TWO Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings in August: 8/6 & 8/27
For those of you not familiar with ”Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings“, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), there are no advertisements or previews before the movie and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing – in other words, AMC’s “Silence is Golden®” policy will not be enforced during movie screenings unless the safety of the audience is questioned.
To quote our Special Needs Parenting Expert Rosie Reeves: “It can be challenging enough to bring a child to a movie theater – they are dark, the sound is very loud, there are tempting stairs and rails and they are expected to sit still and stay quiet. When a child has special needs all these elements and many others can prove too daunting to even attempt such an outing. And yet getting out, being with the community and sharing in an experience with an audience can be invaluable for just such children – and their caregivers, too”.
On August 6th at 10am local time, “The Smurfs” will be screened as part of the “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” program. On August 27th, ”Spy Kids – All the Time in the World – In 4D” will be screened. Tickets are $4 to $6 depending on the location. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fabulous program.
Coming October 1st: Dolphin Tale
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Editor’s note: Both The Smurfs and Spy Kids 4 are rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America. Please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description of The Smurfs or Spy Kids 4 to determine if either is right for you and your child.
July 2nd & 23rd 2011: Two Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings
For those of you not familiar with”Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings“, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing.
To quote our Special-Needs Parenting Expert Rosie Reeves: “It can be challenging enough to bring a child to a movie theater – they are dark, the sound is very loud, there are tempting stairs and rails and they are expected to sit still and stay quiet. When a child has special needs all these elements and many others can prove too daunting to even attempt such an outing. And yet getting out, being with the community and sharing in an experience with an audience can be invaluable for just such children – and their caregivers, too”.
On July 2nd at 10am local time, “Cars 2” will be screened as part of the “sensory friendly screening program”. On July 23rd, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 will be screened. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this fantastic program.
Coming August 6th: The Smurfs
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Editor’s note: Cars 2 is rated G by the Motion Picture Association of America. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is rated PG-13 for Some intense sequences of intense action violence and frightening images. Please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description to determine if this movie is right for you and your child.
June 2011 Sensory Friendly Movie Screening
We first heard about “Sensory Friendly Movie Screenings” a little over a year ago, in a post by our Special-Needs Parenting Expert Rosie Reeves. For those of you not familiar with this fantastic program, AMC Entertainment (AMC) and the Autism Society have teamed up to bring families affected by autism and other disabilities a special opportunity to enjoy their favorite “family-friendly” films in a safe and accepting environment.
The movie auditoriums will have their lights turned up and the sound turned down. Families will be able to bring in snacks to match their child’s dietary needs (i.e. gluten-free, casein-free, etc.), and it’s totally acceptable to get up and dance, walk, shout, talk to each other…and even sing.
To borrow from Rosie’s post: “It can be challenging enough to bring a child to a movie theater – they are dark, the sound is very loud, there are tempting stairs and rails and they are expected to sit still and stay quiet. When a child has special needs all these elements and many others can prove too daunting to even attempt such an outing. And yet getting out, being with the community and sharing in an experience with an audience can be invaluable for just such children – and their caregivers, too”.
This June “Kung-Fu Panda 2” will be screened on June 4th. To find a theatre near you, here is a list of AMC theatres nationwide participating in this program.
Coming July 2nd: Cars 2
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Editor’s note: Kung-Fu Panda 2 is rated PG for sequences of martial arts action and mild violence. Please check the IMDB Parent’s Guide for a more detailed description to determine if this movie is right for you and your child.
Special Needs Kids and Bullying
Bullying has been all over the media, although we all know it has been around forever. Now a new report by non-profit AbilityPath.org called “Walk a Mile In Their Shoes…Bullying and the Child with Special Needs” shows that special needs students are even more likely than average kids to be taunted and picked on. The report also has guides for parents to help their children and recommends Social and Emotional Learning curricula, like one used in Illinois schools, to address the problem. The group has also launched a public service announcement starring Lauren Potter of “Glee”.
While 45 states have adopted laws related to bullying in the last five years, the report notes, few address the bullying of students with special needs in particular. California schools chief Tom Torlakson plans to include special needs children in anti-bullying legislation. What about your state???
Special Needs Kids, Dentists, Insurance, Oh My!
February is Kids National Dental Health Month. For some special needs children, everyday activities like getting a haircut or visiting a dentist can be a big challenge. My daughter recently needed to have a 
tooth extracted. Like many kids with special needs, she has been poked and prodded and now has a huge fear of anyone in a lab coat. She is less than cooperative. Her dentist decided it would be better to put her under anesthesia, so she would be relaxed and have no bad memory of the event.
Our insurance company didn’t agree with him, claiming it was a simple extraction for which they do not cover anesthesia. We ended up paying the anesthesiologist’s hefty fee out of pocket, even though the dentist’s office sent a letter explain the circumstances.
Looking back on the ordeal, I wonder if it was really even necessary. I think that when our special needs kids are concerned we are too quick to jump through hoops and get things done. Really, I don’t think would have been any terrible consequences in our case. Of course, this was not a medical emergency.
Learn from my bad mistakes – call your insurance company and discuss any upcoming procedures. Find out what is and isn’t covered. Until insurance companies understand the needs of special needs children, we must be their advocates.
For more information on dental care and special needs kids, check out another article I wrote here: http://www.examiner.com/special-needs-kids-in-los-angeles/dental-health-for-special-needs-kids
