Reprinted with permission from a featured article that appears in the just-released July/August issue of Autism Asperger’s Digest magazine. Learn more, www.AutismDigest.com. 

Your first child. What an exciting, wonderful, and anxious time it is! When you found out you were pregnant, you probably read stacks of baby books, and read even more as your baby grew into a toddler. When you discovered your child was on the autism spectrum, you undoubtedly searched out any and every book you could find that would help you understand your child better.

Along the way you may – or may not – have read about sensory processing disorder (SPD) or sensory processing problems in spectrum kids. Recent studies report that approximately 5-10% of all children experience sensory symptoms significant enough to affect their everyday life functions. Within the ASD population that number can be as high as 95%! (Tomchek, 2007) Sensory issues may have resonated with you to some degree; you grasped what sensory sensitivities might feel like to your child. But, noticing them – before your child is in sensory overload – well, perhaps you’re a little lost there. No worries! I’m here to help you become a more sensory savvy parent! Jackie Olson (a mom) and I co-wrote Sensory Parenting: From Newborns to Toddlers (Sensory World, 2010) to reach out to new and pregnant moms with information about our sensory systems and how they work. For many new parents, this is foreign territory!

No matter how much we love the season or cherish the celebration, all special events come packaged with additional stress. Whether it’s finding the perfect gift, baking signature desserts, or entertaining, we all understand the extra demands of creating memorable occasions.

Now magnify that stress to an unimaginable degree and you will begin to understand how special events impact our children with autism. We know that children on the spectrum do not like changes – even those that may delight – as do neurotypical kids. Their core deficits compromise their ability to anticipate or tolerate change very well…if at all. They prefer structure, predictability, schedules. Yet holidays, birthdays, and special events mean:

• Change in social contacts
• Change in daily routine
• Change in expectations
• Change in sensory experiences

For children with autism, all that change pushes anxiety beyond being bearable. Some routine changes fly under the radar, such as rearranging the house to accommodate decorations or cooking seasonal dishes. Other plans, like parties and travel that involves hotels or homes with new beds, new people, new smells, new sounds, clearly signal huge stress-inducing changes. Whether the change is big or small, children with autism must be prepared so they have every opportunity to experience the joy and fun these situations offer. Try these tips:

Define social expectations: Let your child know how many people and who will be there. Be specific about social pleasantries – keep them simple and be clear about what’s expected of the child not just at the onset (shake hands and say “hi”), but also as the event unfolds. Plan what your child should say if he does not want to talk or dislikes food being served.

Designate a safe place and relaxing activity: Plan ahead for a place where she can go to retreat and relax. Be sure to bring along a favorite activity she can play alone and calming devices such as sensory toys or music.

Create a secret code. Pick a simple gesture or even a code-word that he can use as a signal if he begins to feel angry, anxious or overwhelmed. That’s your cue to step in and help when he’s unable to verbally express the need.

Prepare an event book. Make a book with pictures that show the place you’re going, where you’ll stay, and activities you’ll pursue while there. If you’re staying at home, the same concept can be used to prepare your child for visitors (photos of relatives), changes in routine, and decorations (include a photo of last year’s Christmas tree). Include extra blank pages for photos of this year’s activities. Involve your child in taking pictures this year, as much as his ability and interest dictates.

Maintain the routine. As much as possible, maintain her normal daily routine. Create a schedule showing not just which parts will change, but the regular routines that will remain the same. Knowing some things won’t change can be very important to your child.

Include friends and family. Make sure everyone knows about your child’s socialization, sensory, communication and dietary challenges. Ask them to honor your child’s request to stop talking, not to hug, or her need to be alone. Step in and kindly but firmly handle the relative who insists that “an itty bitty little huggie isn’t going to hurt him.”

It’s up to parents and family to give our kids with autism the tools they need to succeed. Helping them anticipate changes and cope with new expectations goes a long way toward reducing anxiety and building memories of joy and love.

This article is taken with permission from www.autismdigest.com, where readers can go online and, by signing in, can access free copies of the magazine’s eGuide, which is packed full of more information on holidays and gift giving for children on the spectrum.

Article amended to fit the present season of Valentine’s Day.

We assume that everyone enjoys receiving a gift, especially kids. Yet many parents report that getting a gift causes fear and anxiety in their children with autism. Simply put, it just is not fun for them. Rather than bubbling with excitement, they face increasing anxiety over the unknown. They fear opening a gift when they don’t know what’s under the paper. They truly hate surprises, even good ones. They may be uncertain about how to respond to the gift. Or they may worry about disappointment if the gift isn’t their one desired item. It’s more than enough to push our kids on the spectrum over the edge to a meltdown.

Holidays, birthdays, Valentine’s Day and celebrations … all represent a challenging change in schedules and environment. Do we really want to add more anxiety just because gifts should be wrapped, we want our loved ones to be surprised, or because that’s what tradition dictates? If your child shows stress and difficult behaviors over receiving gifts, maybe this is the year to explore new options. Rather than following traditions or expectations, let’s find ways to help kids with autism learn to enjoy getting gifts. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Use your well-honed parent radar to judge how each idea may/may not be suitable for your child.

• Don’t keep secrets. Let your child know what gifts he is receiving. This may be quite difficult as parents want their children to experience the magical joy of the holiday season, which includes delight as they open unknown presents. However, you can remove a lot of anxiety by telling them what gifts to expect. Giving hints without being specific may be enough for some children, and it can be made into a game. For example, let him guess which “category” a present is from. Simply knowing he’s getting a cartoon-related action figure may be enough to put his mind at ease.

• Create a picture board showing the gifts. Get a large piece of poster board in a color that fits the season or occasion. Cut the poster board into a fun shape, such as a large heart. Print or copy online images of the gifts she will receive and tape or glue them onto the poster board. This visual reminder of what gifts she can expect will remove fear of the unknown. Keep the picture board as a way to build memories and as a tool to remind her of the fun. PS. Surprisingly, some moms who tried this said it did not make their children want the presents right away. They were content to wait for the big day as long as they knew what to expect.

• Find alternatives to gift wrap. Skip the gift wrap or use gift bags without tissue paper. If you do use wrapping, don’t wind ribbon around the box, making it more frustrating to open. Instead of wrapping paper, use a card, picture or even simple shapes cut from construction paper and tape them on the gift. They won’t cover and hide the gift, but they’re fun and give the illusion of being wrapped.

• Proactively discuss gifts with family and friends. Don’t leave the door open to random gifts. Give people a list of items you know your child either likes or expects. Explain about your child’s special interests and assure them it’s ok to buy yet another train, dinosaur or whatever your child collects.

• Prepare your child for unexpected gifts. Write a social story teaching him how to respond and role play until he’s comfortable. (See accompanying article in this section.) Be prepared to deal with resistance to telling socially accepted “little white lies” about gifts he doesn’t like and work together to come up with responses that are truthful yet kind. Talk about what he can do with a gift he doesn’t like.

• Consider their interests. This seems like obvious advice, but holidays and birthdays often become prime time when family and friends think it’s “fun” to experiment with new gifts. While we all want to expand our children’s interests, high-anxiety occasions are not the best time to introduce new topics and toys.

• Don’t forget unique events. It’s easy to overlook the potential anxiety associated with typical yet infrequent events, such as receiving cards and candy on Valentines Day. Be sure to prepare in advance using picture cards, social stories, and schedules.

Gift-Getting Etiquette

Often overlooked in carefully laid plans to teach your child party or holiday gift etiquette is the art of opening a gift. Here’s how the gracious giftee does it:

1. Open and read the card first, then open the gift

2. Keep scissors nearby for the bow or ribbon that just won’t come undone

3. Find the seam in the paper to start tearing

4. Once it’s fully opened, thank the giver. Be sure your child understands 100% honesty is not always appropriate at times like this. Rehearse beforehand with your child a single, universal phrase, like “thank you so much” or “this is so thoughtful” that will work in all situations.

5. Set the gift aside gently, whether you like it or not. Flinging or throwing an undesirable gift hurts the giver’s feelings.

6. Open all his gifts before dashing away to play with a favorite

7. Post-party written thank you notes are a must. As long as they are personal, they can be dictated to you and signed by the child, handwritten or drawn by the child himself, or e-mailed. This further reinforces how much we appreciate the effort, thought and expense to which the giver went, and gives you and your child a chance to explore social thinking, handwriting and composition skills.

-Selection reprinted with permission from the 2010 revised edition of 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism or Asperger’s, by Ellen Notbohm and Veronica Zysk. Future Horizons, Inc., publisher.

This article is taken with permission from www.autismdigest.com, where readers can go online and, by signing in, can access free copies of the magazine’s eGuide, which is packed full of more information on holidays and gift giving for children on the spectrum.

Article amended to fit the present season of Valentine’s Day.

Gifts from the kitchen are usually associated with the holiday season, but these wonderfully personalized gifts are a welcome way to celebrate birthdays, special occasions, work promotions, a new home, and everything in-between. Treasured as a gift from the heart, as well as a gift of our most precious commodity…time, there’s no reason to avoid creating an edible gift because of special dietary needs. Any of the GFCF recipes listed in this section are bound to delight the heart, soul, and taste buds of the lucky recipient!

New to GFCF Baking?
Consider investing in one of these cookbooks to guide you in creating that gift from your kitchen. “Cooking without” comes with a learning curve, and “baking without” can be even more of a challenge, discovering (sometimes too late) those tricky little places where gluten and casein can hide (spices, jelly beans) or what works – and doesn’t - when using substitutions. We’re not trying to scare you here! Rather, we want to suggest you learn from the best: those cooks, chefs, and bakers who have tested and retested recipes to make sure your experience is both successful and delicious!

Bake Deliciously! Gluten and Dairy Free Cookbook by Jean Duane
www.alternativecook.com

Special Diets for Special Kids, Vols. I and II Combined by Lisa Lewis
www.fhautism.com

Carol Fenster Cookbooks:
1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes
100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes
Gluten-Free Quick and Easy
Gluten-Free 101
www.1000glutenfreerecipes.com

Lori Karavolis Cookbooks:
Lori Bakes Gluten Free
Lori Bakes Gluten Free for Kids
Lori Bakes Gluten Free Breakfast and Lunch
Lori Bakes Gluten Free Sweets and Snacks
www.loribakes.com

Running Short on Time to Bake?
Consider packaging time-saving GFCF quick mixes in an attractive mixing bowl or basket as a gift from you to the mom of a spectrum child following a special diet. Add in some GFCF tidbits like sprinkles, or chocolate, or spices to make the gift even more special. Companies offering GFCF products abound now, and GFCF products can be found in many regular grocery stores. But for that truly special gift, think about browsing some of the online retailers, who offer hard-to-find and/or unusual food items. We’ve listed a few below.

Bob’s Red Mill
www.BobsRedMill.com

The Gluten Free Mall
www.glutenfreemall.com

Gluten Free Pantry
www.glutenfree.com

Namaste Foods
www.namastefoods.com

Kinnikinnick Foods
www.kinnikinnick.com

Food Allergy Gourmet
www.foodallergygourmet.com

The Really Great Food Company
www.reallygreatfoods.com

GFCF Quick Mixes – 6 different quick mixes sold as a set
http://stewartdehart.stores.yahoo.net/item1.html

Mixes from the Heartland
Assorted mixes packaged together by type of food: cake, dessert, meal, muffin, pancake, soup, side dish, etc.
www.mixesfromtheheartland.com


GFCF Emergency Food Kit
It’s not exactly a gift from the kitchen, but we couldn’t figure out where to put this interesting and potentially life-saving gift idea. It’s an emergency food kit of GFCF products. Natural disasters can strike in a moment, leaving families who rely on GFCF eating experiencing an even worse state of affairs. The 72-hour gluten free emergency kit feeds a family of four, with a five year shelf life.
www.glutenfreeemergencykits.com/


Super-Delicious Edibles to Bake and Give Away
Cookies, bars, truffles, sweet breads, or something out of the ordinary – like fruit leather – are easy, delicious gifts to make and give away. Package them in attractive tins or holiday gift boxes (find less expensive versions at outlet stores like Big Lots), add a ribbon or star garland and you have the perfect made-with-love gift to share with family, friends, teachers and service providers. Involve your spectrum child in the baking and decorating; it may take a little longer, but that look of pride in your child’s eyes coupled with being able to say, “I helped make it!” is worth every extra minute.

The Perfect Holiday Bread
This fast, easy recipe for Cranberry Walnut Bread works well with dried cranberries, which are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants. Make several batches of the “dry” ingredients and just add the “wet” when you want another loaf of delicious, warm bread. If you can find them, dried cranberries infused with orange are wonderful in this recipe.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Wet Ingredients
2 egg whites or one egg
⅓ cup walnut oil
2 tsp. vanilla
½ cup plain, gluten-free soy yogurt
⅓ cup rice, nut or seed milk

Dry Ingredients
¾ cup whole grain sorghum flour
¼ cup whole grain brown rice flour
¼ cup tapioca flour
½ cup Sucanat® or brown sugar
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. xanthan gum
⅔ cup dried cranberries (generally sweetened)
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt

Beat wet ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk dry ingredients together, then combine with wet. Place batter into an oiled 8.5” x 4.5” loaf pan. Let sit a few minutes to allow flours to absorb moisture. Bake 45 minutes, covering with parchment paper after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. Remove from oven and turn out on rack to cool.

Compliments of Jean Duane, Bake Deliciously! Gluten and Dairy Free Cookbook. www.alternativecook.com.]




Sugar Cutout Cookies

1 cup GFCF margarine
2 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup white rice flour
½ cup sorghum flour
¼ cup potato starch
¼ cup tapioca flour
½ cup almond meal
1 tsp xanthan
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
Assorted colored decorator sugars or icings

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, combine the flours, almond meal, xanthan, baking powder and salt; set aside. In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the margarine, egg yolks and sugar until fluffy. Add in vanilla. Gradually beat in dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.

Divide dough in thirds and roll out one third of the dough to ¼” thickness on a generously white rice-floured board. Using desired cookie cutter, cut dough into shapes; reroll scraps. Place cut-outs on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. If decorating with sugar, brush cookies lightly with water and sprinkle with sugar. If you will be decorating cookies with icing, bake first, cool, then frost.

Bake at 350° for 13 -15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack and cool completely. Yield: 42 (2 1/2”) cookies

Compliments of Lori Karavolis, Lori Bakes Gluten Free Snacks & Sweets
www.loribakes.com/cookbooks.htm




Chocolate Ice Cream Cake Roll

1 ½ TBS brown rice flour
½ TBS teff flour
½ TBS sorghum flour
1 ½ tsp tapioca flour
1 ½ tsp cornstarch
1 ½ tsp potato starch
4 TBS dry baking cocoa*
½ tsp guar gum
¼ tsp salt
1 cup sugar, divided
6 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cream of tartar
GFCF powdered sugar
GFCF vanilla ice cream, softened
GFCF hot fudge sauce (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a small bowl, sift together cocoa, flours, guar gum and salt; set aside. In the bowl of your mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in 1/2 C of the sugar; set aside. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/2 C sugar and vanilla extract. Stir in sifted flour mixture. Carefully fold this mixture into the beaten egg whites.

Spread batter into a 15x10x1” baking pan that has been lined with greased and brown rice-floured wax paper. Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Run knife around edges and turn cake onto a clean kitchen towel that has been dusted with powdered sugar. Peel off wax paper. Roll up cake in towel jelly roll style, starting at the short side. Cool on a wire rack. Unroll cake once cool and spread with a 1/2” layer of softened GFCF vanilla ice cream to within 1/2” of edges. Roll up again. If desired, cut off a small slice from each end for a neat appearance, place on a serving tray and cover top with hot fudge topping. Place in freezer until ready to serve. Yield: 8 servings.

*Most cocoa is free of gluten and casein, but always check the label to be sure the brand you’re purchasing is GFCF.

Hot Fudge Sauce

½ cup GFCF chocolate chips
4 TBS GFCF margarine
½ cup golden syrup*
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Place chocolate chips and margarine in a medium saucepan; melt over LOW heat. Add in golden syrup and salt; stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in extract. Yield: 11/2 cups sauce.

*Golden syrup is sugar cane juice that has been boiled down. It’s found in most grocery stores with the honey, but can be replaced with agave or light corn syrup.

Compliments of Lori Karavolis, Lori Bakes Gluten Free Snacks & Sweets
www.loribakes.com/cookbooks.htm


World’s Easiest Chocolate Cookies
Everyone has a recipe for these little brownie-like cookies. Usually they are rolled in powdered sugar before baking and called “Krinkles” or “Crackles.” They do not need extra sugar, and taste the same without the messy extra step. I decided to see if I could make them really fast using a GF cookie mix. I did, and I have to admit to being a little miffed when my husband ate one and said it was the best chocolate cookie I had made in ages! With three ingredients, this hardly qualifies as a “recipe,” but give it a go and try not to blush over the praise you will receive.

Ingredients
1 (18-ounce) package GFCF chocolate cake mix
¼ cup oil
2 eggs, beaten

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine cake mix, oil, and eggs until well mixed. Shape dough into walnut-sized balls, and place on lightly greased (or parchment lined) baking sheet. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until set. Cool for 10 minutes before moving cookies to wire racks. Makes 36 cookies.

Compliments of Lisa Lewis, Special Diets for Special Kids, Vols. I and II Combined.



Blueberry-Applesauce Fruit Leather
Fruit leather is a chewy, delicious dried-fruit treat. The sugars, acids, fiber, and nutrients found in fruit become concentrated when the water is removed. This makes dried fruits high in sugar, but the vitamins and mineral content is also high. Dried fruits provide a nutritious way to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Ingredients
Blueberries, pureed to make 1 cup
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon honey

Directions
Preheat oven to 140°F if oven-drying fruit leather.

Combine all ingredients, and spread evenly on plastic wrap. Dry fruit using a food dehydrator (follow manufacturer’s instructions) or your oven. To oven-dry, use an oven thermometer to test temperature. Too high of a heat will melt plastic. Leave oven door ajar so moisture can escape. It takes about 6 hours to dry fruit leather in oven, but always test for dryness.

To make sure fruit leather is completely dried, try to pull leather from plastic wrap. If it peels from plastic and holds its shape, it is dry. (Insufficiently dried fruit will not keep well.) When dry, roll fruit leather loosely in plastic wrap. Place fruit leather in an airtight container. It will keep for more than 1 year if refrigerated or frozen. Makes 4 servings

Compliments of Lisa Lewis, Special Diets for Special Kids, Vols. I and II Combined.

This article is taken with permission from www.autismdigest.com , where readers can go online and, by signing in, can access free copies of the magazine’s eGuide, which is packed full of more information on holidays and gift giving for children on the spectrum.

Article amended to fit the present season of Valentine’s Day.

1. Simplify. Keep change to a minimum – reduce decorations, limit visitors, keep travel to a minimum.

2. Themes Outside the Box. Pick party ideas that truly fit your child – night at the museum, movie night at home, or an environment you might rule out due to noise and chaos sometimes is a great success (think Chuck-E Cheese).

3. Countdown the days. Use visual aides to show the day until the big event. (Go to Decorate Together for some ideas.)

4. Photographic Memories. Take extra photos at holidays and birthdays with an eye toward using them the following year to remind your child of fun times and to prepare for changes. Photos can illustrate how the house looked when decorated for any holiday or how the room was rearranged for the Christmas tree.

5. Detailed Schedules. Create a special schedule, especially for the winter holidays. On a plain calendar use pictures and simple words to show the schedule for the season. Include when you’ll put up (and take down) the tree, outings, school events, concerts, church, cookie baking, making decorations, and plans for visitors or travel.

This article is taken with permission from www.autismdigest.com, where readers can go online and, by signing in, can access free copies of the magazine’s eGuide, which is packed full of more information on holidays and gift giving for children on the spectrum.

Article amended to fit the present season of Valentine’s Day.

Here is another article that was forwarded to me for tips and ideals for our Children with Autism but believe most of these will be helpful for all children along the spectrum!



Finding just the right birthday, holiday, or congrats gift for anyone can be a challenge! If you have a child with an autism spectrum disorder on your list, the task may seem overwhelming. We’re here to help with a few general tips on how-to choose gifts, and the other selections in this publication can jump start your creative juices. But… just in case you find yourself needing more inspiration, we’ve assembled some of our favorite products from Internet sources.

Octopals

EZSox            

Create Your Own Monster Puppet Package

Here are a few easy crafts from FamilyFun.go.com and bhg.com to make with your little one this Valentines Day :)



Make a special day more memorable, or build a lasting family tradition, by creating a decoration or gift together with your child. Even if you’re craft-challenged, don’t give up - we found an inspiring web site filled with ideas – www.familyfun.go.com! We’ve included a few of our fav offerings below from that site, and added some other great sites, all with projects easy to enjoy with children of different abilities.

FamilyFun is chock full of inspiration! You’ll find craft projects for every season and even back-to-school ideas. Planning a birthday celebration? Check out their “Birthday Parties by Theme”, where unusual ideas abound. Would your child adore a birthday party with a music theme? How about bugs, a cooking party, or a complete guide to creating a birthday carnival? You’ll find it there, and so much more!

Gift Box – Perfect for Mom and Dad

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/holiday-seasonal-crafts/mothers-day-cards-gifts/mothers-day-gifts/mothers-day-box-661242/

This idea was developed for Mother’s Day, but it’s perfect for any other celebration, from Father’s Day to birthdays or Valentines Day. Decorate a shoe box, fill it with a variety of small, inexpensive, wrapped gifts, write a fun schedule for the day that includes when or where a gift can be opened. Simple yet appealing on so many levels. The entire day becomes special! It’s an easy-to-do gift that most children can manage and creates special memories from the child to mom, dad, family and friends.



I heart you Card!
http://www.bhg.com/holidays/valentines-day/crafts/crafts-that-say-i-love-you/Heart You Card 

Repurpose plastic packaging on a cute-as-can-be shaker card with a hidden message. Print a greeting on cardstock, then layer a heart frame cut from adhesive foam over it. Pour sequins in the heart, attach heart-shape plastic over the foam, and top with a heart frame also cut from cardstock. Layer multiple patterned papers under the card base and stitch around the edges to secure. Use cardboard letter stickers for your message.


This article is taken with permission from www.autismdigest.com, where readers can go online and, by signing in, can access free copies of the magazine’s eGuide, which is packed full of more information on holidays and gift giving for children on the spectrum.

Articles were amended to fit the present season of Valentine’s Day.

The tireless efforts expended by teachers, therapists, friends and family should not go overlooked during the holidays. Gifts that honor their commitment to children with autism, gives that delight, even gifts that help can be a welcomed surprise and a treasured gesture. And some gift ideas we’ve assembled give back by donating a portion of the proceeds to the autism community. We hope you’ll find ideas and inspiration in this list of gifts for the parents, teachers and caregivers in your life.

Puzzle Heart Pins
http://autismshop.com/store/product.php?productid=24037&cat=270&page=1

Perfect for the mom or teacher on your list, these exclusive handmade pins (no two are the same) are a blend of colors embellished with a miracle bead and gold-plated puzzle piece charm. Proceeds benefit autism research and support.

Angels for Autism Store      

If you live in or near Palm Springs or Cathedral City, CA, you’re in luck. Go shopping for all things autism-related at Angels for Autism, a new store that opened earlier this year. The retail store offers fun and engaging developmental products for all special needs children, focusing on Educational, Sensory/Tactile, Speech, Behavior, Fine & Gross Motor, and Living Assistance. Have a question about what to give that special person with autism in your life? Ask owners Dean and LaVeda Moore, and they’ll give you plenty of suggestions! The store is located at 27765 Landau Blvd, in Cathedral City. www.Angelsforautismstore.com


Gluten Free Meals Delivered to Your Home
www.gfmeals.com

Time is a precious commodity and that’s what this gift delivers: extra time, along with tasty GFCF fare. Your Dinner Secret offers complete meal packages as well as individual entrees, sides, sauces and baked goods - all GFCF and delivered to your door ready to heat-and-eat. It's an exceptional gift for families dedicated to providing GFCF meals, or go ahead and treat yourself to GFCF meals with less time in the kitchen.


My Magnetic Responsibility Chart
http://thebeanbagstore.com/totallyresponsibilitychart.htm

A convenient, colorful and ready-made responsibility chart that comes with 134 colorful wood magnetic pieces depicting chores, behaviors and rewards, and a dry-erase surface for personalization.


Angela Moore Pendant
www.angelamoore.com/pri/mag2.asp?PRODUCT_ID=AMC40602

Beautiful pendant with a rainbow of puzzle pieces, Angela Moore also offers bracelets, necklaces and men’s silk ties. A percent of the proceeds go to the Autism Society of America.

Silk Ties for Men and Scarves for Ladies
www.mountainandsackett.com/productcart/pc/viewcategories.asp?idCategory=23

Handmade with a variety of puzzle designs, Mountain and Sackett donates 60% of the sales to Autism Speaks.

Autism Safety Kit
www.selectautismmerchandise.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=1

Alert first responders using this complete kit with medical ID jewelry (necklace, bracelet, shoe tag, or zipper pull), autism ID card, “Occupant with Autism” car magnet and window decals, and autism encounter cards.

Autism Interaction Kit
www.selectautismmerchandise.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=22

Great for family, friends, your car, medical offices and first responder vehicles…these kits contain a variety of visual, auditory, tactile and oral items to help communicate, interact with, and engage children with autism. A sample of items includes picture communications symbols, motion toy, spiky puff ball and a chewy toy.

SchoolSpecialty (great for home too!)       
https://store.schoolspecialtyonline.net/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?minisite=10206&section=35573

This web site may be called School Specialty, but their special needs products and school specialty brands are also perfect for home use. This is a one-stop-shop for sensory needs and mobility products, special needs furniture and educational items for the spectrum child in your life, or for that special teacher who always works above and beyond what’s required. Some items are expensive because they’re made to withstand school wear-and-tear, but you’ll find products in all price ranges.

Sky Panels™
http://usaskypanels.com/

A beautiful and simple way to diffuse fluorescent lights in schools, offices or at home. They reduce glare and create a calming view with panels designed to recreate the outdoors. Sky Panels™ come in a variety of designs; some are simply blue sky and clouds, while others include glimpses of the great outdoors, such as a tree branch or floating kites.

Gift Certificates        

They sound uncreative and generic, but gift certificates can be a great gift if you make thoughtful, personalized choices. Does she love coffee at Starbucks? Perhaps he’s an avid reader and would love nothing more than a gift certificate to the local book store. What about a specialty store that caters to someone’s hobby, or some well-deserved pampering at a local day spa? They don’t usually advertise that gift certificates are available, but many restaurants offer them. Depending on how well you know the family, a gift certificate to a grocery store might make a difference in their holiday meal. And don’t forget that most of the GFCF stores and web sites we’ve included on our lists offer gift certificates.

This article is taken with permission from www.autismdigest.com, where readers can go online and, by signing in, can access free copies of the magazine’s eGuide, which is packed full of more information on holidays and gift giving for children on the spectrum.
Article amended to fit the present season of Valentine’s Day.