Special Needs

Articles

Your child's pediatrician hands you a developmental milestone chart. Your neighbor mentions when...devices, or assistance make that possible. Adaptive strategies aren't consolation prizes. They're the skill being developed. Self-Care Milestones by CP...

The waitlist for speech therapy was nine months. Occupational therapy wasn't taking new patients. Your child's pediatrician suggested "maybe try art therapy" in passing, and you nodded because what else were you going to do. But art therapy for autism isn't a placeholder...

Your child's 18th birthday is six months away, and the transition coordinator just handed you guardianship paperwork. The pediatrician mentioned you'll lose access to medical records. The special education director suggested you "get that filed before graduation." Everyone's treating...

You've heard the term dozens of times. It's in your child's IEP. It's on the therapy center's website. Your pediatrician mentions it when recommending an intervention. "Evidence-based." It sounds reassuring, like science has settled the question. But here's what most...

Your child turns 21 and loses their pediatrician. That's expected. What isn't expected: the outcomes gap that follows. Research from Harvard, the NIH, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and...

...accommodations: restaurants, stores, hospitals, recreational facilities. Parents who can recite IEP timelines often don't know which ADA title applies to the pediatrician's office or the camp that turned their child away. The difference matters because the enforcement mechanisms are different. IDEA disputes go through...

Your child has a diagnosis. The pediatrician used clear medical language, the evaluations are complete, and you've been told your child qualifies for special education. Then you meet with the...

Your pediatrician suggests play therapy. Or your child's school mentions it as an option. You nod, take the referral card, and later wonder what you just agreed to....

Your toddler isn't walking yet, and the pediatrician just said "let's watch and wait." Your school-age child trips constantly and struggles to keep up with classmates during recess. Your teenager with...

You're handed a referral for a speech-language pathologist. Your pediatrician says your child needs one. The school mentions it in passing. A specialist writes it on a form. Nobody explains what happens next, what the SLP...

...treatment six months ago. The oncology team cleared them. You thought the hard part was over. Then the school called about attention problems, or the pediatrician flagged developmental delays, or you noticed your child can't run like they used to. Late effects are the reason. For many childhood cancer survivors,...

...orient yourself in real time. Stage 1: Referral. Someone refers your child for a special education evaluation. That someone can be you, a teacher, a pediatrician, or another specialist who has regular contact with your child. Either parent or the school can initiate the process. If you're the one making the...