Around the House Banner
August 27, 2015                                                      
In This Issue
Labor Day Closings calendar

Avondale House administration offices, day school and adult day habilitation will be closed for Labor Day, Monday, September 7.
#AutismBigGive#AutismBigGive

Mark your calendar for September 17 to join The Big Give for Autism campaign, initiated by the Autism Society. On this day, you will be encouraged to donate to Avondale House and use #AutismBigGive on social media to share why it's important to support those affected by autism and the services that help them. Watch our Facebook page for details.
Walk Now for Autism Speaks Logo

Saturday, October 10
Minute Maid Park
501 Crawford St.
Houston, TX 77002

Team/Walker Check-In:
8:00 - 9:30 a.m.

Walk:
10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. 
 
Join Autism Speaks in raising money and awareness to benefit current and future families affected by autism. Don't forget to stop by Avondale's booth!


Find Avondale on Facebook

Follow @AvondaleHouse on Twitter Follow avondalehouse on Instagram.
Requests and Reminders for the New School Year
  
Back to School
The 2015-2016 school year has begun!
Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year! We at Avondale House hope that this year will be full of positive learning experiences for your child. It was heartwarming to see so many families participate in our first open house on Friday, August 14. Together we share in the responsibility for our children's education and training, and together we can make this year great!
 
If you would like to donate items to benefit our school students, day habilitation clients and group home residents, please see our wish list. You may notice a few new additions like PB&J supplies that are made into sandwiches for the homeless, wrist weights for an exercise program implemented in day hab this summer, and board games for day school to use during free time. Matchbox cars can be used for an engaging sorting task for clients. We also request gift cards to Kroger, Wal-Mart and Target, which are used to purchase food and supplies for our clients, as well as supplies for school parties and fundraisers.
 
As a general reminder to parents and guardians, drop off and pick up for all day school students and adult day habilitation clients should take place in the bus lane. Do not use the building's main lobby for these purposes. If a staff person is not in the bus lane to meet your child, please contact the receptionist, Melody McNabb, at 713/993-9544. 

A strong partnership with you is instrumental in your child's success. We look forward to keeping in touch with you throughout the school year.
Sites Offer Sensory-Friendly Back-to-School Clothes
  
Photo Credit: Independence Day Clothing
Independence Day Clothing can be worn inside out or backwards, offering ultimate functionality.
When you have a tactile sensory-sensitive child, finding clothing that is comfortable for him or her to wear can be difficult. Tags, seams and buttons may appear harmless, but they can actually cause frustration and meltdowns in children with autism and other sensory processing disorders. Some specialty brands are now addressing the need for sensory-friendly clothing, offering options that accommodate sensitive wearers.

Kozie Clothes was started by a pediatric occupational therapist as a way to incorporate neuroscience principles into clothing for children with special needs. The site offers tag-less, soft clothing, plus compression clothing and wearable items that can be weighted, providing pressure stimulation shown to increase calmness and focus abilities.

Fun and Function has a handy "Solution Finder" on their home page where you can select your child's age and diagnosis, your budget and in what area your child needs help--anything from dressing to sleeping better. The site then shows you products that can help solve the selected issue. Fun and Function offers clothing in a variety of sizes that are tag-less, soft and seamless, with a great selection of weighted and compression items.

SmartKnit specializes in seamless undergarments for sensitive children and adults. Their patented sock design hugs feet and won't slip down the leg. Completely tag-free and seamless underwear is stretchy and without any elastic for a comfortable, snug fit.

Not only are the wares at Independence Day Clothing made without tags, buttons or zippers, but they are also made so they can be worn backwards or inside out. The brand was created by a mother of a teen with autism who wanted her son to be able to dress himself for school without help and in a timely manner. Independence Day Clothing is made to be wearable no matter how it's put on, with classic colors and designs that can easily be worn together. Many of the clothes come "GPS enabled" with a special sealable pocket that can hold a GPS tracker in case your child ever gets lost.

If you are looking for soft clothing with a more approachable price point, Hanes now carries a variety of tag-less cotton shirts and casual shorts for kids and adults. The online clothing site Primary sells easy-to-match basics up to size 10 that are made from super-soft Pima cotton and have no tags.

Do you know of other sensory-friendly clothing brands? Share them on our Facebook page.

Boo-lathon Registration 2015

Click the image for more details.

 Pediatricians Make (Avondale) House Calls

Texas Children's Hospital Logo Avondale House is pleased to announce a new health initiative available to our day school students, aged 18 and younger, through collaboration with Texas Children's Hospital.
 
Baylor College of Medicine LogoBeginning in September, two developmental-behavioral pediatric fellows from Baylor College of Medicine will visit us on the second Friday of each month. Each fellow will see one client for a lengthy medical exam, and will visit with the student's parents before and after the appointment for consultation. The goal of these exams is to serve as a convenient and comfortable alternative to taking your child to an off-site doctor's office.
 
During the exam, the fellows will aim to confirm any current neurodevelopmental diagnoses of the student, and identify other conditions affecting his/her health or well-being. Following the consultation, further laboratory testing or specialist referrals may be recommended. The fellows will be supervised by Dr. Robert Voigt, Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and director of the Texas Children's Hospital Autism Center and the Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics.
 
We think this is a wonderful opportunity for our students to undergo a thorough evaluation while in a familiar setting, and with appropriate supports to address any behavioral challenges. It is also a wonderful educational setting for the pediatric fellows and will present opportunities for expedited referrals to specialists. Parents who are interested in participating in this program should return the contact information sheets sent home with their age-eligible children by Wednesday, September 2.