{"id":21051,"date":"2019-09-10T21:15:41","date_gmt":"2019-09-10T21:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2019\/09\/10\/nfl-season-kicks-off-with-refuges-for-fans-with-sensory-needs-to-take-a-timeout\/"},"modified":"2019-09-10T21:15:41","modified_gmt":"2019-09-10T21:15:41","slug":"nfl-season-kicks-off-with-refuges-for-fans-with-sensory-needs-to-take-a-timeout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/nfl-season-kicks-off-with-refuges-for-fans-with-sensory-needs-to-take-a-timeout\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Season Kicks Off With Refuges For Fans With Sensory Needs To Take A Timeout"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Amy Held<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

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\n Sheletta and Shawn Brundidge, alongside their four children, were the first fans to use the sensory room at the Minnesota Vikings’ U.S. Bank Stadium. Opened during the August pre-season, the space comes with trained therapists and provides fans, including those with autism, a break from the excitement of the game.<\/p>\n

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Tami Hedrick\/Minnesota Vikings<\/p>\n

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Tami Hedrick\/Minnesota Vikings<\/p>\n

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The roar of the crowd, the boom of the sound system, the flash of fireworks \u2014 all part of the thrill for many fans who flock to NFL games, but for others, including those on the autism spectrum with sensory issues, the experience can be too much.<\/p>\n

Now a growing number of teams are including “sensory inclusive spaces” within their arenas to accommodate them.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Eagles<\/a>, the Seattle Seahawks<\/a> and the Minnesota Vikings<\/a> have all opened rooms that provide a refuge for those who need to step away from the clamor. The spaces come equipped with dim lighting, sound-protected walls and sensory activities, including toys and games, with the goal of providing a reset.<\/p>\n

And Julian Maha, co-founder of KultureCity<\/a>, the nonprofit that worked with the Vikings and the Eagles to design the rooms, told NPR that there are many people who may need that reset.<\/p>\n

“One in six people in the U.S. have a sensory need,” said Maha, who is also a medical doctor. That can include individuals not only with autism, but also Down syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder and dementia; all challenges that Maha said may not be visibly apparent but come with “a freedom barrier.”<\/p>\n