Holiday Party Irony & Sensitivity

This last Saturday, the family loaded up into the car to partake in the annual EFFECT holiday party. This is the organization out of Lee's Summit that is a champion for youths with disabilities, including the Autism Spectrum. Carrie spends a lot of time culling through listserve e-mails to garner solid research and advice from a community of advocates. At any rate, we wanted to get welcomed into the community via flesh versus solely email communication and went on over. As we walked in, a huge array of sights and sounds assailed Miles boy. From the Disney Radio dance floor to a creepy cow mascot with bright pink foam lips, Miles was rather spooked by the overload of 'fun and lights' whirling around. He just couldn't settle into a comfort zone that would allow him and ultimately us to ease into the mix. He was rather civil in a Santa pose, he loved the water droplet mascot running around and did tackle a couple of cookies. Overall, it was way too much for an event that should technically have been enough. This also reminds me of how the double-edged sword can rise over and over with a child like Miles that has sensory issues. Case in point .. at night after being away from him and wanting to just hear him laugh, I'll get him going so hard that he will likely puke. So, even in my desire to have a minute of mad laughter, I have to pull back because it might backfire in a nasty expulsion of accidental glee. At any rate, Carrie and I were happy to go to an EFFECT even and would love to foster more of an existence with like minded couples or a play group. Anything and everything is helpful when you already feel alone in the world of the 'spectrum'.