges presented to these kids on a daily basis. Each day I watched these children struggle to effectively communicate and relate to others. It was really heart breaking. Each day at the group home we had a play time designated and this is when I Iearned that the children were exceptionally brilliant. I can't count the number of times I got my butt kicked in chess and checkers by a little guy named Brian. He was seven. We also played educational games using flash cards and science labs. At one point in time six year old Jeremy memorized hundreds of chemical formulas. He had me dazzled!  From aluminum borate  all the way to zirconium phosphate this little guy was pretty remarkable! To get an idea of just how extensive the list of chemical formulas is check out the Wikipedia page. There were other children at the group home who were extremely creative. One of our residents named Jonathan painted pictures that make Picasso look like an amateur. His favorite canvas scene was the New York City skyline. It was truly mind blowing to look at considering he was only five!

This weekend children with autism spectrum disorders and their families will have an opportunity to sit with Santa and have their pictures taken at Sangertown Square. It takes place this Saturday and Sunday and this opportunity will allow children with autism to see Santa up close and personal in a sensory friendly environment. If you have questions or to make reservations contact Leslie at The Kelberman Center 797-6421 ext. 327.

Here's a video of last year's event!