‘Sensitive Santa’ at Promenade caters to autism-spectrum children
The Autism News | English
Jacob, who’s 8, and Emily, 7, don’t do well with all the sights and sounds of a shopping center, especially this bustling time of year.
“I can’t take them, ever,” McClary said. “It’s just because everything is over-stimulating.”
Jacob and Emily have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – Jacob in 2005, Emily in 2006. Neither sibling can talk. Certain textures and colors upset them.
So sitting on Santa’s lap at the mall has never been an option – or, at least, it won’t be until this weekend, when Emily and Jacob will go to Tulsa Promenade for the shopping center’s second annual “Sensitive Santa” event from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday.
Families who are affected by ASD are invited to the event, which caters to autistic children, allowing each an opportunity to enjoy a moment with Santa, as well as other kids, all in a sensory-friendly atmosphere – low lights, low music, no shoppers and a staff instructed to avoid loud, distracting movements.
“It just sounds right,” McClary said. “I think they’ll be able to handle it sensory-wise so they’re not feeling overwhelmed.”
ASD affects an estimated 1 in 150 children, according to information from the Autism Center of Tulsa. No two children with ASD have the exact same symptoms, and the number of symptoms and how severe they are can vary greatly.
When Jill Hobbs of Broken Arrow tried to take her oldest son, Gabe, to see a department-store Santa once, “it did not go well, to say it mildly,” she said.
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