Autism Office Hours: Social Distancing: What does it mean for Navajo families? (Resources)

Navajo Department of Health: COVID-19 Resources

• Using Community Laundromats Safely
• Essential Shopping Tips
• Cleaning your Groceries
• Transporting Confirmed & Suspected COVID-19 Family Members to the Hospital
• Home Care for Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 Households

COVID-19 Materials Developed for Tribal Use: What tribal members need to know about coronavirus. Materials are for providers, caregivers, children, tribe specific information, and the general public. The link also has Radio PSAs, social media materials, and webinar materials.

COVID 19 testing information:

• Children and COVID
• Summer Youth Programs
• Senior food hotline
• How to make your own face covering

Here's an article from the Albuquerque Journal on Helping NM Tribes and Pueblos that has identified two funding sites, The Pueblo Relief Fund and the Native American Relief Fund.  These links may be considered to add to the resource list for the upcoming webcast.

Here is support for women.

How to make a face mask.

NMDOH website and OT strategies for helping someone with autism adjust to wearing a mask.

• Try having the child rub the fabric on their cheek, chin, nose, lips and ears. Masks can wiggle and move when we breathe and when we talk so try having the child gentle move the fabric back and forth.
• Ears can be very sensitive to touch; do not forget to have the child test-drive how the ear fasteners feel. Elastic that is ridged might feel very different than smooth elastic – like hairbands. Flannel, fleece and soft t-shirt material might be more comfortable to ears that are sensitive.
• Picking a favorite color, pattern or even using old pjs or tshirts may make the mask more appealing.

Social Narratives

• https://paautism.org/resource/wearing-mask-social-story/  (adult mask social narrative)
• https://www.autism.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/face-mask-social-story.pdf (child mask social story)
• http://www.texasautismsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Wearing-Masks-Social-Story.pdf    (child mask social narrative)

Video Social Narrative

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NHDnpTmUjo   (adult social distancing)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnP-uMn6q_U   (child wear a mask)