Overcoming Summer Challenges for the Special Needs Family
Most people think of summer as some of the best months of their life. The weather is warm…the sun is hot…the event invites are strong. Of course, for families of young children, managing all of this can be quite the hurdle. Throw in a special needs diagnosis and the hurdles increase unimaginably. Luckily, families now have plenty of options for summer programs and even greater list of tips and tools to make summer less stressful.

Summer Challenges
With summer comes more opportunities for unstructured periods of time and increased boredom. Add working parents into the mix and it’s a stressful rush to get kids into summer camps, sports and various activities to ensure supervision coverage. Parents of children with special needs often face very different challenges. 
Lack of Structure and Routine
Structure and routine are often a must for children with disabilities. Life for them needs to be predictable and when it’s not, their world can feel as though it is crumbling to the ground. It happens every year…those few weeks between school services, such as Extended School Year, for example. Parents become stressed out as the sole support system for their child and their child becomes anxious with no rhyme or rhythm to their daily life after having it all school year. 
Decrease in Therapies and Supports
Many children with special needs carry in-school services that are provided by their school districts. The supports provided at school can include anything from social work, speech therapy and occupational therapy minutes. It can also include a 1:1 aide that supports them day in and day out. At the end of the school year, these services tend to vanish, which is also why in-home therapies, such as ABA Therapy are vital to maintain throughout the entire year. 
Finding Appropriate Summer Programs
Extended School Year (ESY) is often times provided by law through the school district based off your child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) when it is determined that the child may regress during time away from school. Still, these services are often limited and even only provide half day opportunities for continued supports. Summer camps designated for the special needs community are limited and often come with a high price. 
Stressful Childcare Situations
Daycares, nannies and babysitters alike all carry a certain challenge for the special needs family. Most of the time, these childcare options are ill-equipped to handle special needs children and it is often up to the parents to spend extra time and money training these providers or paying for already qualified providers. 9 times out of 10, a parent has to sacrifice income and work opportunities in order to stay home with their special needs child. 
Vacation Challenges
Vacations are meant for relaxation…getting away from the stressors of everyday life. The challenges of leaving home with a special needs child are often overwhelming. When you think of managing travel times and methods, navigating hotels and restaurants, and finding special opportunities for fun for the whole family, vacation options feel very limited. Put into play the feeling of being judged in a whole new environment and the special needs parent/caretaker may actually need a vacation from their actual vacation!
Overcoming Summer Challenges
When push comes to shove, summer can actually be very predictable. Think about it. Summer comes at the same time every year and you know exactly how long its going to last in advance. This gives you time to get all your ducks in a row to ensure for a stress-free summer. Here are some helpful tips to help you manage your summer stresses and lead to a more successful year for your whole family.​

1. Get an early start. Once you get your child’s school calendar, take notes! Start having conversations and making plans well in advance. It’s ok to be an overachiever in this area! Have those plans ready to go by April in order to slide in summer with less stress. Get the family involved, figure out sitters and outings, and strike up those conversations about increasing in-home supports with your therapy teams before their caseloads fill up.
2. Understand ESY Services. IEP meetings can be a blur. Extended School Year is often one of the last things discussed. Make sure you come prepared with a list of questions about your child’s ESY services and don’t be afraid to reach out to other parents and your child’s ABA team to make sure you fully understand what your child will receive at school over the summer!
3. Schedule a Summer Routine. A spontaneous summer is often not a good idea for children with special needs. Start making plans day-by-day and know what you will be doing with your family each day of the week. Create your own agenda and a visual schedule for your child so everyone knows what to expect. Get into the habit of going over the next day’s plan with both your family and your child. Your ABA team can help with details such as social stories and visuals that will best suit your child’s needs. And don’t forget to have alternate plans incase things come up that change your plans! Life happens…help your child plan for it!
4. Create a Support System. The keywords here are “divide and conquer”. Work up a plan to split the childcare with other family members and caretakers. Reach out to local parent support groups…they often get together for meetings and for outings/play groups with your child. Talk to friends. Consider a mother’s helper that can assist you in your presence. Most importantly, get your outside therapies involved. Increasing their services over the summer can help your child maintain vital skills during the summer months. 
5. Carefully Plan Vacations. Going on vacation may seem like a mindless task, but for the special needs family, planning is a must! Stay on the look out for special needs friendly destinations. Look into inviting extended family members and friends to help out. Once you know where you’re venturing off to, ask your child’s ABA team for extra tips, visuals, schedules, and social stories to help your child prepare. Remember to know the daily schedule so you can assist your child in avoiding any meltdowns or set backs. 
6. Learn to be your child’s therapist I's  100% ok to take on a therapist-like role as a parent of a child with special needs. You have to adapt to being your child’s best advocate, therapist, caregiver and parent. It’s a huge role to take on, but you were made for this! Do your research on various therapy options best utilized in the home so you can start implementing them in your everyday life. Talk to your parent support groups for guidance. ASK FOR PARENT TRAINING! Your child’s ABA team can be a crucial part of generalizing vital skills to you so you can be better equipped to work with your child.
7. Don’t forget about the “me time”! When you are a special needs parent, self care is a MUST! Don’t let burn out get to you. It can be frustrating balancing family life on top of having a special needs child and THAT’S OK! If you want to be your child’s best advocate, therapist, caregiver and parent, learn how to recharge your own batteries. Even if it’s a few minutes of meditation or hiring a sitter for a day so you can do what you love to do…DO IT! Don’t get overwhelmed in the everyday struggles of being a parent. 

The most important thing to remember is that a successful summer with a special needs child IS possible. Plan ahead, seek assistance, prepare your child in advance, and learn how to manage tricky situations now. Once you have everything all lined up, you’ll do just fine this summer. Now that you have all the tips, start getting ready for a fun, less stressful summer with your special needs child!
Guide by Ms. Michelle , RBT, ABCS Senior Therapist