Subject: Skiing

Hi everyone,

Even though here in New England summer is still with us, the talk online about skating prompted me to write about skiing with your Angel, which yes, you can do.

At Loon Mountain, in New Hampshire, (and I'm sure there are other programs), there is a Skiing Program for People with Disabilities. What this means for an AS child is that the parents can ski while volunteers take the child skiing in a "uni-ski."

A good friend of mine (another Angelman mom) has been taking her son for the past two seasons. I plan to join her with Ben this season. The kids also enjoy visiting with the other skiiers (with and without disabilities). I know Ben is always curious about other guys in wheelchairs (we use a wheelchair for our long trips), and he always watches the wheelchair racers in the Boston Marathon with great interest.

Anyway, I thought I'd pass this info on to everyone, as maybe there is a similar program near you...and if anyone wants more info on the Loon Mountain program, I can post that here too, at a later date, when I have more of the seasonal info.

Regards,

Jeanne [seltzerfam@aol.com]

Subject: Re: Skiing

Jeanne-as the season gets closer I would love to hear about the ski opportunities on Loon Mt. We have discussed taking Stephanie skiing this winter and wanted to find a place that had handicapped skiing. I am still checking out places in Maine, but NH is also a possibility. My husband thinks I am crazy because she dosen't have a real love for snow--I think it has to do with the sensory defensiveness of her hands to cold and wet things. Every winter she can only tolerate being outside for a short time before she is at the door wanting to go in--it can make for a long winter in Maine! Sally

Subject: Re: Skiing

Hand sensation-Katie seems to be just the opposite. She will not keep gloves on and will stay out and play with the snow to the point that I worry about frostbite! Her motor control in her hands has always been very poor and I wonder about the sensory input because she is the only child I've seen that will lay still and not seem to mind being stuck for bloodwork. Deanna

Subject: Re: Skiing

Sara won't keep gloves on either, and she loves to be out in the snow. I did find something that works for us--I buy eighteen thousand pairs of those 99 cent stretchy gloves (all black, navy, brown etc. so that my son will wear them too) so that when she does take them off I can wait until the snow melts to find them. Then I put a pair of knitted mittens on over the gloves. She can't get a good enough grip with the two layers, but is able to play with the snow just fine. Mittens alone don't do the trick; she can pull them off easily. The knit-against-knit surfaces sort of lock into each other.

I buy so many pairs because there is so much ADD in my house that no one can ever find anything.

Martha