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Activities for Special Needs Children - Autism Activities
The I Hear Ewe app has 36 pictures of animals and vehicles
paired with sounds for your child to click on. Children can use their palm or several fingers to click on an image. When they do, the app verbally describes the animal
or vehicle and then...
No doubt about it, when people stare at our children (or us), they make us squirm. Let's face it, people rarely stare at us because they're mesmerized by our great beauty. More likely, they are sizing up our glaring imperfections. For kids with...
It is all well and good to be told, as a parent, you must be ready for when your child with a developmental disability is no longer in special ed full time. Yet, to me that time crept up in 2000. When my son with autism, now 31, was...
Many people with special needs benefit from a gluten free
diet. For parents who are carefully watching their children’s diets, the Is
That Gluten Free? app is an excellent tool. It is the number one gluten free
app in the App Store.
Users can...
Last time we talked about making sure a child has enough information to make good choices and learn responsibility. This week we will focus on taking advantage of teachable moments with your child.Every day, we have a new...
For years, parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have mistakenly passed along the erroneous statistic that 80% of marriages of such parents will end in divorce. This myth also has been perpetuated by professionals and the media....
As a parent and a doctor, I have plenty of experience with our fragmented and confusing healthcare system. I have seen firsthand the challenges faced by patients who navigate it. From the first sign of illness to the last medical bill, our...
Motion Math: Hungry Fish makes learning math a fun game for
children and even adults! It is a highly visual app in which a hungry goldfish
must be fed with numbers. There are up to 18 levels of increasing difficulty,
from matching numbers, to adding...
Parents who are looking for something fun to do with their
kids away from electronic devices this spring may want to consider the things that can be done with a coffee
filter. This versatile item that is common to most households can be used to...
A typical day for a special education teacher is hard to
define because the job description varies widely, unlike that of a classroom
teacher. What all special education teachers do have in common, though, include
a case load of students who have an...
When
the doctor came back into the room and told me I was a diabetic, my reaction
was similar to being told I had a sinus infection. I expected the doctor to
just write me a prescription, and send me on my way, but instead I was on my
way to the...
Comprehension TherAppy is designed to help people with aphasia
and alexia (acquired reading disorder). It comes with three modes: Listen, Read,
or Listen and Read. The 500 + photographs of nouns in the Listen section were
selected by speech-language...
Jerry
is a tall, lanky 19-year-old with autism and gastro-intestinal issues. He began
coming to YogAbility, a nonprofit organization, 10 years ago. He used to have
frequent tantrums, screaming fits, and wore a protective helmet. Since he began
yoga...
A study
reported in Science Daily confirms that the active form
of Bisphenol A (BPA) is absorbed more rapidly into the body than
previously thought. BPA is a toxic chemical found in paper and plastic used to
store food and beverages. As an...
Hospital stays are rarely fun for anyone. But for a child in the hospital, the experience is unfamiliar at best and frightening at worst. However, parents can make a child’s stay easier by implementing three strategies before and during...
"Is my child
getting all the services he/she needs or am I falling behind?"
"My son is a year old, but all he does is make noises, I’ve
never heard any words come out of his mouth. I’ve mentioned this to the pediatrician on numerous...
Clicky Sticky is an app that allows children to place
animated stickers in different scenes. It is a great tool for learning about things
like the ocean, aviation, the arctic, space, and clothing. Clickey Sticky has
also been used for building...
Here are three practical, simple solutions
caregivers can use to help reduce anxiety and deal better every day with a
child who has anxiety from autism.
Autism
spectrum disorders and anxiety go hand-and-hand like sneezing and a cold.
We
all...
I never thought I would be a
homeschooling parent. My husband
and I bought a house in a neighborhood that gave us access to the area’s best
public elementary school. When my
twin boys were babies, I would cruise by the school,...
A Present for Milo is an engaging story book app for young
readers and those not yet able to read. Children will get a kick out of over 80
tap-interactive objects within the story. It is a tale of a cat and mouse game,
as Milo the cat chases the...
Actor and singer Nick Jonas spoke to CNN’s Soledad O’Brien
recently about what it has been like for him to live with type 1 diabetes. The
star of Broadway’s How to Success in
Business without Really Trying was diagnosed with diabetes at age 14 and...
A font has been developed by a Dutch graphic designer, which
will make letters easier to read and comprehend for people with dyslexia. Designer
Christian Boer is dyslexic himself. He created a font called Dyslexie to keep
letters "tied down,"...
Tappie Puzzles is a wonderful app for children ages 4 and
up. It comes with 10 interactive puzzles that help children learn to navigate their
way around the world. Most of the puzzles have animals that nod along when the
child puts a piece in the...
It all started with a documentary from Iceland called A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism.
The film needed an English-language narrator, and Oscar-winner Kate Winslet was sent a copy to
watch. The story of Margret Ericsdottir's
journey to...
“Why me, God?!!” I screamed tearfully after BOTH of my two sons were diagnosed with autism. That was 100% of my children! I had considered myself a good, Christian person who tried to help others and obey the Scriptures. The irony of this...
Most days lately I have begun to wonder if my life is actually real or am I part of some sort of made-for-television movie game. The last seven years have been interesting to say the least. My middle child, now seven, has accumulated initials after...
Gube is an app that curates child-friendly videos from
YouTube onto parents’ phones. All videos are pre-screened and safe to watch for
even young children. This app is a lifesaver for those whose kids want to be
able to choose videos for themselves...
Millions of people are scrambling to order flowers for their
sweethearts on Valentine’s Day. This year Roses for Autism is one special
flower business that stands out among all the others. Started in 2009 by Jim
Lyman, a man with experience in the...
Since knowledge is power, it’s worth staying informed about
some of the latest AD/HD research findings. Here are a few of my favorites,
which combine an "oh duh" component with a dash of "what a good idea."
The “oh duh” category of...
Speech-Based Activities to Do with Your Kids with Apraxia at Home and in the Community A lot of parents ask, "How can I help my child with apraxia?" In fact, it may very well be the number
one question I get after "What is
apraxia,...
Colorific is a great coloring app for kids. It includes over
40 templates where they can fill in the colors. There are also blank pages
where children can create whatever pictures they like. Template categories are numbers,
animals and birds,...
Christopher Knauf is the founder of Knauf Associates in
Santa Monica, CA. His law firm specializes in disability rights and
education-related legal disputes. He has also served as an independent hearing
officer for Section 504 special education...
![New Mental Health Manual Could Be "Dangerous"](http://www.specialneeds.com/sites/specialneeds.com/files/imagecache/Teaser/crying%20little%20girl%20upset.jpg "New Mental Health Manual Could Be "Dangerous"")
Millions of people, including shy or defiant children, may
be wrongly labeled mentally ill according to an upcoming revision of the
influential Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Many
experts are calling new categories in...
Sprout’s Good Night Star app teaches your little one about
bedtime routines. The goal is to help the adorable Star character get ready for
bed by brushing his teeth, washing his face, reading a story, tucking him in
and rocking him to sleep.
Based...
The following is an Interview with Dr. Esther Hess regarding her upcoming research study and understanding
the feelings of the neurotypical siblings of children impacted by autism. Editor: Dr. Hess, I understand
that you are conducting a...
The second edition of Dr. Thomas W. Phelan’s influential
guide, All About Attention Deficit
Disorder, explains in layman’s terms the symptoms and treatments for this
all too common condition.
All About Attention
Deficit Disorder asks the reader,...
I began homeschooling my son soon after he was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, at 6 years old and in his second year of schooling. I quickly realized that his school knew even less than I did about Asperger’s, and while I soon educated...
iDress for Weather is a simple app but oh so useful. It
teaches children which clothing goes with different types of weather. Temperature
settings are customizable so that personal interpretations of hot, warm, cool, cold,
and very cold can be...
After an autism-friendly showing of The Lion King on Broadway last fall, the Theatre Development Fund
received interest in other shows from approximately 1,500 people. Now The Fund
has bought out the 1,797-seat New Amsterdam Theatre and 1,677-seat...
A
few weeks ago, as I was sitting in a professional development meeting with a
team of educators at New York City Public School PS79, located in Harlem, I was
overcome with unexpected emotion. For several years, I have been a vendor to New
York’s...
In a new study of more than 9,500 children in Denmark who
had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, researchers found that
children born to a parent over the age of 35 had a higher risk of developing
autism. Interestingly, the data also...
This app focuses on improving receptive language skills but
is also good for expressive language skills. It asks the user to select which
item out of a group goes with another item, based on use or function. For
example, a child who is shown a...
Last time we
talked about how to use choices and questions to help children learn
responsibility at as early an age as possible. This week, we talk about an
important part of asking questions and giving choices: making sure a child has
enough...
Four years ago, Ruby Dee Philippa was riding her scooter
down the road in Austin, TX. She was a singer. Her band, Ruby Dee and the
Snakehandlers, was just about to release a new album. She was careful on her
ride. She wore a motorcycle jacket, hefty...
Astrojammies is a Demibooks app that tells the story of Jimmy
and his magical pajamas that turn him into an astronaut. The book is written in
rhyming verse by Stacy Williams-Ng and the text can either be narrated aloud on
the iPad or the narration...
Blue Shield of California Life & Health Insurance Co.
agreed this week to immediately cover the cost of applied behavior analysis
(ABA) therapy for autism patients. This decision was the result of a settlement
with state regulators, stemming...
Easy to Love, but Hard
to Raise is a collection of essays from the parents of children with “invisible”
but very real disabilities. As these parents share their stories, a sense of
empathy and support emerges until the reader comes away feeling that...
Karen Shirk is the founder and executive director of 4 Paws
for Ability, a nonprofit organization that places service dogs with people
rejected from the big service dog agencies. These include children with special
needs. When Shirk found out that...
Thanks for coming back to my monthly article for children with special needs and karate. I hope to bring you closer to understanding the
multitude of benefits the martial arts bring to our children.
Over the years I’ve found myself answering the...
This app offers three games, all modern twists on the
classic way to play marbles. Marble Mixer is a fun and effective way to introduce
children to game playing and strategy. In the Monster Picnic game, players must
flick marbles into the monster’s...
Women who take antidepressants and learn that they are
pregnant must consider not just the potential risks of the drugs but also the
impact of untreated depression on a developing fetus. Untreated depression could
lead to low birth weight,...
. . . Gain Some Cooperation Up until
now, in this series on transitioning from
the pediatric to adult medical systems, we have focused on defining transition and why it matters.
Now, we are going to start looking...
Frankie did not enjoy fitness activities when we first began our sessions about seven years ago. Prior to this, his most consistent activity was jumping up and down while hitting his chest with his hand and the more-than-occasional all out tantrum...
When a song plays on Mixeroo, children can slide faders up
and down to explore the music in different ways. They can isolate the different
instruments, such as the piano, bells, violin or bongos. There are four songs
to chose from on the app: “...
Changing the Mindset of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders In our therapeutic work with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), we expanded upon our earlier writings about a resilient mindset, especially given the...
Phil Keoghan has been the impeccably dressed and proper host
for 20 seasons of CBS’s The Amazing Race.
On February 18, audiences will see him in a different role: as the subject of a
new documentary, The Ride, which
follows Keoghan as he bikes...
Not every 13-year-old girl with a powerful singing voice
gets the opportunity to record it on an album. It is even less likely that she
would have a single written for her by a noted producer. Rarer than that is
when that girl wants to give a...
All About You, All About Me is a social skills app with 56
illustrated picture cards that ask questions related to getting to know
someone. Questions range from basic ones like, “What is your home address?” to
open-ended prompts such as, “Tell me...
Cystic Fibrosis affects 30,000 people in the U.S. It causes
an imbalance of salt in the body, which affects the pancreas shortly after
birth, impedes proper digestion, and causes airways to fill with mucus, leaving
patients vulnerable to lung...
Couples who plan to adopt often look to other countries with
cultures similar to their own. That is why Megan and Keith Nakamoto began the
China adoption process in 2005. "My husband is Japanese, so we are familiar
with the Asian culture. We thought...
Fish School by Duck Duck Moose uses beautiful images, bright
colors, and music adapted from the classic ABC song to capture your child’s
attention and hold it. There are eight different activities for learning,
including letters, numbers, and shapes...
![Using "Inner Speech" May Help Autism](http://www.specialneeds.com/sites/specialneeds.com/files/imagecache/Teaser/boy%20stressed%20over%20book_0.jpg "Using "Inner Speech" May Help Autism")
Psychologists have found that people with autism possess the
ability for "inner speech," which is the process of talking things through in
their heads--though they do not use it in the same way as typically developing people.
In a study...
As a private consultant I have the pleasure of supporting families
as they work to become knowledgeable members of their son’s or daughter’s IEP
team. They are often anxious weeks before the scheduled date, worrying if their
student will receive the...
I am an elementary school reading specialist in a large public school system, so I have the opportunity to work with a large range of reading needs on a daily basis. For me, dyslexia is one of the most intriguing reading deficiencies I have studied...
The recent airing of the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie A Smile as Big as the Moon created such
a surge of interest in attending Space Camp that the camp’s website was unable
to handle the flood of traffic. The site crashed last night, but it is now...
Developed by the parents of a child with autism and seizures
who were looking for a way to make their lives easier, the iBioMed app helps
caregivers keep track of their children’s health information--particularly those
with complex conditions such...
In a study by Middle Tennessee State University’s (MTSU)
Department of Health and Human Performance, a treadmill at the bottom of a tank
filled with 270 gallons of water has been helping paraplegics make great
strides. This same technique has also...
The elite high schools of New York City have been put on
notice. Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott has mandated that screened high
schools must either admit more students with special needs or the Education
Department would place the teens for them...
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just announced two new summer programs for kids and teens interested in learning more
about epidemiology, which is the study of health-related states or events,
including diseases and the control of...
If you want to play games with your child, you can do it with materials no fancier than yesterday’s newspaper, today’s empty cereal box and a smile.
Playing with your child lets her or him know that you enjoy their company and want to spend...
Dexteria is a fantastic app for children with apraxia or who
are on the spectrum, or even people recovering from injuries. It strengthens
fine motor skills and enables pointing, pinching, and writing.
There are three sections to the app. The first...
Autoimmune reactions have long been a concern connected with
Gardisil, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. It has become common for the
vaccine to be recommended to adolescents and young adults to protect against
sexually transmitted infections...
Altering Our Perspective: One Family's Journey with Autism He came to us on a Tuesday, slowly and painfully easing his
way into the world just after the new year. When the doctor placed Benjamin on my belly I felt that we
had finally done it …...
ConversationBuilder helps elementary-age children who have
trouble conversing with peers in social situations. This app gives the user
options in choosing who begins the conversation (“student” or “peer”) and which
phrase to say to either initiate...
A Smile as Big as the
Moon is an inspiring story about a class of special education students who
dream of going to Space Camp. What began as a memoir written by real-life
special education teacher Mike Kersjes has now been made into a Hallmark Hall...
As a young
child, Ann LeZotte was diagnosed as autistic because she banged her head. Eventually it was discovered that her
head-banging was merely a response to the fact that she could not hear. Born prematurely and deaf, Ann
also has trouble with...
iWriteWords teaches your child to write using whimsical
sounds and graphics. The way to play is to help Mr. Crab collect all the
numbers in sequence on the screen by tracing them with your fingers. As the
numbers are traced, a letter appears. Once...
Two biotech companies recently announced that sequencing the
human genome--each person’s individual DNA blueprint--would soon be possible to
do within a single day and for approximately $1,000.
The day following this announcement, researchers...
This is our fourth article our Transition series. The last three articles discussed what transition is and why
it matters. This week, we start looking at parenting strategies for raising
children with special healthcare needs who are...
Dyslexia is typically diagnosed in children when they are
around second or third grade in school. A team from Children’s Hospital Boston
reports that they have discovered signs of dyslexia in children as young as 4
or 5 years old by studying their...
Doodle Buddy Gold is a popular finger painting app that can
be great for calming children with anxiety issues. There are tons of colors to
choose from and fun stamps that make silly sounds when your child adds them to
the picture. Doodle Buddy also...
Many parents might not fully realize the dangers of leaving
medications within reach of young children. According to a press release from
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every 150 two-year-olds
in the U.S. visits an...
A Life Transformed by Going Gluten Free, Casein Free and Chemical Free My son threw things, screamed, had uncontrollable meltdowns, had severe sensory challenges, very poor social skills and never changed his diet from pretty much eating peanut...
Behavioral problems in children can
range from mild mischievousness to serious misconduct that can interfere with
normal development. Children and adolescents with extreme behavioral problems,
more than typical childhood misbehavior, should be...
Labeled a “21st century rattle” by Children’s Technology
Review, the Sound Shaker app lets children experiment with sounds by tapping. After
the child chooses a sound like a chime, whistle, barnyard animal, or drum from
the main menu, each tap of...
A documentary directed by James Redford (son of Robert
Redford) uses animation and live interviews to explore the complex world faced
by those who have dyslexia. In the film titled The D Word: Understanding Dyslexia, the audience follows Dylan, a...
One in 110 children in the U.S. are currently estimated to
have autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. With the rate of diagnoses skyrocketing in recent years, some
newly proposed changes to the definition of autism...
Some children with special needs react with difficult
behaviors like tantrums when going into a store. Going Shopping Social Story is
an app that focuses on things that can be fun while shopping. Because children
with special needs such as Down...
After
beginning our Transition article series, we
received a question from a reader telling us about her experience going from a
pediatric clinic to an adult clinic. This patient explains to us her common
concern that so many others experience...
Push Girls, a
reality show set to debut in April on the Sundance Channel, follows the lives
of four women who have been paralyzed by either disease or tragic accidents. While
each of these women use wheelchairs in everyday life, the title of the...
Planning for health care decision making includes two key
components:1. Preparation of a written advance directive, more commonly referred to as a living will, durable health care power of attorney, or health care proxy.2. Appointing someone to be...
The Story Land app allows children with special needs to
build stories by selecting a background and adding in various characters and
objects. It is extremely interactive: users can choose from over 320 fully
animated characters and create over 300,...
What is a Self-Funded
Special Needs Trust?
A trust is a
legal document that provides for the control and distribution of assets held by
a "trustee" for the benefit of another (the "beneficiary"). The assets in
a trust may be money, stocks,...
A new study conducted by researchers at Florida Atlantic
University is proving that infants use more than their ears to learn how to
talk. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
tested groups of babies ranging...
Current research shows
that an organized, methodical approach to transition is crucial. A.
Kennedy et al. states: "Increasing evidence shows that
adverse health consequences occur when inadequate transition arrangements are
in place. Poor...
Employers are realizing more and more that there is a group
of potential employees in the autism community who can be productive workers if
given a chance. Chris Simler is the director of career development services at Turning
Pointe Autism...
Dragon Dictation is a useful tool for people who have
difficulty typing or translating their thoughts into written words. This voice
recognition app is powered by Dragon Naturally Speaking and allows the user to
speak the content of emails, text...
Surrogate Decision Making for People with Developmental Disabilities Susie is 18 years old. She has been diagnosed with
Asperger’s syndrome, which makes it difficult for her to socialize and
communicate with others. She attends a school for...
Soon to join a growing list of television characters on the
autism spectrum is Jake Bohm, an 11-year-old boy with an extreme form of autism
who is also nonverbal. Portrayed by David Mazouz, Jake’s character is at the
center of a new show called...
One theater in Massachusetts recently began hosting
sensory-friendly screenings of movies for children with special needs. The families
who attend these showings do not typically have a chance to see movies in
theaters because some children have...
Ultra-accessible family fun park Morgan’s Wonderland is
teaming up with Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition (EMHE) to build a new home for a wounded warrior and his family in
San Antonio, TX. According to a joint press release, the deserving recipient of...
Injini: Child Development Game Suite Lite’s collection of learning games for young children is
one of the best apps on the market for toddlers and preschoolers with language,
cognitive and fine motor delays. Included are nine games that feature...
Tim Tebow is the most talked about athlete in America right
now. With his 80-yard OT touchdown pass in the playoffs against the Pittsburgh
Steelers last week and subsequent 9,420 tweets about him on Twitter per second,
Tim Tebow makes news wherever...
Dr. Gil Tippy, co-author of Respecting Autism and a founder of the Rebecca School in New York, talks to SpecialNeeds.com about his book and the philosphies that the school was built upon, many of them Dr. Greenspan's legacies.SN: Dr. Tippy,...
"The Cloud Boy" is the first in a series of stories in the
My Tale collection for iPad. It is about a boy who always has his head in the
clouds and often gets distracted or lost. He must learn to pay attention in
order to keep his parents from...
Now that the holidays are done and even though it is not yet Spring, the time is now to get ready for what is commonly known as "IEP season." While the thought of the next annual review or domains meeting to decide on a round of evaluations may be...
Transferring from pediatrics into the adult medical system is a
big step for families who have children with special needs. The medical care models are very different. Even
prepared parents and young adults express shock at how different the two...
Turn Taker teaches sharing using visual and audio cues to children with
Down syndrome, autism, ADHD, and other special needs. Sharing is a key skill
for growing and maintaining social relationships, which in turn promote an
improved use of language...
No one wants to talk about it, but sadly bad things happen during pregnancy. Sometimes babies die and sometimes babies are not born perfect with "10 little fingers and 10 little toes." Since no one talks about these things, going through a difficult...
Parents of a special needs child also have special needs. They need more flexibility to deal with the unknown and adapt to situations that are often completely different from what they expected, more time and money to take care of their child, more...
Parents are outraged at one elementary school’s use of what
have been termed as “scream rooms” on their children with special needs and
behavioral problems. Teachers and staff at Farm Hill Elementary School in Middletown,
CT, reportedly used the...
Tap Tap Baby for iPad is a great app for children who experience severe
developmental delays and/or fine motor difficulties. It features a total of six
games, including a monkey face that goes through a range of emotions, a
xylophone game, and...
The school day was over, but in a classroom tucked away at a
far end of Rio Real Elementary School in Oxnard, CA, a group of 10 students were
just getting started. Many of them were hovering around two rows of computers
being set up with cables...
Studies continue to show that the use of antibiotics
disrupts the delicate balance in the digestive tract and colon of patients with special healthcare needs. This
compromises healthy liver, immune and bowel function. Research in the journal ...
The Hidden Financial Costs of Having a Child with Special Needs: Part Two It costs around $15,000 a year to raise the average child in the United States. You can expect this number to nearly double if you have a child with complex medical needs...
There are approximately one million people living with
autism in the United States today. By the year 2050, it is predicted that this
number will increase fivefold, with 1.7 million of these people being adults.
In her book, Autism Solutions: How to...
Winner of the 2010 Irish Web Awards and United Nations World
Summit Award Mobile, the Grace App features a picture database for nonverbal people
to use to create sentences. Both adults and children with autism will find this
app useful for...
Successful Transitions: Moving from Childhood into Adulthood and from Pediatrics into Adult Care Whether your child is a toddler or a teenager, transition is a word you need to know. As the parent of a teenager with asthma, allergies...
The Hidden Financial Costs of Having a Child with Special Needs: Part OneLast year my daughter's out-of-pocket medical costs were more than $200,000. Yes, you read that right. Fortunately, supplemental Medicaid picked up a good chunk of that, but we...
Who May Benefit from
a Weighted Blanket and Why
My daughter with Rett syndrome and Mitochondrial disease
suffers greatly from sensory integration dysfunction. She has trouble sleeping through the night, cries when her
hair is brushed, suffers...
"I don’t want a boy like that in my class," writes Ms. Linden upon hearing that she is to be my son Neal’s teacher. A boy like that! My mind goes to lyrics from West Side
Story, "A boy like that " he kill your brother... forget that boy...
![Artists with Disabilities Gain "Momentum"](http://www.specialneeds.com/sites/specialneeds.com/files/imagecache/Teaser/BrocheD_soul%20reader.jpg "Artists with Disabilities Gain "Momentum"")
Out of more than 120 submissions from high schools and colleges across the country, 15 emerging artists with disabilities were selected to showcase their works at the Ripley Center, part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. The chosen...
Keeping Hope Alive When Your Child Has Special Needs I pull into the carpool lane to pick my kids up from school and am yet again touched by the sight of a service dog with a bright pink lunch pail hanging from her mouth as she trots alongside...
These days, there are more children and teenagers, including those with special needs, using digital devices to learn, play and be entertained than any generation before. From smartphones to e-readers, and computers to digital tablets, young people...
Oh, man. There goes the bell for the end of 4th period. I hate this bell. It means I have to go to my locker and unload all my stuff from the first four periods and pick up everything else I need through the end of the day. I only go to my locker...
Three and a half years ago, Diane Solomon was at the end of
her rope. Her son Adam was in second grade and nobody knew what was wrong with
him. When Adam was 18 months old, he had been diagnosed with a rare childhood
inflammatory disease called...
When signing up my child for
baseball one cold Saturday morning I asked the chairperson, "Is there a coach
familiar with autism?" He responded kindly enough, "Yeah we have one that is
ADHD." Wow, I thought. Autism has been around for many years, and...
The ASL Dictionary includes 4,800 signed words accompanied by easy-to-follow videos to teach users Sign Language. It features common English phrases, the entire numerical system, dates, symbols, and 765 multiple meaning words, as well as 55...
According to the Children’s Defense Fund, 19 million
children in kindergarten through eighth grade are regularly in nonparental care
before and after school. One of the many benefits of sending your child to a
licensed child care center is the...
Student Rights Advocates (SRA) works to protect student
rights and ensure excellence in public education, particularly for those
children who have special needs. Co-founder Debbie Papaj talks about her work
and who might benefit from having an...
Special needs trusts generally fall into one of two categories, and the treatment and effect of any given trust varies depending on which kind of trust is involved. This has led to a tremendous amount of confusion and, in some cases, a significant...
Families with special needs may now have an easier time navigating
airport security screenings. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently
rolled out a new toll free hotline called TSA Cares. Travelers with special
medical conditions...
On the first day of fifth grade, Bryan Yglesias woke up
feeling weaker on his left side. He walked with a limp, and over the course of
the day he felt worse and his speech began to slur. His parents, Nick and
Kathy, took him to the hospital, but the...
Childhood obesity is a rising problem in the United States,
both for typically developing children and children with special needs. According
to a Fact Sheet released by the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Department
of Disability and Human...
Americans--including children--are taking more prescription drugs
than ever before. Things can go wrong when these drugs are mixed with other
prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, herbal remedies, and even
caffeine. Many patients and...
What bigger crisis does one face than learning their child has been diagnosed with a chronic condition? It’s virtually impossible to collect your thoughts, let alone organize them. For me, organizing the many aspects of my life after receiving that...
Many of us
are clueless about the valuable information contained in our
children’s medical records. Knowing what’s there can help us make
smart decisions; not knowing can leave us navigating in the dark.
Getting ahold of your child’s records has...
NPR Commentator and novelist Shelley
Fraser Mickle takes on a new title, Publisher, with the startup
company Wild Onion Press, Books Starring Kids with Physical
Differences.I fell in love with stories when I was
five. My grandmother from Tennessee,...
![Autism Movement Therapy "Wakes Up the Brain"](http://www.specialneeds.com/sites/specialneeds.com/files/imagecache/Teaser/image002.jpg "Autism Movement Therapy "Wakes Up the Brain"")
"Programs
like Joanne's Autism Movement Therapy offer opportunities for our kids to develop the necessary and
fundamental skills that benefit all our kids.
Art
saved my life!" - Temple Grandin, PhD
The...
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare: They turn their attention away from a child for just a moment to answer the phone or check dinner in the oven, and when they look again, the child is gone, and a frantic search begins. This scenario...
Susan Barton, founder of Bright Solutions for Dyslexia, recommends five favorite technology tools for people with dyslexia.
These tools allow students to work around their weak areas while they build up
their strengths through tutoring or classroom...
“When do I tell my child he or she has dyslexia?” Many
parents agonize over this question. Susan Barton, creator of the Barton Reading
& Spelling System and founder of Bright Solutions for Dyslexia, says that
children with dyslexia know by the...
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) created some
controversy with their recently released updated guidelines for diagnosing and
treating ADHD. The guidelines recommend medication treatment for children as
young as four years who have academic...
It’s no secret that a traditional martial arts program is
one of the best extracurricular activities a child can participate in. For children with special needs the benefits
are invaluable because of the inherit structure and discipline the...
Merrill Lynch has developed a financial calculator
exclusively designed for families of children with special needs. This tool
helps families structure their finances by factoring the costs of assistive
equipment for homes, such as wheelchair ramps...
The common misperception that nonverbal children,
particularly those diagnosed with autism, are not aware of what goes on around
them or are devoid of feeling is completely destroyed in the book, Seven Keys to Unlock Autism: Making Miracles
in the...
Shopping for the perfect gift can be a challenge, but finding a gift for a child with special needs doesn’t have to be.According to Julie Brinkhoff, assistant director of the Great Plains ADA Center at the University of Missouri School of Health...
COLUMBIA, Mo. " The face develops from the same set of cells that are responsible for brain development, beginning with an embryo and continuing through the first 10-12 years of life. Now, University of Missouri researchers have...
Spina Bifida is one of the most common birth defects,
occurring in 1 out of 2,500 babies. Also termed a “cleft spine” or “open
spine,” it affects the lower back and in more severe cases, the spinal cord. Carla
Lohr was born with Spina Bifida...
![Excerpt from "Life Before Birth"](http://www.specialneeds.com/sites/specialneeds.com/files/imagecache/Teaser/Janov%20photo.jpg "Excerpt from "Life Before Birth"")
On Prenatal Life: The evidence is increasing--traumas while being carried in the womb have a lifelong effect and can change brain function and structure permanently. One study is critical in all this. Lancet reported a study of blood...
Every child is a special needs child. Most of those special needs fall within
our expectations, and that's the reason why we don't really consider them “special.” But other needs are completely
unexpected and require a lot of effort on...
Is
there a long-lasting, little risk, minimal side-effect solution to chronic
joint pain for the Muscular Dystrophy (MD) patient? The answer is yes, and the
main "medicine" in this treatment is sugar. Muscular Dystrophy, sports related
injuries, and...
In a study presented at the American Epilepsy Society’s
(AES) 65th Annual Meeting, children under five years old who were seen at an epilepsy
monitoring unit and a ketogenic diet clinic were tracked for six months.
Seventy-seven percent of the...
There are almost 2,300 incidents of Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (SIDS) each year. Now, by wirelessly enabling Exmovere’s patented
biosensor pajamas for infants, AT&T makes it possible to monitor your
baby’s critical vital signs, such as heart...
What are the benefits of yoga for children with special
needs? What is a special needs yoga class like? Is your child expected to lie
still on a mat? These are questions that Alex Newell, voted LAFamily.com’s Yoga
Teacher of 2010, is happy to answer...
Parents of children with special needs often find themselves
feeling pressured to explain or apologize for their child’s behavior around the
holiday dinner table. Maybe your child is a picky eater or prone to outbursts.
This may cause tension if...
When holiday season rolls around, we all want to be able to
sit around the dinner table and experience something reminiscent of a Norman
Rockwell painting. Unfortunately, the holidays tend to bring out the worst in
some families. Dr. Travis...
Canine Companions for Independence is a national
nonprofit organization that provides assistance dogs for people with
disabilities completely free of charge. Canine Companions serves adults and
children with a wide range of physical and...
In the past year, ACT Today! has given 88 iPads to children
with autism around the country. As part of the autism care and treatment
nonprofit’s new Assisted Technology Program, tools like the iPad ensure that
children on the autism spectrum will...
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease
that attacks the central nervous system, including the spinal chord, optic
nerves, and brain. MS most frequently occurs in adults, but it can also be
diagnosed in children and teens. It is...
Nutrition therapy for children with special needs varies greatly and must be individualized for each issue. Swallowing difficulties, positioning and nutrient deficiencies are just a few of the variables that can have an impact on your child’s...
Children on the autism
spectrum need to be provided with innovative strategies that enable them to
learn to negotiate effectively in the real world. This is so they will feel
accepted and have the proper skills to become productive adults. Pretend...
Bullying is a serious
problem affecting many children and teens, but it is not likely that most children, especially those
with special needs, will walk up to their parents and tell them,
“I’m being bullied.” Bullying can involve name-calling,...
Dr. R. Layla Salek knows
firsthand the financial strain that families experience when struggling to help
a loved one with mental illness or autism. As the daughter of a mother
diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Dr. Salek ‘s passion for working with...
On 25 acres in Northeast San
Antonio lies the world’s first theme park designed with individuals with
special needs in mind. Morgan’s Wonderland, inspired by the daughter of
philanthropist Gordon Hartman, has welcomed more than 200,000 guests from...
Urban Angels, an elite UK child modeling agency, opens their
books only twice a year in search of new talent. Little Taya Kennedy was one of
50 children chosen out of 2,000 applicants. The fact that she has Down syndrome
“did not enter the equation...
Since it began five years ago, the Special Needs Ice Hockey
program in Panorama City, California, has provided an opportunity for kids and
adults with developmental disabilities to learn and play hockey. Until just six
months ago, it was the only...
When Andrew Garnett founded Special Needs at Sea four years ago, he was making equipment deliveries in his own car. “I would get up at three in the morning and drive to Port Canaveral, make my deliveries there, and then I’d drive across the state...
Bridgepoint Academy, located
just outside of Chicago, Illinois, is a unique place that helps young adults with
special needs (ages 16-21) transition from school to adulthood. By focusing on
fostering each student’s life goals, Bridgepoint Academy...
Researchers at Ohio State University Medical Center have recently made great strides in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) research. DMD is one of the most severe forms of muscular dystrophy, resulting in the eventual degeneration of all voluntary...
For children and families living with Autism Spectrum Disorders in West Los Angeles, Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services has a
whole lot of answers to the the question, "What can we do?" As CEO
Dr. Elias Lefferman says, "You do everything you...
PRESENTS
ACROSS THE SPECTRUM
THE THIRD ANNUAL AUTISM CONFERENCE FOR PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES
NOVEMBER 3, 2011
Special Guest back by popular demand: Eustacia Cutler
Speakers: Ricki Robinson, M.D., M.P.H. and Sue Rubin, Nonverbal Woman with Autism...
Have I been living in a cave? This was the thought that went through my head when I first learned that both of my children exhibited “poor social skills and autistic-like behavior.” I had them tested at the local public school and that was their...
Mother’s intuition is priceless but unfortunately not always an accurate gauge about whether a child is developing normally or not. Thankfully, there are several excellent checklists available to evaluate social interaction, speech, and hearing and...
Paula: Anna, I’m excited to interview you. It gives me a chance to publicly thank you for the help you gave my children and to let others know there’s healing available for kids who struggle! Could you tell us a little about Anna’s House?
...
As parents know, a child’s misbehavior can create chaos, disorder and discontent within a family that often leads to guilt, disappointment and frustration that can cloud even the very best intentions. Parents and caregivers may have found themselves...
‘What? Gluten intolerance? Wheat allergy? Not me!’
Gluten-Free has become a fad. Many doctors, dieticians, and nutritionists today
may suspect and diagnose Celiac Disease, (CD), yet are mystified about what
diet to recommend. Some doctors don’t know...
August is
kind of a tough month for me. Two years ago this month, I had my stroke and
first brain surgery. Last August, I had my facial nerve
reconstruction. The past two summers I have had to recover. After my
stroke, besides having...
When an autistic child wanders away from parents or a
caregiver into unfamiliar surroundings, they can have a difficult time finding
their way back. Their sense of time and distance might be altered, and they can
travel long distances before...
“My child has special needs.” That phrase can be uttered with either a
sigh or confidence.
Which one depends upon the spirit with which the parent greets the
teacher. As an educator and administrator, I love to tell our parents that “every...
My son, Miguelangel, is 3 months old. He has Down syndrome and was born prematurely. I started him on a daily yoga practice when he was a month old, and I am pleased with the results.Many families with special children are embracing alternative...
Selective Mutism is a psychiatric disorder that affects 7 out of every 1,000 children (making it almost as common as autism), yet it is seldom dealt with within the confines of a psychotherapist’s office. It is an extreme form of social anxiety...
Every year, the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) holds a four-day conference to bring people together and to spread knowledge about dyslexia and other learning difficulties. The conference, which is one of the largest conferences in the...
Parents of children with special needs often face a great challenge in finding after-school, camp, and weekend recreational programs for their children. Most community based programs are not designed to accommodate children with special needs. Yet...
The brain is an information processing wonder. We process and store information in either long or short term areas of the brain. When we need the information, we retrieve it via a pathway (white brain matter) in the mapping area (gray matter) of the...
“I HATE the cold! Why didn’t I buy that condo in Florida!” blurts out the diminutive 4-year-old. She looks adorable with her contagious smile and beautiful curly blonde hair poking out from underneath the squirrel costume she’s wearing. She seems...
Developmental delays, communication difficulties and/or motor planning and sensory processing challenges can impede a child’s ability to express himself. Traditional therapies focus on helping the child to overcome these deficits. We may, however,...
All problem solving is essentially creativity. When I was a behavioral therapist, I was continually challenged to solve the problems of toilet training, introducing letters and animals, giving sounds and words to wants and needs, developing social...
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) leads many children to success in school and life. It is generally associated with electronic speech-generating devices resembling laptop or hand-held computers, which young people may adopt as a...
Children with special needs can have a variety of issues with social relatedness, such as recognizing facial cues, regulating emotions and performing social reciprocation. For example, children with Asperger’s Disorder often have difficulty with...
Physical therapy builds on a patient’s strengths and abilities. A therapy program will focus on improving the patient’s functional or educational skills. Therapy sessions may include: initial testing to learn about the patient’s needs, regularly...
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) face significant challenges with social interaction. This stems from difficulty in reading social cues such as tone of voice and body language. Due to a tendency to commit “social errors,” children with...
Occupational Therapy’s purpose is to assist clients so they can participate in activities of daily life. Pediatric occupational therapists work in a variety of set- tings and within various systems. Some examples include: pediatric intensive care...
The child who is labeled as having ADHD, Aspergers, Autism, Dyslexia and other learning difficulties will generally present with an imbalance of hemispheric function called a "functional disconnection syndrome." Usually, diminished sensory input to...
Often children who have been derailed by devel-opmental delays like autism present for treatment with very poor or no apparent play skills. There is an equally low level of interest in engaging with play partners. This has led to a pessimistic view...
Speech/Language Pathologists serve special needs children and their parents in a myriad of ways. The earlier the intervention the better the outcome, and the less likely non-verbal habits will develop which will later have to be unlearned. The...
When a parent of a special needs child becomes increasingly frustrated, experiencing roadblocks in their efforts to intercede with their child’s school to access educational supports and services for their child, a consultation with a Special...
Operating pursuant to a charter granted either by a local educational or the State Board of Education, charter schools are primary or secondary schools created by interested agencies and individuals and receive public money for the students who...
Evaluations, also called assessments in some states, provide valuable information regarding the nature and extent of your child’s disability as well as the impact the condition may have on his or her education. Strengths and weaknesses identified...
Beginning at age 3 and throughout your child’s education, if you suspect that your child has special needs, he/she may be eligible for support from the local school district. To determine such, assessments must be conducted, which can be requested...
Clear and measurable goals are the key to a successful IEP. Here are three steps to assure better goals in your child’s IEP.
Understand Your Child’s Current Functioning
Review your child’s homework and tests to compare his work with grade level...
When a student qualifies for special education, the school district is required to develop an individual education program or “IEP” for the student. The IEP must include the basis for special education eligibility, measurable goals and objectives,...
Transition plans are a vital part of an IEP document for any student over the age of sixteen. In California, the state law requires that no later than age sixteen, a student’s IEP must include appropriate, measurable post-secondary goals and...
The “Three R’s” are a well-worn cliché of education, and often the traditional neighborhood school will meet your child’s needs. But if you think your special needs child needs more help than their district school is providing, or the district is...
In the educational field, “inclusion” means that children with and without identified disabilities are taught together in the same classroom to the greatest extent possible. Services such as speech, physical therapy, or assistive technology are...
One out of every three children entering first- grade lacks the basic skills for success in school. The National Center for Educational Statistics shows that as many as 20% of our nation’s children have substantial difficulties learning to read, and...
Developmental pediatricians are doctors who specialize in children with developmental or behavioral concerns, or specific developmental disabilities. Developmental pediatricians may provide a “developmental assessment” to help parents understand...
“My son has been diagnosed ADHD and OCD, might be bipolar, and he is having the hardest time socially and academically. His school said to have his eyes examined, even though our pediatrician reported 20/20 and healthy eyes. The pediatric...
Medications and nutritional supplements have an important role in the treatment of special needs children and adults. Medications are one component of a multimodal treatment approach. The psychiatrist is an integral part of an interdisciplinary team...
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common neuro-biologic health conditions seen in school-age children through the adult years. ADHD is not lazy, spoiled kids; it is identified brain chemistry and neurologic pathway that...
• Autism topped President Obama’s 24-point medical agenda, calling for increased funding, and screenings for all infants.
• The American Academy of Pe- diatrics has called for all children to be screened for Autism twice before the age of two.
• The...
For young adults with special needs, the transition from high school to adult life brings a new set of opportunities and chal- lenges. Your child must have a transition plan by age 16. Begin- ning to plan early will increase his opportunity to...
Everyone is affected when a child has significant developmental, social or emotional challenges. Whatever the diagnosis " or even if you don’t yet have a diagnosis " if you’re parenting a child with special needs, your entire family feels the impact...
A woman’s daughter has just been diagnosed with autism. A couple struggles to deal with their brain injured baby, still in the NICU. These courageous parents face an unknown journey with no preparation and no road map. What do they need? They need...
Everyone has their favorite sources of information, and often that means a favorite book. New books are continually coming out. Sometimes new ideas come along. Sometimes they really change the game. Often, they don't.I think, and many others agree,...
My nine-year-old son was diagnosed at age four with selective mutism, a psychological anxiety disorder that is characterized by the sufferer's inability to speak in certain situations. My son speaks normally at home and some familiar situations, but...
Everyone has their favorite sources of information, and often that
means a favorite book. New books are continually coming out. Sometimes
new ideas come along. Sometimes they really change the game. Often, they
don't.I think, and many others...
A mother's desperate call regarding her son who was given detention every single day of the week. A frazzled email from young parents about their daughter's recent diagnosis. A skeptical father who doesn't even know if ADHD is real. --These are just...
Federal and state law mandate a free appropriate public education tailored to the unique needs of the student. Many parents have come to know this free appropriate public education as the painfully traumatic Individual Educational Plan, or IEP. The...
In the past five years, I have noticed an alarming trend in my private practice. Eating-disordered thoughts and behaviors are striking girls at increasingly younger ages. It is not uncommon for me to hear an eight-year-old girl tell me that she...
I walked into a fifth-grade classroom and saw a student with autism sprawled out on the floor. The classroom paraprofessional was standing over the boy, warning him,"Get up now or you won’t get computer time." The boy began crying and then biting...
Chances are you know someone who has a child that's been diagnosed as autistic, or you may have that child yourself. What exactly is autism, what is the autism spectrum, and why have diagnoses exploded so recently? Approximately one out of every one...
"The sadness experienced in school stays with you forever. Early wounds may heal, but the scars are a constant reminder of a painful experience with the traditional method of learning."So says Joan Esposito, president and founder of Santa Barbara's...
Everyone has their favorite sources of information, and often that means a favorite book. New books are continually coming out. Sometimes new ideas come along. Sometimes they really change the game. Often, they don't.I think, and many others agree,...
Summertime marks the end of the school year, a time to relax. But a summer without structure can be a problem for children with ADHD and their unique minds. For parents, it's the perfect time for reflection, a time to evaluate your child's behavior...
It was just a few weeks ago that I was standing in the waiting room of the EEG Institute when a six-year-old autistic child entered with his mother. He rushed to hug the neurofeedback practitioner.While such a connection would be pleasant under...
This year, more children will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) than with childhood cancer, diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined. There is good news, however, according to Dr. Barbara Firestone, President & CEO of The Help Group...
Who is that bright child sitting in the back of the classroom? The one who always has such amazing, creative ideas and strengths? The one who is highly intuitive and will probably excel in art, music, or possibly become a professional athlete. This...
Children, unfortunately, do not come with a manual that tells us exactly how they will evolve as they grow up. Most of this process is extremely personal. Sometimes families appear to have a predisposition for areas of excellence. Children of...
One of the most insidious and disturbing behaviors teens engage in is cutting. Cutting is a form of self-punishment by people afflicted with ongoing feelings of guilt, confusion, anger, or overwhelming pain. In many cases, cutting is correlated with...
Federal and state law mandate a free appropriate public education tailored to the unique needs of the student. Many parents have come to know this free appropriate public education as the painfully traumatic Individual Educational Plan, or IEP. The...
A mother's desperate call regarding her son who was given detention every single day of the week. A frazzled email from young parents about their daughter's recent diagnosis. A skeptical father who doesn't even know if ADHD is real. These are just...
When a child has autism, parents have many questions. I am often asked what is the difference between DIR/Floor Time and ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis). I had the opportunity to address this question at length with Dr. Mitchell Taubman, Ph.D.,...
Every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with autism. It is an epidemic currently affecting 1 in every 166 children. Unfortunately, while the number of families impacted by autism continues to increase, the funding for school support, education and...
Is there still something to be said about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that has not already been said? Absolutely. After all, the real source of the problem has never been identified, although we know that stimulant medication can...
Every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with autism. It is an epidemic currently affecting 1 in every 166 children. Unfortunately, while the number of families impacted by autism continues to increase, the funding for school support, education and...
Ever seen a family under the control of one of the children? It's a troubling sight. Sometimes the role reversal is due to the inability of a parent to effectively discipline the child, while, at other times, a recalcitrant child has forcibly...
The number of options to help your special needs child has grown exponentially in the last decade. Through new understandings of developmental delays, therapists have discovered a variety of behavioral, nutritional, and medical offerings to improve...
My teachers say I'm addled...my father thought I was stupid, and I almost decided I must be a dunce.--Thomas Edison (the famous inventor pictured when he was a lad)
He told me that his teachers reported that...he was mentally slow, unsociable, and...
Dyslexia is an invisible disability. It is caused by a difference in brain structure which is present at birth and is often hereditary. As a result, incoming or outgoing information gets scrambled as it travels between the senses and the brain....
Physical therapy builds on a patient’s strengths and abilities. A therapy program will focus on improving the patient’s functional or educational skills. Therapy sessions may include: initial testing to learn about the patient’s needs, regularly...
[Editor's Note: When I returned to Santa Barbara for good in 1990, I was fortunate to make the acquaintance of Joan Esposito and her remarkable organization. Although Ms. Esposito is a past president of LDA-CA (California's state-level...
Children with special needs can have a variety of issues with social relatedness, such as recognizing facial cues, regulating emotions and performing social reciprocation. For example, children with Asperger’s disorder often have difficulty with...
All problem-solving is essentially creativity. When I was a behavioral therapist, I was continually challenged to solve the problems of toilet training, introducing letters and animals, giving sounds and words to wants and needs, developing social...
Developmental delays, communication difficulties and/or motor planning and sensory processing challenges can impede a child’s ability to express himself. Traditional therapies focus on helping the child to overcome these deficits. We may, however,...
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) leads many children to success in school and life. It is generally associated with electronic speech-generating devices resembling laptop or hand-held computers, which young people may adopt as a...
Because SpecialNeeds.com is based in California, some people think we tend to ignore the O.C. (That's Other Coast, of course, not Orange County.) But that's not so. Here's an event we think is of interest, and it's certainly not in California...
"I HATE the cold! Why didn’t I buy that condo in Florida!" blurts out the diminutive four-year-old. She looks adorable with her contagious smile and beautiful curly blonde hair poking out from underneath the squirrel costume she’s wearing. She seems...
Parents of children with special needs often face a great challenge in finding afterschool, camp, and weekend recreational programs for their children. Most community-based programs are not designed to accommodate children with special needs. Yet...
A person is not dyslexia and is not attention deficit disorder. We can have dyslexia or ADD, just as you may have blue eyes or brown hair or asthma. They are conditions that are parts of us, but none define us. Dyslexia and ADD are...
Watching a child struggle with reading, writing, and other academic areas can be heartbreaking for parents and other family members. The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) strives to help parents of dyslexic children, as well as, others with...
I was one of the "puzzle children" myself--a dyslexic.... And I
still have a hard time reading today. Accept the fact that you have a
problem. Refuse to feel sorry for yourself. You have a challenge; never
quit!--Nelson Rockefeller, former...
The term learning disability describes a neurobiological disorder in which a person's brain works or is structured differently. These differences interfere with a person's ability to think and remember. Learning disabilities can affect a person...
Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) face significant challenges with social interaction. This stems from difficulty in reading social cues such as tone of voice and body language. Due to a tendency to commit "social errors," children with...
Occupational therapy’s purpose is to assist clients so they can participate in activities of daily life. Pediatric occupational therapists work in a variety of settings and within various systems. Some examples include: pediatric intensive care...
The child who is labeled as having ADHD, Aspergers, autism, dyslexia and other learning difficulties will generally present with an imbalance of hemispheric function called a "functional disconnection syndrome." Usually, diminished sensory input to...
Often children who have been derailed by developmental delays like autism present for treatment with very poor or no apparent play skills. There is an equally low level of interest in engaging with play partners. This has led to a pessimistic view...
When a parent of a special needs child becomes increasingly
frustrated, experiencing roadblocks in their efforts to intercede with
their child’s school to access educational supports and services for
their child, a consultation with a special...
Operating pursuant to a charter granted either by a local educational or the State Board of Education, charter schools are primary or secondary schools created by interested agencies and individuals and receive public money for the students who...
Evaluations, also called "assessments" in some states, provide valuable information regarding the nature and extent of your child’s disability as well as the impact the condition may have on his or her education. Strengths and weaknesses identified...
Beginning at age 3 and throughout your child’s education, if you suspect that your child has special needs, he/she may be eligible for support from the local school district. To determine this, assessments must be conducted, which can be requested...
Clear and measurable goals are the key to a successful IEP. Here are three steps to assure better
goals in your child’s IEP.
1.
Understand
Your Child’s Current Functioning
Review your child’s homework and tests to compare his...
When a student qualifies for special
education, the school district is required to develop an individual
education program or “IEP” for the student. The IEP must include the basis for
special education eligibility, measurable goals and objectives,...
Transition plans are a vital part of an IEP document for any
student over the age of sixteen. In California, the state law requires that no
later than age sixteen, a student’s IEP must include appropriate, measurable
post-secondary goals and...
The “Three R’s” are a well-worn cliché of education, and often the
traditional neighborhood school will meet your child’s needs. But if you think
your special needs child needs more help than their district school is
providing, or the district is...
With 70 chapters, Little People of America is an
organization for persons and families involved with the condition of dwarfism.
It is involved in peer and parent support, medical resources and referrals,
scholarships, and programs that benefit...
During the last twenty-five
years I’ve been part, as a parent and/or a bookseller, of more than a thousand
conferences on disabilities. They have been pretty much all over the map, both
geographically and in terms of their subjects. I can remember...
In the educational field, “inclusion” means that children with and without identified disabilities are taught together in the same classroom to the greatest extent possible. Services such as speech, physical therapy, or assistive technology are...
One out of every three children entering first-grade lacks the basic skills for success in school. The National Center for Educational Statistics shows that as many as 20% of our nation’s children have substantial difficulties learning to read, and...
Developmental pediatricians are doctors who specialize in children with developmental or behavioral concerns, or specific developmental disabilities. Developmental pediatricians may provide a “developmental assessment” to help parents understand...
• Autism topped President Obama’s 24-point medical agenda, calling for increased funding, and screenings for all infants.• The American Academy of Pediatrics has called for all children to be screened for autism twice before the age of two.• The...
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the most common neuro-biologic health conditions seen in school-age children through the adult years.ADHD does not mean not lazy, spoiled kids. It is an identified brain chemistry and neurologic...
Medications and nutritional supplements have an important role in the treatment of special needs children and adults. Medications are one component of a multimodal treatment approach. The psychiatrist is an integral part of an interdisciplinary team...
“My son has been diagnosed ADHD and OCD, might be bipolar, and he is having the hardest time socially and academically. His school said to have his eyes examined, even though our pediatrician reported 20/20 and healthy eyes. The pediatric...
For young adults with special needs, the transition from high school to adult life brings a new set of opportunities and challenges. Your child must have a transition plan by age 16. Beginning to plan early will increase his opportunity to achieve...
Everyone is affected when a child has significant developmental, social or emotional challenges. Whatever the diagnosis"or even if you don’t yet have a diagnosis"if you’re parenting a child with special needs, your entire family feels the impact....
A woman’s daughter has just been diagnosed with autism. A couple struggles to deal with their brain-injured baby, still in the NICU. These courageous parents face an unknown journey with no preparation and no road map. What do they need? They need...
Editor@SpecialNeeds.com Don’t care for the news? Well then, make some of your own! You there, reading this, not only have experience, you have opinions. Perhaps you know something no one else knows about...
The brain is an information
processing wonder. We process and store information in either long term or
short term areas of the brain. When we need that information again, we retrieve
it via a pathway (white brain matter) in the mapping area (gray...
Imagine what it must be like for a young person with learning disabilities to be apprehended and questioned by the police. Immediately, your fear and nervousness makes your impairment more acute, and you do a poor job in answering questions. Already...
When an assessment team convenes to evaluate and report the results of testing a child for learning disabilities, the experience can be overwhelmingly stressful and negative for the parents hearing the news.
I just witnessed a 3-hour IEP during...
What is special needs planning? The focus of special needs planning is to protect and secure the future of our loved ones with disabilities.Through special needs planning, we work to preserve and maximize needs-based public benefits, such as...
In general, if a child had not corrected an “r” sound distortion after six months in therapy the therapy should stop. In articulation therapy a speech/language pathologist identifies the sounds a child needs to correct and teaches the child how to...
As the long, lazy days of summer approach, most of us look forward to the refuge from the mad rush of school mornings, homework evenings and extracurricular bedlam. But our kids still need some kind of framework for summer days. This is a deeper...
Dear Developmental Doc:I cannot believe I am so frustrated with my son this early into the school year. J is almost eleven and because he has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder), he continues to struggle with basics like making sure his...
Dear Developmental Doc,My daughter is 5 years old and I think she has Selective Mutism. She is incredibly verbal at home but shy around strangers. Her camp counselor expressed concern that although she was friendly, she never spoke to anyone at camp...
The siblings of special needs kids are considered “typical” and are helpful to the family in more ways than we account for. They support their special needs brother or sister by mentoring them through play, encouraging them to push towards their...
In my practice as a speech/language therapist, I see toddlers, children and young adults with a variety of special needs labels and a myriad of challenges. Each child is special, each experience as humbling as the day I graduated more than 35 years...
Have you ever said anything to someone close and been completely misunderstood? Have you ever tried to use another language in a foreign city and been frustrated when you could not access your wants or needs? If you needed the bathroom urgently or...
As our kids spend many hours per day in the classroom, their teachers and specialists track their progress (or lack thereof) by following the goals in their Individual Educational Plan (IEP). Supporting your child’s daily opportunities to attend to...
Each child brings something into a family when he or she arrives.
Each individual is directly affected by the other members of the family
and impacts the unit as a whole. A child with special needs adds a
special dimension and provides a unique...
Children with difficulty developing verbal speech are often in need of aides or devices to help them understand and use language. For these children, schools often use programs like PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) to help grow language...
Most parents can vividly recall the day they were told that their child’s development was not typical. Many already had a suspicion that something was different, but being told by the physician that their child indeed had special needs validated...
One of the most insidious and disturbing behaviors teens engage in is cutting. Cutting is a form of self-punishment by people afflicted with ongoing feelings of guilt, confusion, anger, or overwhelming pain. In many cases, cutting is correlated with...
When verbal speech is challenging for a child, alternative systems can sometimes help children transition to eventually using verbal communication. It is a process, in which alternative methods and support systems help build receptive language ports...
Dear Developmental Doc:I live in Apple Valley, a part of Southern California that actually experiences a change in seasons. In October the leaves are changing and the weather gets colder, but my four-year-old son refuses to wear anything other than...
Dear Developmental Doc:I’m not sure if it’s weird for you to get a letter from a kid instead of a grown-up, but my Mom always reads your column, so I figured maybe you could help. I’m 14 years old and I’m fine. I mean, I have an older brother and a...
Dear Developmental Doc,I am the father of a 6 year old boy who is severely handicapped by autism. My wife and I are doing everything we can in regards to getting him the best interventions available. But I have a nagging feeling that it’s not enough...
Dear Developmental Doc:I recently read an article describing the benefits of therapy dogs for kids with issues that ranged from autism to ADHD. My daughter has ADHD. She has a terrible time staying on task and maintaining sustained focus. But she...
Dear Developmental Doc:When our daughter was 10 months old, she contracted a rare form of cancer. Her doctors advised us that her only chance at survival was intensive chemotherapy. We were also advised as to the risks, including the possibility of...
Dear Developmental Doc: Our 9-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder last year. She’s extremely bright when it comes to school, but basically clueless in social situations. Can you suggest ideas to help prepare her for my in-law’s...
y Dr. Esther Hess, Ph.D. (aka “The Developmental Doc”). When a child has autism, parents have many questions. I am often asked what is the difference between DIR/Floor Time and ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis). I had the opportunity to address this...
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