People with disabilities have the same questions about bodies, relationships, and intimacy that everyone else does. They deserve the same access to education that helps them understand consent, recognize healthy boundaries, and navigate relationships safely. Yet many never receive it. The gap isn't theoretical. Research from UC Davis showed that after completing the Relationships Decoded curriculum, participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities improved their understanding of healthy relationships by 22%. That matters because people with IDD face disproportionate rates of sexual abuse compared to the general population, often because they've never been taught what consent looks like or how to recognize when someone is violating their boundaries. Why Sexuality Education Matters. Sexuality education for people with disabilities isn't about encouraging sexual activity. It's about safety, autonomy, and the ability to make informed decisions about your own body. Without it, people with disabilities are more likely to experience abuse. They may not recognize coercion, may struggle to articulate what happened to them, or may have been taught that compliance with authority figures is non-negotiable in all contexts. Education that covers consent, body autonomy, and healthy versus unhealthy relationship dynamics reduces that risk. It gives people the language to name what's happening and the framework to understand when something isn't right. Beyond abuse prevention, sexuality education supports people in understanding their own development, asking questions about their bodies without shame, and building relationships that are based on mutual respect rather than confusion or pressure. Starting education before puberty is most effective. Proper...

Sexuality education protects people with disabilities from abuse and supports healthy relationships, yet access is limited.

Sexuality Education for People with Disabilities: Why It Matters and Where to Find It

People with disabilities have the same questions about bodies, relationships, and intimacy that everyone else does. They deserve the same access to education that helps them understand consent, recognize healthy boundaries, and navigate relationships safely. Yet many never receive it. The gap isn't theoretical. Research from UC Davis showed that after completing the Relationships Decoded curriculum, participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities improved their understanding of healthy relationships by 22%. That matters because people with IDD face disproportionate rates of sexual abuse compared to the general population, often because they've never been taught what consent looks like or how to recognize when someone is violating their boundaries. Why Sexuality Education Matters. Sexuality education for people with disabilities isn't about encouraging sexual activity. It's about safety, autonomy, and the ability to make informed decisions about your own body. Without it, people with disabilities are more likely to experience abuse. They may not recognize coercion, may struggle to articulate what happened to them, or may have been taught that compliance with authority figures is non-negotiable in all contexts. Education that covers consent, body autonomy, and healthy versus unhealthy relationship dynamics reduces that risk. It gives people the language to name what's happening and the framework to understand when something isn't right. Beyond abuse prevention, sexuality education supports people in understanding their own development, asking questions about their bodies without shame, and building relationships that are based on mutual respect rather than confusion or pressure. Starting education before puberty is most effective. Proper...

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 stripped the parents of authority. All children are oppositional to some degree, but when a child becomes so overtly hostile toward authority that the behavior interferes with normal social functioning, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) may be a reasonable suspicion. Children with this disorder tend to have frequent temper tantrums (meltdowns), argue excessively with anyone who dares challenge their misbehavior, respond to even the slightest insult with disproportionate anger and aggression, simmer with resentment, and are often driven to exact revenge for any perceived transgression. Children with oppositional defiant disorder will go out of their way to annoy others, and will blatantly and quite stubbornly disregard rules. Parents of children with ODD frequently report that the child was overly demanding and rigid from a very early age. What if a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorderr seems to fit your child, but his symptoms are even worse than described. What if your child initiates physical fights, has been cruel to animals, has set fires, or destroyed property? A child who displays these behaviors may suffer from conduct disorder. Like ODD, conduct disorder, thought to be either a more extreme form of ODD or the childhood version of antisocial personality disorder, can cause an extreme disruption of family and social life...

Children with ODD or conduct disorder exhibit extreme behavior, but Neurofeedback can improve self-regulation and reduce symptoms.

Taming a Monster Child

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 stripped the parents of authority. All children are oppositional to some degree, but when a child becomes so overtly hostile toward authority that the behavior interferes with normal social functioning, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) may be a reasonable suspicion. Children with this disorder tend to have frequent temper tantrums (meltdowns), argue excessively with anyone who dares challenge their misbehavior, respond to even the slightest insult with disproportionate anger and aggression, simmer with resentment, and are often driven to exact revenge for any perceived transgression. Children with oppositional defiant disorder will go out of their way to annoy others, and will blatantly and quite stubbornly disregard rules. Parents of children with ODD frequently report that the child was overly demanding and rigid from a very early age. What if a diagnosis of oppositional defiant disorderr seems to fit your child, but his symptoms are even worse than described. What if your child initiates physical fights, has been cruel to animals, has set fires, or destroyed property? A child who displays these behaviors may suffer from conduct disorder. Like ODD, conduct disorder, thought to be either a more extreme form of ODD or the childhood version of antisocial personality disorder, can cause an extreme disruption of family and social life...

Angelman Syndrome is a neuro-genetic disorder that is often misdiagnosed as autism or cerebral palsy. Symptoms include developmental delay, seizures, lack of speech, and motor disorders. Named after Dr. Harry Angelman, who first noted and described the symptoms, Angelman Syndrome does feature many of the same characteristics of other developmental disabilities, but it has a certain genetic component that distinguishes it from other disorders. Angelman Syndrome is connected with the number 15 chromosome. Most often, a portion of this chromosome is deleted, which results in Angelman Syndrome. Other genetic causes include two paternally derived number 15 chromosomes, a mutation, or imprinting center deficit. These causes can be screened through a DNA laboratory. While normal pre-natal and birth history is present, by 6 to 12 months of age, a child can begin showing signs of Angelman Syndrome. Developmental delays such as unsteady limb movement or increased smiling are evident. As a child develops, common symptoms of Angelman Syndrome include: Severe developmental delays Movement or balance disorder — ataxia or awkward gait, unsteadiness, jerky limbs Speech impairment — few or no words, receptive and non-verbal communication more advanced than verbal Excitable personality — frequent smiling or laughter, general happy disposition, hypermotoric behavior Other symptoms seen frequently include delayed or disproportionate head circumference or microcephaly, seizures usually onset before 3 years of age, and abnormal EEG. Other possible signs include protruding tongue, frequent...

Angelman Syndrome is a unique genetic disorder marked by developmental delays, seizures, and speech issues.

What is Angelman Syndrome?

 Angelman Syndrome is a neuro-genetic disorder that is often misdiagnosed as autism or cerebral palsy. Symptoms include developmental delay, seizures, lack of speech, and motor disorders. Named after Dr. Harry Angelman, who first noted and described the symptoms, Angelman Syndrome does feature many of the same characteristics of other developmental disabilities, but it has a certain genetic component that distinguishes it from other disorders.     Angelman Syndrome is connected with the number 15 chromosome. Most often, a portion of this chromosome is deleted, which results in Angelman Syndrome. Other genetic causes include two paternally derived number 15 chromosomes, a mutation, or imprinting center deficit. These causes can be screened through a DNA laboratory.    While normal pre-natal and birth history is present, by 6 to 12 months of age, a child can begin showing signs of Angelman Syndrome. Developmental delays such as unsteady limb movement or increased smiling are evident. As a child develops, common symptoms of Angelman Syndrome include:    Severe developmental delays   Movement or balance disorder — ataxia or awkward gait, unsteadiness, jerky limbs   Speech impairment — few or no words, receptive and non-verbal communication more advanced than verbal   Excitable personality — frequent smiling or laughter, general happy disposition, hypermotoric behavior    Other symptoms seen frequently include delayed or disproportionate head circumference or microcephaly, seizures usually onset before 3 years of age, and abnormal EEG. Other possible signs include protruding tongue, frequent...

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 looking guilty (perhaps because of your disability) you end up in front of a judge. Now even more anxious and scared, you continue to have difficulty in processing verbal questions, sequencing events, mustering demand language and controlling your impulses. Odds are that no one will ask you if you have a disability or understand what a learning disability is even if you tell them. Regardless of guilt or innocence it will be unlikely that anyone understands your disability, or provides you with accommodations. Your attorney may not even know how to make a mitigating case on your behalf, considering the nature of your impairments. Research will support the notion that there is a disproportionately high rate of youth with learning disabilities and/or ADHD that come into contact with the juvenile justice system. Prevalence estimates vary considerably because of differences in how the disability is defined and measured, poor screening and assessments in both school and the juvenile justice system, and inconsistent transfer of school records to juvenile court. Precise estimates of specific disabilities vary for the same reasons. Some studies suggest that up to 36 percent of youth in correctional facilities have specific learning disabilities and between 20 and 50 percent of incarcerated youth are estimated to have...

Youths with learning disabilities face challenges in the justice system, which often lacks accommodations and knowledge of their conditions.

Learning Disabilties and the Juvenile Justice System: Some Food for Thought

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 looking guilty (perhaps because of your disability) you end up in front of a judge. Now even more anxious and scared, you continue to have difficulty in processing verbal questions, sequencing events, mustering demand language and controlling your impulses. Odds are that no one will ask you if you have a disability or understand what a learning disability is even if you tell them. Regardless of guilt or innocence it will be unlikely that anyone understands your disability, or provides you with accommodations. Your attorney may not even know how to make a mitigating case on your behalf, considering the nature of your impairments. Research will support the notion that there is a disproportionately high rate of youth with learning disabilities and/or ADHD that come into contact with the juvenile justice system. Prevalence estimates vary considerably because of differences in how the disability is defined and measured, poor screening and assessments in both school and the juvenile justice system, and inconsistent transfer of school records to juvenile court. Precise estimates of specific disabilities vary for the same reasons. Some studies suggest that up to 36 percent of youth in correctional facilities have specific learning disabilities and between 20 and 50 percent of incarcerated youth are estimated to have...

In the world of special needs, there is a great amount of statistics flying around, and one of the most shocking numbers is that an estimated 80-90 percent of marriages involving special needs children end in divorce. Rachel Bernstein, a licensed marriage and family therapist from California, gives parents of special needs kids some advice to avoid becoming a part of this statistic. "It is really very true that being a parent and also sustaining a healthy marriage is challenging enough on its own, and so when you add having a child with special needs into the mix, it does impact the relationship in a very powerful way," says Bernstein. Though unsure if anyone has an exact number, she does say the number is disproportionately high for parents of children with special needs. Bernstein does have a few tips to help "beat the odds": Make a plan for your marriage. "I find that parents who are very successful in helping their children with their own needs are very mindful of putting together an educational, medical, and therapeutic plan for their child, but I think it's equally important to sit down with your spouse and make a plan for your marriage," Bernstein suggests. "The plan includes first remembering why you fell in love with this person, and making sure to notice and acknowledge those qualities in each other at least once a day — this is actually true of any healthy...

Therapist gives tips to save marriages with special needs kids, like daily couple time and teamwork.

Protecting a Special Marriage

 In the world of special needs, there is a great amount of statistics flying around, and one of the most shocking numbers is that an estimated 80-90 percent of marriages involving special needs children end in divorce. Rachel Bernstein, a licensed marriage and family therapist from California, gives parents of special needs kids some advice to avoid becoming a part of this statistic.   "It is really very true that being a parent and also sustaining a healthy marriage is challenging enough on its own, and so when you add having a child with special needs into the mix, it does impact the relationship in a very powerful way," says Bernstein. Though unsure if anyone has an exact number, she does say the number is disproportionately high for parents of children with special needs.    Bernstein does have a few tips to help "beat the odds":     Make a plan for your marriage. "I find that parents who are very successful in helping their children with their own needs are very mindful of putting together an educational, medical, and therapeutic plan for their child, but I think it's equally important to sit down with your spouse and make a plan for your marriage," Bernstein suggests. "The plan includes first remembering why you fell in love with this person, and making sure to notice and acknowledge those qualities in each other at least once a day — this is actually true of any healthy...

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Special Needs
Articles

Sexuality Education for People with Disabilities: Why It Matters and Where to Find It

Taming a Monster Child

What is Angelman Syndrome?

Learning Disabilties and the Juvenile Justice System: Some Food for Thought

Protecting a Special Marriage

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs Articles

Sexuality Education for People with Disabilities: Why It Matters and Where to Find It

Taming a Monster Child

What is Angelman Syndrome?

Learning Disabilties and the Juvenile Justice System: Some Food for Thought

Protecting a Special Marriage

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
Articles