our 2008 in review

So today is the last day of 2008..... Wow.. As I look back what a busy year it has been with ups and downs.. but mostly ups! As we leave 2008 on an upswing, I hope that 2009 continues with this momentum.

2008 in no particular order....

• Belle started taking ballet & tap - and loves every minute of it. She had her first recital in June 2008 and is busy practicing away for the next one. She also started pre-school which has been much harder on me than her. She is thriving in preschool, writing her name and working on improving her reading and writing skills.
• School for Alex has definitely had ups and downs in 2008. First grade was basically a mess with a teacher/kid combo that was less than idea. His behaviors reached an alltime high and things were very stressful. The good news was that his teacher went out on maternity leave and a sub came in that turned out to be the biggest blessing in disguise. Things turned around quickly and he went on to have a really productive extended school year session. For 2nd grade I requested a specific teacher for him that has (fingers crossed) so far been working out for him. Alex continues to soar academically it is 'just' (yeah.. just, ugh) the social & behavior piece that needs work.
• Outside of school is where most of the fun stuff for Alex took place this year. In addition to music therapy and going surfing he also tried out the Challenger league baseball, and bowling which we will be doing more of! Alex also had a very positive experience at Camp Bridge summercamp.
• This year Alex got glasses, lost glasses and broke glasses multiple times. The much coveted eyeglass locator has arrived here for testing. Ironically, on the same day that Alex broke his glasses! He's been wearing his spares for a week or so and they have gotten bent beyond repair. It is only fitting that the last day of the year we headed to the mall Lenscrafters and bought him a new "good" pair. I've ordered some inexpensive spares from Zenni for him, but since they can take upwards of 3 weeks or so to arrive - I thought it prudent to go get some good ones in the meantime.
• I went real real public this year with how I feel about vaccines both on this blog but also by attending vaccination rally events with my kids in tow. I felt it was important to include Alex and Belle because they truly are the kids for vaccination choice. I will continue to share our story and stand up for vaccination choice issues.
• 2008 was a year of Mother Warriors and Child Warriors. Alex and I continue to fight this together and move forward one accomplishment at a time. Yay for Gluten & Casein free food.
• And on a fun note... 2008 said good-bye to my old mini-van and in with my new one complete with a Van Pan send-off.

I could just go on and on and on here.. but I'll stop. So much happened in 2008!

...Here's to even more fun in 2009!

Autism Hangout - Podcast on Autism Safety

Autism Hangout
A source for news, blogs, podcasts, social networking and more.

Check it out! Its where all the cool kids are.



MaryTara Wurmser is an autism safety advocate, the Kids and Family Category Lead at Epinions.com and publisher of the Bon Bon Gazette. She's recently done even more notable work on publicizing how to keep our kids with autism safe. Don't miss this important (and fun!) conversation.


Listen to my Autism Hangout Podcast here:

Happy Birthday to Logan

Logan likes Pixar Cars... ya think?









Today is Logan's Birthday.

Logan is Alex's best friend in the world. Tonight he is headed out to dinner (with his gfcf food in tow) with Logan's family - mom, dad, and his little brother who also has Autism. Very brave parents, indeed.

The kids just pulled away....Happy Birthday Logan!

He's got a friend in Wall-E

It is absolutely not surprising in the slightest bit that Alex loves Wall-E so much. After all, this is the child who's very first friend was none other than Kasey The Kinderbot.

Since Wall-E just came out recently on DVD along with the slew of toys and merchandise for the holidays - there was a definite theme for Alex's birthday and Christmas gifts... Wall-E everything. He received the wall-e dvd, of course - a special 3 disc version. He also got several books of the reading type and coloring type - one that I am particularly excited about it is a Learn to Draw Wall-E Book. We really want to encourage Alex's artwork. He took to drawing logos a couple of years ago and enjoys drawing on paper as well as recently figuring out all by himself how to draw using the graphics program on my laptop. I get a kick out of him referring to his drawings as "his masterpieces" and I can't bear to delete the hundreds of little logos he has done of FBI screens and Disney logos off of my system.
Santa also brought Alex not one, but two- Wall-E interactive robots. One has a remote control and the other "just" makes sounds. He loves them both.

In true Autism spirit, here are his Wall-Es all together, with the Pixar lamp.. engaged in a worship ceremony of sorts with the Pixar Shorts DVD. Note that he has the larger Wall-E holding the remote to his new Pixar Lamp Toy! You know he has to love Wall-E if he's willing to share that remote.

Related posts:

Wall-E Costume Project
A very Pixar Christmas

My Mother Wants to Join Facebook. Oh no!

December 28, 2008

My Mother Wants to Join Facebook. Oh no!

There is nothing worse to me than the disapproving look of my mother. I remember being on the receiving end of it as a child, and still - at 36 - its positively grueling. A few weeks ago I attended a family wedding which was absolutely a treat to see my family (who all live in different states) around the holidays. So, "the grown-ups" all sat around chit-chatting and comparing notes and "the kids" desperately tried to find a way to excitement dial up a notch.

Now, ordinarily I'd consider myself, at 36 years old to be "one of the grown-ups". But, in this case both my husband and I were amongst "the kids". The only true kids in the family happen to be grandchildren - my family is getting older. Still, in the eyes of my parents and my aunts and uncles - I'm still a child. And at 36 years old - I don't want to be treated like a child. I have children of my own! I'm an adult after all- so why did I feel like a minor trying to pull one over on my parents? As I sipped on the one (of two) cocktails that I had (hardly excessive) and my parents sat across from me - it just felt wrong. It rather infuriates me, but was obvious as I watched the cousins "sneak" outside to get a cigarette or to consume their alcoholic drink in the bar area instead of bringing it back to the table (they weren't fooling anyone really).

As the night wore painfully on, one cousin asked another if they had a facebook account. Two of the grown-ups came forward as having them and starting talking about how they were very upset because initially only 2 out of their 3 children had accepted their request to add them as friends.

And then, my mother asked me - the question.

Do you have a facebook account?

For a second, I thought about lying to her. Even though I knew she would know I was lying. Maybe it was the 2 drinks in me - but lying actually seemed like a good option at the moment. All eyes looked on me as my husband sat next to me - knowing the honest answer. Between him and everyone else who knew I was on there - I couldn't get away with lying.

Yes Mom, I do.

And the rest of the evening I spent wondering if my mother was going to go home and sign on to Facebook to create an account. I played through the scenario in my head, on receiving the friend request from her - and if I would deny it, ignore it, or click on accept. I talked to my little brother about it and he was equally horrified at the notion. What could be so bad? In reality, it is not that big of a deal at all and maybe we could use it to share pictures. Still. I say no. I can see her disapproving look as she sees a timestamp on a message after midnight, or the pictures from a rare "girls night out" where I just happen to have had one too many.

The bottomline is this: I just don't want her to have one. She's my mother!

My husband assures me that the chances of my mother actually sitting down and figuring out facebook account creation and finding friends on there is slim to none. Yes, he is probably right, he usually is. I really really really.. hope that he is.

Original New Jersey Moms Blog post by MaryTara. MT blogs her adventures in parenting two beautiful children on the Jersey Shore, life with autism & without it, the gluten & casein free diet, and vaccination choice issues at The Bon Bon Gazette.

A Very Pixar Christmas

My son had but one wish this Christmas and it was for a PIXAR Lamp. He sat on Santa's Lap and asked for this, wrote his letter and made his request loud and clear. Santa knew that Alex had been a very good boy all year and that his request was extra special. So, with the help of some very special elves at Pixar....


We bring you:
A very Pixar Christmas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh4LHsoR69M




Playing with the Pixar Luxo Jr. Toy from Thinkway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj09qMaz0XA

My Christmas Doll

In her new Christmas Coat

A look at "In My Mind: The World Through The Eyes of Autism"

In My Mind....
video trailer

Direct Link to Video Trailer for In My Mind: here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxji0E0i-qs

I received my copy of Adonya Wong's book In My Mind...The World through the Eyes of Autism in the mail today. The timing couldn't have been better. A rainy day, one child inside running on a sugar high from back to back holiday parties at dance class & preschool. The other, my son Alex, was due home in about another hour so I had a few minutes to breathe before his bus pulled up to my curb. A grabbed a drink and sat down with my new book, anxious to check it out.

The 28 page book, In My Mind... is billed juvenile non-fiction & described as follows:

“In my mind, I see many colors, bright like a rainbow, shooting about like
comets in a night sky.” Take a closer look… What do you see? In My Mind, by
Adonya Wong, explores the inner world of an autistic child—the world that no one
else can see. From exciting adventures to silly games and conversations with
friends, look closely and see how a child with autism sees the world…and how the
world sees him.

A child's book under 30 pages attempting to show what goes on inside a child with autism's mind? My curiousity was seriously piqued for good reason, but instead of being Susie Skeptic (ok, maybe I was a little bit) I was fairly confident that in my hands I held something pretty special. You see, like me, Adonya is a mother of a child with Autism. So, if anyone "knows" autism - she would. Her own son was the muse of In My Mind... and the illustrations bear his likeness - though they could easily be any boy, or child, with autism.

The book takes things that a child with autism may do - like hand flapping, 'odd' speech, solitary nature - and puts a story behind it. i.e.

In my mind I'm having the greatest conversations
(illustration shows a young boy in outer space talking to a an alien).. [turn
page]

What you hear is a child making odd noises or speaking gibberish (picture
of a child talking to a green balloon).

As I flipped the pages of In My Mind... I felt that cold somewhat painful lump growing in my throat and tears came into my eyes. "Wow", I said to my husband. "Wow" (again). And then I gave him the book. He agreed. Indeed, this book is special. It accomplishes greatness in just 28 pages and is in a word, relevant.

Appropriate for children and adults a like. In My Mind... is not "just another children's book" nor is it "yet another book about autism".

I believe this book absolutely holds a place both in the autism and special-ed classrooms and on the shelves of every school library. What a valuable tool this book will be for children who may come in contact with children with autism on a daily basis. I know my own 3 year old daughter (who is neurotypical) is beginning to notice and ask questions about her big brother's autism - and I plan on reading this with her. I also plan on reading it with him, or rather having him read it himself. I love that it portrays autism merely as a difference and in a positive manner, I would not hesitate at all to share this with a child on the autism spectrum.

And though In My Mind... has the look and feel of a childrens book, it is absolutely for more than the kids. I believe that Wong has created a book that is along the lines of Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew. You'll want to give copies of this book to anyone in your life who meets with your child - teachers, therapists, professionals, friends and family members.

A few words I'd use to describe it:
eye-opening, heart-warming, whimsical, and powerful.

If you or someone in your life is touched by autism in any way, go get your copy of In My Mind...

Welcome to 8

2000

8 years ago, my world changed.
I met you.

2008

8 years later.
You continue to brighten my day.

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Autism Twitter Day - All I can say is WOW!

December 16th 2008 marked a first. Autism Twitter Day! Tweets galore tagged as #ASD - I do believe I twittered more in a day than I have in a months time. Twitter members shared resources, made friends, asked questions.

Bonnie Sayers @autismfamily on Twitter organized the event and arranged for professionals to serve as panelists on topics ranging from IEPs to therapy dogs. Throughout the day probably 100 or more prizes were given out as posted on the Autism Family Adventures blog. Huge Kudos to Bonnie for a most excellent day!


Check out this digital scrapbook of Autism Twitter day:
Direct Link: http://www.slideshare.net/umhealthscienceslibraries/autism-twitter-day-a-digital-scrapbook-presentation

Autism Twitter Day, A Digital Scrapbook

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: twitter social)

My reason.

I just found this picture online of Alex and I from the Vaccination Choice Rally in Trenton (10/16/08) . I really don't have too many pictures of me with Alex or me at all. I hate getting my picture taken! But, I love this picture - as bittersweet as it is. We were watching the Children of Vaccination Choice Video together and I was trying to keep it together and not cry. I didn't, I'm a cryer. Even Louise had tears in her eyes. Well, afterwards Alex went up to Louise Kuo Habakus and gave her a hug. He told me was sad to see her crying, it brings tears to my eyes. Louise had been standing up and "fighting" for vaccine choice rights.. fighting for children, like Alex. And Alex wanted to give her the hug? I love him.


Posted at: http://photos.nj.com/the-times/2008/10/vaccination_choice.html

Vaccination Choice

Added by Michael J. Ratcliffe on October 17, 2008 at 10:13 PM

10/16/2008 - The New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice held a rally in front of the state house to promote the right to vaccination choice. Marytara Wurmser of Brick hugs her son, Alex, 8, during the rally. Alex has autism. The sign behind him says 1 in 94 kids in NJ, 1 in 60 boys, has autism. Times of Trenton photo by David Gard

Tags: trentontimes

This photo is part of the 10-17-2008 Times Photos Of The Week gallery

Read more about Vaccination Choice & our Story:
http://www.bonbongazette.com/2007/01/vaccination-choice.html

Autism on Days of Our Lives - a tiny bit of reality in la-la land aka Salem

Yep, the stay-at-home mom who doesn't sit around watching daytime soaps all day eating bon-bons is blogging on a soap. Horror of Horrors. Yes, I do watch a day-time soap, though more often than not I watch it at night long after the house has gone quiet. Its decompression time for me...the storylines are so ridiculous yet somehow gripping. I just can't help myself.

In June 2008, Days of Our Lives announced that they were going to be introducing Autism into their storyline. I actually stopped watching it at that point. I knew that bringing autism into the story might "ruin" it for me. You see, like I said - the soap is an escape so why would I want to go on there and watch something that hit home. So I started letting it pile up on my DVR until recently I embarked on a marathon of sorts and got caught up - speeding my way through the commercials with thanks to the dvr remote.

My observation is that they have so far kept it pretty real when they are working the Autism storyline as opposed to the just about everything else on the show that is incredibly far-fetched.

The story goes that Lexi and Abe Carver's son Theo has autism. They started "at the beginning" with the devastation of receiving a diagnosis. Lexi, a doctor, and Abe, the head of police - both took the diagnosis so differently and there was quite a bit of resulting stress on their already rocky marriage. I thought for sure that they were going down the storyline of how many marriages fall apart and end in divorce but so far they have managed to walk the road that having a special needs child, like Theo, can actually bring a couple together. Of course, this is a soap, so who knows where they'll go with it next week, or even tomorrow for that matter.

The show has addressed the toll that it has taken on Lexi, as a mother - and her own self doubt (constant) that she is not doing everything she can. They show Lexi "slip" in her career and make the difficult decision to scale back in her career in order to devote more time to Theo. Lexi has a very hard time seeing her child bond and seemingly prefer some of his teachers, like the young OT student Chelsea. One episode shows her son spilling coffee on someone and the stranger admonishing the child and a 'lack of parenting'. Another show has him melting down on a play-date, and yet another he runs away from the babysitter at the park. I did think they could have delved a bit more into the wandering and elopment issue, but hey - at least they have addressed it.

On today's show they dealt with the holidays and how tough it can be to swallow watching other typical kids want this and want that. And when asked, her child cannot articulate what he wants or really exhibit much interest in the holiday at all. She looks on other parents who are seemingly bothered by their kids wants and wishes and she is resentful.

I get it. I got it. I was that way. We were there once.

It really wasn't until last year or maybe the year before, when my son started to show interest in specifically what he would like and understand the idea of Santa. Now, at almost 8 years old when so many children his age no longer believe he is Santa's biggest fan. I feel like I am living a most magical time because both of my children are so filled with the innocence and belief of Santa's reality. To think, not too long ago I was in Lexi's spot - gosh, here I am talking about this soap star like she's my friend.

I think really that says quite a bit, the autism storyline has really been surprisingly realistic which is definitely out of character for a daytime soap. But, not as surprising when I learned that the show's head writer Dena Higley has raised a child with Autism. They have also consulted with (ahem.. afraid almost to say the name..) Autism Speaks for support on the storyline. I presume this means we won't be seeing the Carvers try to recover Theo anytime soon through bio-medical options or if Lexi believed his Autism was a result of vaccination injury. But hey, maybe one of the all-knowing doctors like Dr. Jonas will come up with a miracle cure for Autism since he has so far showed expertise in Cancer, OB/GYN, Transplants, Strokes, and everything else that's thrown his way.


We shall see.


Days of Our Lives is on NBC at 1pm ET
For more info:

http://www.nbc.com/Days_of_our_Lives/

Alex's Holiday letter to Santa

My son really likes to use my laptop. He draws FBI warning screens and movie logos using MS-Paint and keeps busy. After he's gone to bed and my laptop is mine again I sometimes like to go through his artwork to find gems.

Ah. Here is a great one.
Here is his Santa Letter:

For frame of reference see:

All he wants for Christmas is a PIXAR lamp

http://www.bonbongazette.com/2008/11/all-he-wants-for-christmas-is-pixar.html

Play-Doh may be fun but it is NOT Gluten Free

Play-Doh is fun, but it is not gluten free. Play-Doh doesn't contain other common allergens - peanuts nor milk, but it does contain wheat and therefore Gluten.

When my son embarked on a gluten free diet, it meant saying good-bye to Play-Doh. This was somewhat sad for me because we were a big play-doh house. Play-doh is such a fun and sensory rich activity - excellent for children with autism. But, because of the gluten it had to go. I gave away a big rolling cart full of every color of doh under the sun, squeezers, cutters and rollers to a friend of mine. I let the school know, no play-doh - and provided them with an alternative (Crayola Model Magic).


You might say: But, my kid isn't eating play-doh.. why does it matter?
I say: It matters.

But... Why?
Play-Doh contains wheat (hence glutens) and when played with it is in contact with the skin. Contaminants are absorbed thru your skin and into your body. Also, kids touch everything and if they touch their mouth it will be ingested and end up in the gut - bad for a celiac or autistic child on a gfcf diet. Plus, as much as we don't want to believe it- kids eat play-doh. It smells "good" and it looks kind of like food, especially when you manipulate it with rolling pins and cookie cutters. Play-Doh is out.

This reminder is particularly pertinent at Back to School time, holiday time, and for anytime goody bags are involved.

1. Check those goody bags and stocking stuffers for play-doh to keep your gluten free children safe.
   
2. Do not give play-doh as a gift to an autistic child if you are not sure of their diet restrictions.
   
3. Do not give play-doh in gift exchanges where children with food allergies could be present.
4. Check with special ed teachers and therapists first before giving the gift of Play-Doh
   

The good news is that there are many alternatives to Play-Doh for the gluten free child:

• Make your own play-dough using gluten free flours - Instructions from the Celiac Sprue Association
• Aroma-Dough - naturally scented for aromatherapy, 100% organic, gluten free flours
• Dokedo Putty
• Colorations is allergen free (No Wheat, No Egg, No Nut, No Dairy, No Latex) and available from Discount School Supply.
• Moon Sand DOES NOT contain wheat, gluten, milk, egg, casein or peanut ingredients. Warning though - it is VERY messy.
• Crayola Model Magic
• Mama K's aromatic Play Clay - see my review here

Best Gifts for my Child with Autism

There are a plethora of gift guides on the internet with gift ideas for the child with autism in your life. Two great guides that I suggest are:

Toy Ideas for Kids and Tweens with Autism - Autism Spectrum Disorders @ Bella Online
Toys R Us Gift Guide for Differently-Abled Kids

Buying a gift for a child with autism can be tough. A lot of people have come to me over the years and asked me "What gift should I buy for an autistic child?". That's not enough information. Children with autism, like all children - have their own likes and dislikes, abilities and strengths. How old is the child? Boy or Girl? Do they like 'noisy' toys or are they afraid of them? Do they have motor delays? Are they tech-savvy?

Still, I thought I would spend some time and spotlight a few of the gifts that have been biggest hits for my son, Alex - he is 7 (soon to be 8 years old) and on the Autism spectrum. Alex is an extremely tech-savvy child. He has no fine motor issues but struggles with some gross motor activities (he has hypotonia, low muscle tone and trunk strength). He loves arts and music - on his own terms. These are a few gifts that he has enjoyed the most:

Go-Ped Grow-Ped Kick Scooter: I wrote a review of the scooter we have, which is this scooter in blue. I chose this Scooter because my son saw some of the neighborhood kids using skateboards and Razor scooters but I had reservations about getting him either of those. The advantage to this Go-Ped Grow-Ped Kick Scooter is that it is very stable - it has a larger wheel base and a broad wooden platform. The things that make it safer and easy to use give it a very cool "retro" look so it doesn't look babyish. My 7 year old son is not yet able to ride a bike without training wheels which is a sore spot (and he doesn't want to ride his bike), but he loves to ride his scooter. If you buy a scooter, do not forget a helmet

Toys that teach about Money: Maybe it is in the genes, as my father and younger brother are numismatics (coin collectors). My son loves money, specifically coins and so we have been working with him on learning how to count and save money. With the Deluxe ATM Machine he is able to use his very own ATM card and access this automated coin bank (it also takes dollars) using an access code. This has the benefit of keeping his little sister out of his $$$$, but he also likes to deposit and withdraw repeatedly and doesn't quite "get" that you need to manually enter your withdrawals so according to my son's ATM he has a better bank balance than I do most of the time. If the ATM is too complicated a concept, a better choice is this Electronic Money Jar which is a self-counting coin jar. PS. Santa, I have asked for one of these this year for me. I am always amazed at how fast coins accumulate and how much that "spare change" in the bottom of my purse really adds up to. Speaking of adding things up, an excellent choice for kids who like pretend play that also teaches about counting money is the Learning Resources Pretend & Play Calculator Cash Register. I first saw this in a classroom and then "scored" it at a yard sale with no missing pieces. Now that we have had this, I would have gladly paid full price for it. Learning Resources is one of my favorite brands for educational toys. They also make the Time Tracker which is a digital timer that lights up and uses zones like a stoplight - red, yellow, and green. My only problem with the Time Tracker has been that my son quickly learned how to reprogram it so that when I wasn't looking he would re-set it to add more time.

LeapFrog Toys: Over the years my son has grown up on Leapfrog toys. In early pre-school years the fridge magnet sets were both educational, reinforcing (he loved to press a button repeatedly), and a good occupier while I was in the kitchen and wanted him in there with me. We had the Fridge Phonics Magnetic Alphabet Set and the Fridge Farm Magnetic Animal Set. There is also a world builder version. My son has hyperlexia and loves letters, numbers, and reads well beyond age level. Still to this day he can amuse himself with a set of good old-fashioned alphabet and number magnets. My friends look forward to the messages he leaves them on their fridge when he visits.

My son loves to read and also loves electronic toys. Nothing beats a "good old fashioned book" but the LeapPad learning system was a fun electronic book reader toy that satisfied his need for tech and reading books. The new Tag Reading System takes away the bulky plastic reader and corded magic-pen and packs the fun of the LeapPad into a cordless pan that can "read" special coded books. Excellent for preschoolers, pre-readers, and early readers.

Yes, we've played with many a LeapFrog toy. By far, the biggest winner for my son has been his Leapster. The Leapster is an educational handheld gaming system. It is suggested for children ages 4+ and comes with a few basic pre-loaded educational games. Additional cartridges focusing on math & reading featuring popular branded characters can be purchased separately. My son played with his leapster all the time in waiting rooms, car-rides, travel, shopping trips, and more. His leapster helped me get through many a shopping trip and traffic jam without a meltdown. He loved/loves video games but I wanted something educational for him and non-violent and this fit the bill perfectly. LeapFrog has come out with a new version called the Leapster 2 which features online connectivity where parents can track kids learning online. For children who are a bit older, LeapFrog has come out with a new gaming system called the Didj for the 6 to 10 year old agegroup.


Nintendo is our choice for a child with Autism:
My son has outgrown his Leapster and has essentially taken over my Nintendo DS Lite that I received as a gift last year from my husband. I can see why he loves it, its like the leapster that "grew up" with faster paced games and better graphics. My son's favorite Nintendo DS games are: Cooking Mama , Petz Catz 2, and Diner Dash. One word of advice if you purchase your child with autism (or any child) a DS - stock up on extra styluses - they are small and not corded so they get lost easily. I have purchased them in bulk from eBay before and gotten them for pennies a piece. There is also the Nerf Armor to protect this pricey electronic from getting broken when it is dropped.

Another gift that was mine - but with the whole family in mind, was our Nintendo Wii. The Wii has been a gift that the entire family from my 3 year old typical child, my 7 year old with autism and my husband and I (both 30somethings) love. Bowling which is on Wii Sports is Alex's favorite and he mastered it quickly. He was then able to take the skills learned from Wii Bowling and apply them to actual bowling in a bowling alley - something that had previously been a disaster for him. The Wii has helped him get over sensory hurdles, improve coordination, and engage his whole body. The Wii is an active gaming system and I love that my son isn't just sitting in front of the TV vegging out, instead it gets him up and moving. There will most definitely be some new Wii games for him under the christmas tree this year. Check out: Active Life Outdoor Challenge, Wii Fit, Mario Kart with Wii Wheel, and Wii Music.

Learn more about the Wii and Autism:
I'm a believer in Wii Therapy!!!
Consider the Nintendo Wii for Kids with Autism


To Purchase or Learn More about the products featured in this post visit:
Featured Gifts for a child with Autism:
http://www.bonbongazette.com/2008/12/featured-gifts-for-children-with-autism.html


For more gift ideas and product reviews, be sure to visit my reviews at Epinions.com