Dustin Hoffman's portrayal of Raymond Babbitt in Rain Man defines the word “autistic” for many people. Raymond never looks anyone in the eye and dislikes being touched. He yells loudly when his brother, played by Tom Cruise, tries to hug him. Raymond also clings to familiar routines, such as watching “Jeopardy” every afternoon, and he often becomes very upset by new experiences. The prospect of getting onto an airplane, for example, throws him into a panic. So when children with autism arrive at a Florida resort where they encounter crowds, music, a sun-drenched beach full of scratchy sand, people splashing in the pool and other forms of sensory overload, they may, like Raymond Babbitt, get very upset. The TradeWinds Islands Resorts in St. Pete Beach have decided to help by adopting “autism-friendly” practices that minimize potentially upsetting experiences for people with autism. At the TradeWinds – the Island Grand Resort and the Sandpiper Suites Resort – the entire staff has been trained to be more aware of autism. In 2010, when the National Autism Association (NAA) held its annual meeting there, CEO Keith Overton recognized the challenges faced by families with autistic children, so he contacted the Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD), located at the University of South Florida in Tampa , and requested a training program for all his employees to make them more aware of autism. “We are an autism-friendly resort now,” Overton said. “The staff is trained to be aware of behavioral issues involving autistic guests, and CARD has even conducted a refresher course for new employees.” As a result, the NAA has contracted to hold its annual meeting at the TradeWinds at least through 2015. “They've shown so much interest in our families,” said Aimee Allenback, director of development for the NAA. “They even stopped a renovation project when we were there so the noise from the jackhammers and other equipment wouldn't bother the children. That's unheard of.” The families who have attended the NAA meeting with their autistic children marvel at the patience and understanding shown by the staff. “We once went away to a beautiful mountain resort,” said Stacy Guarneri of South Carolina, who brought her 4-year-old daughter Sophia with her to the TradeWinds last November. “She was playing with a musical toy and humming quite loudly, so hotel security came to the door and told us we have to leave if she didn't quiet down. A strange environment, noise (or) sensory overload can all put autistic children in a frenzy, which has stressed my family so much we said we would never go away again, but at the TradeWinds, we felt comfortable as soon as we arrived. We didn't get those looks from the staff that say, 'Can't you control that child?'” Two other hotels in Florida – the Wyndham Tampa Westshore and the Crowne Plaza Tampa Westshore – also have hosted training sessions conducted by CARD. The day-long training program provides a crash course in autism and the behaviors associated with it, so staff members will be able to respond with patience and sympathy. “We try to make the hotel or business autism-friendly,” said Mindy Stevens, assistant director of CARD. “From the administration down to the kitchen staff, everyone gains some knowledge about autism. Once they've been trained, they have strategies that will help them serve the guests with autism.” For example, to help people with autism prepare for their visit, the TradeWinds now maintains an online “social book” with pictures and descriptions of the restaurant, the swimming pool, the beach, the swans and other sights visitors will encounter. (You can find the social book at justletgo.com/autismfriendly .) “For a person with autism, predictability is very important,” said Stevens. “We want to prepare them for their visit.” Also, the CARD training teaches employees how to meet the needs of families with autistic children. When a beach attendant at the TradeWinds saw that a young girl with autism was afraid to try a slide on the beach, for example, he came over, talked to her and gently coaxed her to give it a try. “He gave her a soft introduction, and helped her down the slide,” said Travis Johnson, VP of Marketing. “The girl's mother commented on how autism-friendly the resort is. That's a testament to the staff's awareness.” Gluten-free menu items are now available at all resort dining outlets. (Many believe that a diet free of gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye barley and other grains – reduces some of the symptoms of autism.) Families may request a free safety kit that includes a hanging door alarm that will chime if an autistic child tries to wander from the room during the night. Cushions for table corners also are available to protect against a fall. Staff members who take reservations are trained to ask families with autistic children about special sensitivities the children may have – to cleaning products, for example, or noise. The Wyndham Westshore, which became autism-friendly in 2009, also provides a “toolbox” to families with autistic children containing some toys, a map of the hotel and a book with pictures of what the children might see during their visit. “The purpose is to get them to feel more comfortable in their environment,” said Pam Avery, general manager of the hotel. “But it's not so much about what we give the children. It's more about the sensitivity training our employees go through. We make sure our employees understand how to serve these families and their children.” The Crowne Plaza Tampa Westshore offers a similar bag to families with autistic children. “The most significant part of this bag is the Storyboard book that CARD furnished our hotel,” said Becca Zarcone, the sales manager. “The book explains what the child will encounter at the hotel, such as ordering from a server and riding in an elevator.” Somewhere between 600,000 and 1.8 million Americans have some degree of autism, compared to about 400,000 with multiple sclerosis and about 250,000 with muscular dystrophy. In 2011, autism was specifically included in the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008, along with cancer, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and several other disorders. Other child-friendly venues are also becoming more autism-friendly. Busch Gardens in Tampa, as well as Walt Disney World and SeaWorld in Orlando , offer front-of-the-line passes for autistic guests, although the family may have to present a letter of diagnosis from the child's doctor. Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo holds an early-morning Father's Day event for families with autistic children, which gives them an opportunity to visit the animals without large crowds around. Just a little understanding goes a long way for parents of children with autism, according to Nicole Torres, founder of the PEACE support group in Lakeland (Parental Education & Encouragement for Autism in Children Everywhere). She and her 10-year-old son Chase, who has autism, have stayed at the TradeWinds twice for the NAA conference, and it has become her son's favorite place to stay. “We had a really nice room with a full kitchen, so I could cook for my son, who is on a special diet,” said Torres, who lives in Polk County and serves on CARD's constituency board. “We became friends with Paddleboat Joe, who was so welcoming and so kind to both of us. My son is pretty high-functioning – often people don't see right away that he has autism – but he wants to talk to everybody, and the people at the TradeWinds were so patient. Chase was never dismissed or ignored. He can't wait to go back.” View original post here: St. Pete Beach's TradeWinds, 2 Tampa Hotels Build in Sensitivity for Autism
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St. Pete Beach’s TradeWinds, 2 Tampa Hotels Build in Sensitivity for Autism
