Santa Goes Above And Beyond For Boy With Special Needs

For 6-year-old James Epps, the prospect of meeting Santa Claus was very exciting, but also a bit overwhelming. James has special needs, so big crowds and social interactions can be difficult for him. But a kind Santa went above and beyond to make this Christmas experience a happy one for James. And they took some awesome photos to remember it.  On December 2, James’ mom Alison brought him to “Santa’s Special Visit” ― an event at Restoration Community Church that offers kids with special needs in their Tennessee community the chance to meet the jolly man in red. Having the opportunity to interact with Santa in a calm and understanding environment is invaluable to kids like James.  “I think people don’t realize how difficult something like that can be for some children,” Alison told The Huffington Post. “I would love for people to be more aware and accepting and less judgmental when we try to participate in events in our community.” James was born prematurely a 22 weeks, six days and weighed just 15 ounces. He was diagnosed with autism at 3 years old and epilepsy at 4. James also has mild cerebral palsy and a feeding disorder.  “He gets very overwhelmed when there is too much activity, or when it is too loud,” Alison explained. “We have learned techniques over the years to help calm him, but they don’t always work. Many times we’ve had to leave events because he’s become...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news