Coloring Outside Autism's Lines: 50+ Activities, Adventures, and Celebrations for Families with Children with Autism

225 Pages·2010·1.97 MB·English

by  Susan Walton

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Coloring
Outside
Autism’s Lines
50+ Activities, Adventures, and Celebrations
for Families with Children with Autism
S u S A n W A L t O n
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Copyright © 2010 by Susan Walton
Cover and internal design © 2010 by Sourcebooks, Inc.
Cover design by Cyanotype Book Architects
Cover image © Andresr/iStockphoto.com
Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
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This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information
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sional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services
of a competent professional person should be sought.—From a Declaration of
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Committee of Publishers and Associations
This book is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from a qualified
physician. The intent of this book is to provide accurate general information
in regard to the subject matter covered. If medical advice or other expert help
is needed, the services of an appropriate medical professional should be sought.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Walton, Susan.
Coloring outside autism’s lines: 50+ activities, adventures, and celebrations
for families with children with autism / by Susan Walton.
p. cm.
1. Autistic children--Family relationships. 2. Parents of autistic children. 3.
Family recreation. I. Title.
RJ506.A9W36 2010
618.92’85882--dc22
2010027320
Printed and bound in the United States of America.
VP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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To Timothy, Drew, Jamie, and Katherine.
The funnest family ever.
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Contents
Introduction ..................................ix
Chapter 1: Planning, Prepping, and Packing .........1
Chapter 2: Finding Your Way with Friends .........21
Chapter 3: The Happy House ...................31
Chapter 4: Finding Community Fun .............. 63
Chapter 5: Comfortable Clothing for a Fun Life .....83
Chapter 6: Grandparents, Extended Family,
and Special Friends ...................99
Chapter 7: Taking the Show on the Road .........113
Chapter 8: Regular Life and Weekends ...........127
Chapter 9: Enjoying the Wider World ............143
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Chapter 10: New Traditions and
Holiday Celebrations . ..............165
Chapter 11: I f You’re Going to Dream,
Dream Big! .......................189
Appendix . .................................201
About the Author ............................209
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Introduction
Enjoy Life, Even if Autism Is
Along for the Ride
L ike most women today, I do a lot of things. But
mostly, I’m a mom. Various other words have been
added to that description over the last ten years: I’m a mom
of three. I’m a mom of twins. I’ve been a working mom and
a stay-at-home mom. I can be a kind-of-strict mom and a
sometimes-silly mom. I’m a mom who cooks. But perhaps
the label that defines me best is that I am the mom of a
child with autism.
My son was a little shy of two years old when he was
diagnosed with autism. My experience was not much
different than that of a lot of other parents I know. My
pediatrician missed the signs even though we pointed out
concerns. We beat ourselves up for a long time for not
getting him diagnosed sooner. And I was in my last month
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