Saturday, January 28, 2017

Review of "Fidget Sensory Armband" by PatchesProducts

One of the best things about having a blog and the great opportunity to write articles for different websites is the individuals who contact me. One such mom reached out to me a few weeks ago after reading an article I wrote on "The Mighty." She wanted to share her product with me, and I agreed to write a post on my blog for her. Win win!

Julie, from Patches Products on Etsy, was kind enough to send me THREE of her fidget sensory armbands--one for each of my kids. When the package arrived, I was so excited to try them out! They are made from a very durable fleece and have sequins on one side for the child to rub up and down. Doing this is a great way to calm the child and allow them to redirect their sensory issues. They fit snugly and comfortably on my children's wrists, and even my own! My kids were amazed at how the sequins could move up and down, and so was I!

The thing that really impressed me was how Julianna, my daughter with sensory issues and autism, reacted to the armband. We have tried many different products over the years to help her with sensory issues, and none have really worked. Well, these fidget armbands did the trick! After putting hers on, she spent at least an hour massaging the sequins back and forth and watching the color change from gray to black. Just wearing the armband that long is a huge deal for her--she never likes to wear jewelry or headbands or anything more than regular clothing because of her sensory issues. She liked the armband so much that she asked to wear it to school and church, and on our bike ride that we took as a family that day.

I highly recommend these armbands if your child needs redirection or calming during stressful times. Not only are they comfortable and fun, but they can be worn with clothing as a great accessory! And they really work. She has other products as well! Thanks, Julie, for sharing your great product with us! I even passed one along to a friend for them to try!

Go check out her page and get yours today! Patches Products.


Tuesday, January 3, 2017

To Medieval Times--Thanks for Making Our Experience Easier

Day 1 of our little family vacation: check into our hotel right next to Disneyland, kill some time at Downtown Disney, and go to Medieval Times in Buena Park.

Going to a new place with a child on the spectrum is always a challenge. But I have to say, Medieval Times made the experience very easy.

I knew that we needed accessible seating in case Julianna was overwhelmed (guess what--sensory issues are REAL). I told the nice event staff member by the handicapped access gate that my daughter has autism, and that the sights and sounds might be too much. Without hesitation, he took us to the indoor stadium so I could decide what might work best. I chose an area, and he switched our seats. He even let us go in before the rest of the crowd. And once we were seated, he brought Nathan a booster seat without being asked.

When the show started, there was loud music and strobe lights flashing. Julianna covered her ears and began to cry. I reassured her that everything was okay and that the exit was right behind us now. I then thought that I needed to relate this new experience to something she's done before. Moms really do have intuition, because instantly I knew to say, "Julianna, this is just loud, just like a movie." She paused, uncovered her ears, and said, "Mommy, you mean this is like a movie?" She calmed down.

Next came the meal (eaten with no utensils, of course). Garlic bread, which she ate. A huge piece of roast chicken, tomato bisque, corn on the cob, and a baked potato. She only ate the garlic bread, and I knew she was starving.

I asked our server if she could bring any extra bread, and she was happy to do so. I explained that Julianna has many food aversions and would only eat the bread. She brought two more pieces of garlic bread. No more hungry Julianna.

When it was over, we thanked to event staff employee for the great seats. We thanked our server for the excellent service--I even left a note. What could have been a stressful evening for us turned out to be great.

It made me think that sometimes, it's hard to ask for help. But when you have a child with special needs, you have no choice--extra needs usually means extra help. So it's always appreciated when employees show they care about making your experience easier.

Thanks, Medieval Times! Tomorrow and Thursday: Disneyland! I will make sure to take mental notes on things I can share with you all.