Photo Credit: Rod PradoEvents
Sensory-Friendly Santa visits children at TIRR Memorial Hermann The Woodlands
For the fourth year, TIRR Memorial Hermann – The Woodlands Pediatric Rehabilitation held a special sensory-friendly Santa event for patients and their families.
The 4th annual Sensory-Friendly Santa event provided a calm, inclusive environment for pediatric patients to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. The event offered individualized 10-minute sessions for each child, free from the sensory challenges of traditional Santa visits they might find elsewhere like large crowds, loud noises, and bright lights. Families shared heartwarming stories, with many saying this was the first time their child felt comfortable enough to engage with Santa.
The event has grown significantly, nearly doubling in size from last year. While it is currently exclusive to TIRR Memorial Hermann patients, staff expressed hope to expand it in the future to reach even more families in need of sensory-friendly holiday experiences.
Katelyn Navarro, Physical Therapist, TIRR Memorial Hermann – The Woodlands shared, “We wanted to create the sensory Santa event for kiddos that needed a little something extra. Christmas is overwhelming sometimes for kids, and the kids that we treat normally have different neurological disorders, sensory issues, and things that just a regular kid has trouble going to do. So going to the mall to see Santa is overwhelming. And so I wanted to create that environment that’s safe, that’s quiet, that they have familiar faces to come look at and have the time they need to get to know Santa, talk to Santa, and take the picture that families want.”
Katelyn Navarro continued by sharing her hopes for the Sensory-Friendly Santa event, stating, “I hope this event can kind of lead to getting more comfortable in these enviroments. Hopefully, coming to this one or two years, maybe they can get more comfortable, and maybe they can go out to the mall, and maybe they can go out to a big event in town, and be comfortable in just a regular environment with a lot of people.”
Makenzie Shumate, mother of patient and son Blaise who was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, said, “If we went to the mall with him, it would be so overwhelming. He is not used to those big crowds, loud noises, tons and tons of kids. So not only would the sensory part be really difficult on him with with all the loud noises, but also exposing him to all the germs that are there and him getting sick is just such a risk for us. He usually ends up hospitalized. So, it’s so nice to be able to come here, keep him safe, and then also, you know, keep him calm. So, yeah, we’re really, really appreciative of it.”
Ciara Blackmon, mother of patient and also the event’s “Mrs. Claus”, shared, “He doesn’t like to go out in public a lot.It’s really nice to see him walking in and him going over to Santa and just being completely at ease and calm, it’s really nice. And we’re lucky because we got to we get to be in here and kind of he’s a little more comfortable. He knows who we are, but it’s just great. It makes me really happy that he’s he’s come a long way. So now we get Santa pictures, and he’s smiling now, and it’s really great. It’s wonderful.”
View photos taken at the event by Rod Prado / Hello Woodlands on the Hello Woodlands Facebook page:
Source: Memorial Hermann
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