Movies About Autism

No this is not a review, but just a listing of some films that are about Autism. Some are dramas, and some are documentaries, but all are worthy of being mentioned here. I figured I would make a listing, because let's face it there just is not too many mentions of this subject on the internet.

Here is an article I had written for Squidoo about a few Autism films. All of the films that I am mentioning are available through Netflix in their streaming section. Sounding the Alarm is a fairly newer one that is a documentary, and focuses on AutismSpeaks, and how they are trying to raise awareness. This seems to be only available on Netflix. It was a quick one, as it was only an hour long.

Another and final documentary I will mention is The United States of Autism, which is a movie that a Dad who won a contest sponsored by Pepsi. He wanted to show how different people within the spectrum are and how it is all over the nation.

I just watched another Autism documentary last night and decided to update this blog post to share another great film. It was called Autism in Love. This film showed a few different people who are in the spectrum and their attitudes about love. I highly enjoyed this because I could totally relate at times, and it helped to show how we all just want to be loved and accepted.

Bonefish Grill: Not a Family Friendly Restaurant

When we take our son to his very far away allergy specialist appointments we like to visit one of the many different restaurants that they do not have in our area. We did plan on going to Red Robin, but our son saw, and read the Bonefish Grill logo. He said "I like fish. Let's go there". My wife decided to look them up on a ratings site to see how expensive they would be, and they were rated at two dollar signs.

The outside of the establishment reveals very little. Of course it has outer seating to try and make it seem like a resort type of place. We walked through a revolving door into a very dimly lit room. I thought at first it was just the waiting area, but no....the whole restaurant is lit like a dungeon. They just had candles on each table, and the windows are covered with blinds, so that no light gets in. WEIRD!!!! The greeter sat us down at a table(I was hoping for one of the many open booths). I'm guessing this is the designated kids table, as there are Cheerios on the floor under this table.

Our waitress slowly approaches, and I emphasize on the slow part, because she was so unenthusiastic that she was like Eeyore on Prozac. She hands us the menus, and they are formatted so that the pricing is questionable. Being that it is a seemingly posh place I don't confirm what I think the prices are. She asks us if we would like some drinks, and I point out that the menu is hard to read. So she mumbles out some drink selections and I agree to a lemonade, which I later find out is a Vitamin Water brand. These lemonades once brought to our table are so watered down tasting it's like drinking cloudy water with A LOT of ice. I decide to use the restroom to wash my hands, as I always do before eating, and the bathroom is even darker. I almost can't find the stall it's so dark in there.

The waitress comes back and we decide to order. We order the infamous Bang Bang Shrimp appetizer, which this was sadly the highlight of our entire visit. I order the fish, and chips. My wife decides on a pasta dish, which for $4 more you can add chicken, which is the cheapest meat item. My son chooses a cheeseburger, which by far is the most expensive kids meal I have ever paid for at a whopping $7-8.  Surprisingly the shrimp came fast, and it was on special because it was Wednesday, and it was a decent portion for $6, and it tasted very good.

The food came at about the usual 15-20 minute wait. The portions for price in value were very very small, and not a good deal. For instance my meal the fish and chips, consisted of 3 fish tenders, and a portion of fries that was smaller than what you would receive in a value meal from a fast food chain. My son's cheeseburger looked so gourmet that he refused to eat it. My wife's pasta was kind of blah, and had very little chicken, which cost an extra $4.

So to sum up our total first time visit I would not go back to this place again unless I had a coupon or some money saving discount. It was not a good value, and I feel that the restaurant had taken advantage of us as patrons.

Autism Support Directory

I figured I would try and make a directory of Autism support services to make it easier for people to find. I have created the new blog here - Autism Support Directory. I think this is a great resource for those who do not know where to get services for either themselves or for a family member.  I know that as a parent that we had to discover everything for ourselves, and that we had little guidance. So I hope this endeavor helps someone out in the long run.

Ipad Alternatives

As a parent of a child in the Autism Spectrum I know how we have all heard how Ipads are recommended therapy for children in the spectrum. But sometimes it's not easy to obtain one, and the rules to get one through programs often change. Such as only if the child is non verbal, or cannot communicate, etc.  There are some sites that offer an opportunity to get them as well, such as Danny's Wish.  I know that many parents cannot afford to outright purchase these computer tablets or do not qualify for whatever requirements some programs have. So that is why I wanted to make a list of cheaper alternatives.

I had written an article previously about a similar subject for Squidoo, but since then there have been more tablets in the market that are just as good or similar to the ipad.  One of the things that you will run into is memory, and processing speeds will be a lot smaller compared to ipads, but it is a sacrifice that must be made. Kindles are good, and cheap, such as the Kindle Fire HD with a 7" screen this is a very good alternative. It has 16gb of memory. I own this model myself, and my son used it for a long time before we were able to get him an ipad.

VS. 

Another cheap alternative, and one I feel is more kid friendly is the Nabi. Although the Nabi 2, which is the newest version available is more kid friendly it has a lot less memory with only 1GB, and it cost more than the Kindle Fire HD. But the Nabi will interact, and has Nick themed apps. So it's really a preference of the user, as to which is better.  They also have a Disney themed device, and both are pre-designed with the outer rubber case to protect the device.

I have pointed out a couple of different options in which to go if you cannot afford an ipad. So I hope that with this information and knowing your childs preferences I have helped you in making a wise choice.

Weighted Blankets as Therapy

There are more than a few uses for weighted blankets, but we got one for our son, so that he would sleep more restfully. He has sensory processing disorder, and loves deep pressure, as it calms him.

Our son with his Angry Birds Weighted Blanket

I do not know for a fact if the benefits of using a weighted blanket are true for all conditions, but it is said that people with different forms of anxiety disorders can use this as a calming technique. Anyone of any age can also benefit from their use. Perhaps you suffer from insomnia, restless leg syndrome or ADD?

They are made according to the users height and weight, so that the blanket will be more effective for that individual.  If the person enjoys the feeling of tight clothing or being swaddled up in blankets then this is the perfect item for them.

Star Wars Angry Birds Telepods Multipack 2

Lego Movie Review

We went and saw the Lego Movie opening night. The version we saw was the 3-D, and was worth it. The theatre was packed with kids who were Lego fans , and a few adults too.  One of my friends compared it to The Matrix meets Toy Story. It had a lot of action scenes, and never got slow. I know that sometimes my son will not be interested if a movie gets slow, but this film had the perfect blend to keep him interested. It was funny for both kids, and parents. Of course being that it is the Lego brand there were a number of cameo appearances by popular lines of their product. I won't spoil it for you...you have to go see for yourself. I really appreciated the meaning behind the story that you do not have to always follow instructions, and to be yourself. This is one film that we will surely purchase for future viewing when it becomes available to do so. I would also add that this is a 5 out of 5 star film.

Lego Movie...

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