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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2018)
June 2018 - EASTERN OREGON PARENT - 13 Including special needs families in the community By JENNIFER COLTON Yelling, stares and the panic that follows a public meltdown can tempt special needs parents to build private walls, but working through it has long-term benefits. “I think the parents know that it’s good for them to get out and interact, but on the other hand, sometimes the reactions the com- munity has to the meltdowns at the end drive the parents back into the house,” says Winnie Burnett. “It’s very difficult to be the parent of a special needs child.” As such a parent, Burnett says being around a community that understands can make the differ- ence. In Eastern Oregon, programs for special needs children range from specialized sports opportuni- ties – including the Little League Challenger Division and US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer – to the iCan Bike summer day camp that teaches how to ride a bicycle. For a half- decade, Burnett has run the special needs open gym times at the Pend- leton Recreation Center. She says the physical activity helps children focus and handle reactions better in the long-term. “The social interactions, the more they meet with people and interact with people, the better it is,” she remarks. “The social part is huge for them, getting out and meeting people and being able to observe. They learn so much by observing.” The special needs open gym runs from October through May each year, and The Arc of Umatilla County offers multiple camps dur- ing the summer, focused on both those with intellectual and devel- opmental disabilities and neuro- typical children, especially siblings. The Summer Recreation and Inclu- sion Program for 2018 includes two camps: a Stay and Play Camp at The Arc Building in Herm- iston and a Trip and Travel Camp that starts in Hermis- ton but includes activities at the SAGE Center in Boardman, a cooking class, and a trip to the Tri-Cities. For more information on either of The Arc camps, contact Camp Director Jessica Brown at 541-720-7951. Other organizations host events that can be modified to meet the needs of children with disabilities. The Public Library Sum- mer Reading Program includes fun – and free – events, and the Herm- iston Public Library offers a weekly “Adventure Time Story Time” geared directly for developmen- tally disabled children and adults. Community organizations, includ- ing the Pendleton Arts Center and the SAGE Center in Boardman, will work with children to help them get the most out of a lesson, and Special Olympics has a strong pro- gram that includes seasonal sports like track and field, bocce, and golf. Kristi Smalley is a parent of a special needs child actively in- volved with The Arc of Umatilla County, Special Olympics and more. She says parents of special needs children have to create opportuni- ties for the child. “Parents of special needs chil- dren have to create their own opportunities for their children to learn language, social skills and how to function with neuro-typical peers,” she says. “Find out who your child ‘clicks’ with in their class and take the initia- tive to invite that child to play at the park, feed the ducks or whatever.” Some of those outings can evolve into more. Smalley says she reached out to friends with neuro- typical children and developed a playtime cooperative, allowing all the children to participate in an activity once a week. That type of coop- erative also gives parents a break when it isn’t their turn to host the activity, because keeping a child in- volved – with or without a disability – can be stressful for parents. “Resist the temptation to keep your child at home and isolated from the public,” Smalley says. “Take small steps and reward your child for complying with your simple directions. As they build language and social skills, your child will have more opportunities to interact with both disabled and neuro-typical peers.” Socialization is a benefit for the child, for the family, and for the community. Interaction with the community helps a child observe, but it also helps community mem- bers observe the child. Burnett points out many of the “melt- downs” happen when the child has to leave, and when community members are aware of what is hap- pening, they are often more under- standing. Strategies “These aren’t bratty kids. They’re just kids that at this mo- ment are unable to handle all the stress coming their way. It’s about education: letting people know that they have meltdowns because they’re overstimulated, because they’re having fun, because they don’t want it to end,” Burnett ex- plains. Taking care of special needs children and adults also includes sensory events, which are designed not to overstimulate children. Both Destiny Theaters in Hermiston and the Children’s Museum of Eastern Oregon in Pendleton offer monthly sensory experiences. During the summer, spray parks can be an opportunity for those with special needs to enjoy water – even on days when an aquatic center or pool can be too overwhelming. Multiple parent support groups, such as the Eastern Oregon Down Syndrome Support Group that meets in Hermiston, also exist to help parents remember they aren’t alone. “If you want to get your child involved, we can try to make something work for people. That’s huge – having a community that’s willing to meet them where they’re at,” Burnett says. “It’s really hard on the parents, but it’s really good for them to know that it will benefit their kids long term.” ________ Jennifer Colton is news director of KOHU and KQFM, and mother of three, based in Pendleton.
