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Celiac Disease, Autism, PTSD, and More!

This week, the Special Needs Blog included a wide variety of topics. There were blogs about Celiac Awareness Day, things that may cause autism, PTSD, a special needs friendly playground, support groups, and a bizarre story about involving an isolation room. These blogs went up between September 10, 2012, and September 15, 2012. September 13 is National Celiac Awareness Day National Celiac Awareness Day is a day to honor the birthday of Samuel Gee MD, the pediatrician who published the first clinical description of celiac disease. It is also a day to bring awareness to what celiac disease is, and … Continue reading →

What is the Best Way to Integrate Special Needs Students?

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Lately, there have been many stories in the news about children who were in special education classrooms and who were being mistreated. Some believe that the solution is to integrate students who have special needs into mainstream classrooms. What is the best way to do that? Recently, a father wanted to know what was happening in his son’s classroom that was causing him to have violent outbursts. He sent his son, who has autism, to school with a hidden audio recording device. The six hours of audio revealed that his son was being bullied by his teachers. In January of … Continue reading →

Some Charter Schools Shun Students with Special Needs

There are federal laws that require all public schools to educate students who have disabilities. Charter schools are also expected to follow these laws. However, it seems as though not all charter schools are adequately providing an education for kids with special needs. Some are actively avoiding having to take on this responsibility. There are certain federal laws, including the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004”, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, that require public schools to educate students who have disabilities. Charter schools are also required to follow the regulations set forth in these types of … Continue reading →

CDC Notes Increase in Number Of Children With ADHD

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have done a study that reveals that there has been an increase in the number of children who are being diagnosed with ADHD. There may be some speculation as to the reasons why this is so. I have noticed an ongoing debate, of sorts, regarding ADHD. There are those who believe that ADHD is something that has been around long before the name of the disorder was attached to it and that people were just unaware of it. Then, there are those who believe that ADHD is something new, and that some factor … Continue reading →

The “Kindness” of Strangers (and Family and Friends)

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Since my daughter’s diagnosis of cystic fibrosis, I have heard many comments and received tons of unsolicited advice from people who probably mean well, but who leave me feeling hurt and inept. They might just be words to you, but here are some key phrases to avoid when talking to a parent of a child with special needs. I’m Sorry Parents of children with special needs do not want to be pitied and even more so, don’t want their children to be pitied. Telling someone that you are sorry that their child has autism or Down syndrome may seem like … Continue reading →

Teaching Your Children Respect

The concept of respect is one that is absolutely crucial for our children to understand. Our society is drifting further away from the basic ideas of courtesy. It used to be that children addressed their elders as “ma’am” and “sir.” Back-talk simply was unheard of. And if a child did slip, well, there was a willow branch switch waiting for them behind the woodshed. As the years have gone by and lawmakers have sought to stamp out child abuse, discipline has taken on a different form. In many ways, this has been good for us, as parents have turned to … Continue reading →

Discipline and the Developmentally Delayed Child

To put it simply, discipline is hard. It is one of the hardest parts of parenting. But when done consistently and correctly, it can help you to raise strong, well-behaved, emotionally mature children. Still, it’s a tough job. Each stage of childhood means a different type of discipline. How you discipline depends greatly on the age and maturity of your child. If one of your children is developmentally delayed, it will take him longer to reach those different stages and his age will truly be just a number. Have patience. It will take your child longer to adjust to stages … Continue reading →

Helpful Insight for Parents of Children with Autism

Being a parent can be a wondrous, joyful, miraculous experience. This does not mean that every day will be perfect. I think all parents benefit from having resources on hand that they can consult in times of stress. This is especially true for parents of children who have special needs. Everyone needs a little advice from time to time, and what better source than from adults who have the same differences that your child does? If your child has Asperger’s Syndrome, or has been diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum, you may want to read the Wrong Planet parenting … Continue reading →

Finding Me Time And Not Feeling Guilty About It

Anyone who’s a single parent knows it’s a full-time job and then some. You fulfill the role as maid, nurse, cook, disciplinarian, leader, handyman, psychologist, friend, confidant, teacher, and more. Combined with the fact that I homeschooled my kids and had a full-time job, so I could pay the bills, keep a roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs, it left no time for “me” time. Or so I thought. I went through two decades of setting myself aside so I could take care of the house, the kids and everything else that was crammed into my already … Continue reading →

Preparing for and Processing a Reunion: Expectations and Emotions

My last blogs talked about children’s experience of open adoption and possible advantages of a meeting between the child and birth family members. Counselors and social workers familiar with adoption issues can provide invaluable help in preparing for and dealing with such a reunion. Adoption workers may help birth and adoptive parents share and manage expectations, and help them process their own adoption issues so that they can be focused on the needs of the child. For one birthfather, these sessions covered the circumstances of his daughter’s birth and adoption, his feelings for her then and now, his relationship with … Continue reading →