Hoodies banned at some NJ schools, the September 12th NJ.com reported.
Fortunately, not Charlie’s school: What would one do without a soft blue hood to pull over one’s ears and head, whatever the weather? And now that it’s gotten fall crisp and cool, a hooded sweatshirt isn’t just fashion, it’s necessary, especially while waiting for the schoolbus on a misty morning.
We’ve gotten Charlie a new blue hooded sweatshirt as the sleeves on the one he wore up till July are now “bracelet length” on him. The new sweatshirt’s big and floppy and not quite the right fit. But a little room …read more

An article in today’s Morning News of northwest Arkansas describes a multi-sensory room for adults with “severe intellectual disabilities.” The room is equipped with a “clear plastic, 5-foot-tall column of illuminated bubbles, an aroma generator and a projector that throws a variety of soothing images on the wall,” along with a giant vibrating pillow, a “vibro-acoustic mattress.” Specialty stuff indeed—-though the article begins by noting that some of these devices borrow a page from the likes of aromatherapy devices, recordings of rainforest sounds, beanbag chairs, and other 1980s trends, and got me thinking about how Charlie tends to address …read more

Yelling at Charlie is a 100% surefire guaranteed way to assure that he won’t do what I ask him (does it work with anyone, really?). He’s been so sound sensitive these past few months as it is, often putting his hands over his ears and, regardless of muggy June Jersey weather, snuggling the hood of his blue fleece (”summerweight”) sweatshirt over his head. So no buying a mom megaphone!

96 degrees here in New Jersey today. I don’t mean to turn this blog into a weather report, but changes in the weather—-in particular, when it starts to get humid before a thunderstorm—can affect Charlie. He’s not able to tell us why he might be feeling uncomfortable: At school and home we have been working on teaching him what’s the right clothes to wear when it’s hot, cold, raining. (Not that Charlie’s yet ready to relinquish his hooded blue sweatshirt.)
Whatever the season, we go to the pool (indoor and outdoor) several times a week, both for the physical activity and …read more

It’s supposed to be in the high 60s and into the 70s all this week and sunny. This means yet another transition for Charlie: He’s been donning his blue fleece vest, blue fleece coat, and blue fleece gloves routinely for the past several months. Last Saturday in New York he kept moaning in 60-plus degree weather and that fleece get-up, and looked surprised then was smiling when he removed his fleece items (his armor, I guess you could say). I do think Charlie been grateful for the big hood on the coat to screen out sounds (which he has been …read more