Results
Therapies > Animal
Service Dog, Therapy Dog, or Emotional Support Animal: Which Is Right for Your Child?
You're researching animal support options for your child, and the terms keep overlapping:...legal protection. Families pay thousands for "ESA certifications" that have zero...individually trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability. Under the...handler's disability. Common tasks for children with disabilities: Deep pressure...
Education > Early Intervention
Understanding Early Intervention Therapies: Speech, Occupational, and Physical Therapy for Infants and Toddlers
...child's IFSP lists three therapies: speech, occupational,...physical. You've got therapists coming to your home twice...obvious at first. A speech therapist might work on feeding....feeding. An occupational therapist might focus on play....on play. A physical therapist might spend most of the...together, and what to look for during sessions so you...
Therapies > Physical
Your Child's PT Home Exercise Program: How to Practice Between Sessions and See Results
Your child's physical therapist hands you a packet of exercises at...home between appointments. But the therapist made it look easy, and your child...so at the next session. Ask your therapist to provide: Step-by-step instructions...their hips as they reach forward for a toy placed two feet ahead." That...
Therapies > Music
How to Pay for Music Therapy: Insurance, Medicaid Waivers, and Grant Programs
You've seen what music therapy can do for your child. The engagement during sessions, the communication...intervention. Even when a physician writes an order for music therapy to address speech delays, motor planning,...Therapy in Many States. If your child qualifies for a Medicaid waiver, music therapy is often covered...
Therapies > Music
Music Therapy at Home: Best Instruments and Activities for Children with Special Needs
Your child's music therapist wraps up the session,...instruments your therapist uses, the activities...goals. What Music Therapists Look for in Home...Therapists Look for in Home Instruments....board-certified music therapist recommends an instrument...recommends an instrument for home practice, they're...isn't just a drum. For a child working...to create sound. For a child who needs...
News > Research
When Studies Disagree: How to Make Sense of Conflicting Research as a Special Needs Parent
...consider: gluten-free diets for autism, screen time limits for...for autism, screen time limits for ADHD, optimal therapy intensity,...the luxury of waiting decades for scientific consensus. You have...study on speech therapy outcomes for three-year-olds with autism who...as a study on speech therapy for seven-year-olds with moderate...
Therapies > Other
Deep Pressure Therapy and Weighted Blankets: What Parents of Children with Special Needs Should Know
...child's nervous system is looking for proprioceptive input, the deep...same mechanism that worked for her has been replicated in children...dental procedures. The evidence for ADHD is less consistent, but...from parents and occupational therapists suggest benefit for children...therapists suggest benefit for children who seek proprioceptive...
Therapies > Animal
Small Animal Therapy: How Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, and Cats Help Children with Special Needs
...corner and wouldn't come out for an hour. The size, the unpredictability,...much. You're not looking for a different kind of large...animal. You're looking for something smaller, quieter,...animal-fearful, or simply not ready for traditional animal-assisted...provide a safe entry point for children who need something...purrs at a steady rhythm. For children who struggle with...
Therapies > Speech
What to Expect at Your Child's First Speech Therapy Appointment
...therapy appointment with no framework for what's coming. The anxiety isn't about...documents saves time and gives the therapist context before they meet your child....than general worry: "She says 'ca' for 'cat' and 'da' for 'dog'" rather than...worry: "She says 'ca' for 'cat' and 'da' for 'dog'" rather than "Her speech is unclear."...
Therapies > Speech
How to Support Your Child's Speech Therapy Progress at Home
Your child's speech therapist gives you strategies to practice...session, you're apologizing for not doing the exercises. Formal...flashcard is performing a task for an adult. This article shows...how to take simple data your therapist can use, and how to tell if...replicating the clinic. Your therapist uses structured activities...
Therapies > Speech
Speech Therapy for Special Needs Children: A Complete Guide for Parents
...aren't rigid, but certain patterns signal the need for professional assessment. By 18 months, most children...contact a speech-language pathologist privately. For school-based services, submit a written request for...school-based services, submit a written request for evaluation to your child's school district. Many...
Therapies > Play
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT): What It Is and How It Helps Special Needs Families
...evidence-based protocol where a therapist coaches you in real...learning by doing, with a therapist watching through a...interaction as it happens. For families raising children...as the primary tool for behavior change. What...Eyberg. It's designed for children ages 2–7 with...extend it to age 12 for children with developmental...lead during play. The therapist coaches you to use...