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Sensitive Santa Visits Children With Autism Outside Of The Chaotic Mall Setting

By Dawn Papple
Published on: 10:53 PST, Dec 14, 2014

Christmas can be overwhelming for children with autism, and the Sensitive Santa knows this. Away from the noisy shopping malls where noises and lights can overwhelm many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the Sensitive Santa is ready to spread Christmas cheer.

“You always have to explain your child,” Yolanda Haro, the mother of a child with autism, explained to the Los Angeles Times. “And Santa doesn’t know how to respond to a child who doesn’t talk back.”

Haro’s son had negative encounters with shopping mall Santa Claus figures in the past, and was delighted when the Sensitive Santa visited the San Fernando Valley to spread Christmas joy to boys and girls who find typical Santa experiences over-stimulating or disappointing.

“We know that children waiting in line to see Santa, especially kids with autism, often have difficulty with waiting patiently, following directions and getting overstimulated by all the people in the mall and the lights and noises,” Dr. Agnesa Papazyan, owner of We Rock the Spectrum in Northridge, which hosted a Sensitive Santa event, explained. “It’s a sensory overload.”

“A lot of research and studies and personal experience from families… tells us that a visit with Santa can be an overwhelming experience for individuals with ASD,” Carrie Habert, director of marketing for Autism Speaks Canada, told Metro News. “It can be sensory overload, it can be hectic… it can be challenging for parents if they have more than one child.”

Sensitive Santa meets with children with autism in a sensory-friendly setting, which helps the experience be more enjoyable. Because autism is a spectrum disorder and symptoms vary widely, Sensitive Santa can modify the visit depending on each child’s individual needs, and parents don’t have to worry about how their child’s special needs will be handled. Sensitive Santa isn’t going to rush the line, and children don’t need to feel obligated to sit on Sensitive Santa’s lap.

“I really appreciate someone who stops and thinks, ‘This is what we should do for kids and families.’ It seems like such a small thing, but it’s a big thing,” another mother said about Sensitive Santa.

In Meriden, Connecticut, a Sensitive Santa event took place Sunday morning. Instead of the single file lines children must wait in at the mall, the children were invited to be entertained with special sensory-friendly activities before meeting Sensitive Santa.

Sensitive Santa has been spotted around the globe, but with one in 68 autistic children in the United States, Sensitive Santa is sweeping the nation.

[Photo via Children’s Museum on Twitter]

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