Special Needs

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...reduces pain. It's particularly effective for children with cerebral palsy, hypotonia, autism, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, and neurological conditions...effective for children with cerebral palsy, hypotonia, autism, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, and neurological conditions affecting movement. For some families,...

...ability to participate safely and successfully in general physical education, including: Physical disabilities like cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, or limb differences Visual or hearing impairments that create safety concerns in a gym setting Autism spectrum disorder when sensory overload...

...for youth recreational play. If your child cannot safely skate standing up, they qualify. Some programs also welcome kids with balance disorders, muscular dystrophy, or conditions that make traditional skating unsafe even if they're ambulatory. Most youth programs start accepting players around age 5,...

...tools exist, how to get them covered, or how to introduce them at home without turning mealtime into a therapy session. Children with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, low muscle tone, stroke recovery, or limb differences face motor challenges that make standard utensils frustrating or unusable. The right...

...as a Class I medical device in the United States and has Health Canada approval. Primary users include children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, and other conditions that affect mobility. How Robotic Gait Training Works. Walking involves...

...real in 2026: ELEVIDYS, the first FDA-approved gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, now has expanded approval. More boys qualify. RGX-202 is in...moxeparvovec) is a one-time gene therapy approved for boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It delivers a modified version of the dystrophin gene (the protein...

...IEPs for progressive conditions. A child with muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, or Friedreich's...conditions. A child with muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, or Friedreich's ataxia doesn't have needs...progressive conditions, it's not. A child with muscular dystrophy in September may have been walking independently,...

...the annual checkup. You've watched your child's walking pattern change over the past year, and you know what's coming. For children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the transition to full-time wheelchair use typically happens between ages 10 and 14. This transition is predictable, gradual, and can be...

...conditions documented by a licensed professional The definition of "severe physical disability" is broad. It includes conditions like cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, blindness, deafness, and mobility impairments. If your condition substantially limits a major life activity like...

...reallocates resources. Calcium gets pulled from bone. Density decreases. Fracture threshold drops. For children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, spinal muscular atrophy, or other conditions that limit weight-bearing, this process starts early and compounds over time. Studies show non-ambulatory children have...

If your child has Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy, cardiomyopathy isn't a risk you're...disease is the leading cause of death in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Nearly every person with DMD will develop...eliminates functional dystrophin entirely. In Becker muscular dystrophy, some dystrophin is produced, so cardiac...

...therapists, occupational therapists, and pediatricians recommend aquatic therapy for children with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, and many other conditions. What makes water so effective comes down to four properties that no gym floor or therapy mat can...