Author Archives: Nancy

About Nancy

I am a freelance writer focused on parenting children with special needs. My articles have been featured in numerous parenting publications and on www.parentingspecialneeds.org. I am the former editor and publisher of Vermont HomeStyle Magazine. I am a wife and mom to a two daughters, one with cystic fibrosis and one who is a carrier for cystic fibrosis.

When Kids Ask Questions

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I recently had the nice experience of my daughter’s six-year-old cousin asking me questions about her condition. He wanted to know if our new baby had to do the things that her sister does (like taking enzymes and wearing The Vest). When I told him she doesn’t, he wondered why. After all, it makes sense to him that if one sister has to do something than the other should too. So I got to explain what makes Maggie different from him and from her little sister too. I told him the very basic information about cystic fibrosis. All I had … Continue reading →

Special Needs Children and Camp: Part III – Best Camps for Special Needs

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Camp is beneficial for children with special needs, and choosing the right camp is extremely important. The wrong camp can make for a miserable experience, while the right one is not only fun for your child but can also help prepare her for life. Here are some of the best camps from around the United States. *Please note that these camps are ones I have found through research. If considering one of these camps, please research it and meet with the staff to ensure it is the best pick for your child. Camp For All, Texas Camp For All is … Continue reading →

Special Needs Children and Camp: Part II – Preparing for Camp

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Sending your child off to camp for the first time can be scary, especially when your child has special needs. However, the benefits to your child, including friendships, independence and new skills, outweigh any fears that may be lurking in the back of your mind. As long as you and your child are prepared, camp will be a great experience for both of you. Research Don’t just pick any old camp for your child. There are a variety of camps out there. Some are geared towards children with specific needs; while others welcome children with any disability; and still others … Continue reading →

Special Needs Children and Camp: Part I – Benefits of Camp for Children with Special Needs

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It’s that time of year again; time to start thinking about your summer plans. It’s time to research activities to keep your children occupied and engaged through the weeks without school that will be here before you know it. For many children, it will be a summer of attending different camps from day camps to sports camps to overnight camps. There are many camps to choose from, even for children with special needs. Camps come in many shapes and sizes these days including camps for children with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, children with chronic conditions and children facing emotional stresses … Continue reading →

If Your Child’s Newborn Screening is Positive for Cystic Fibrosis

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As the parent of a child with cystic fibrosis who was diagnosed via newborn screening, I have become an advocate for newborn screening of all kinds. The earlier a parent can find out if their child has a life-threatening condition, the better off the child with be health-wise. Early preventative treatment is the key to living the most healthy life possible with CF. I knew that there could be false positives when testing newborns for CF, but was shocked to hear that 90% of the positives are actually false. Now that all 50 states are screening newborns for CF, the … Continue reading →

Estate Planning Tips

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Having a child with special needs means planning for her future more extensively than you would your other children. It also means planning for her day-to-day care after you have passed away. There are many important details to take care of to ensure the best possible life for your child, including estate planning. The laws can be confusing, so you should contact a professional with experience in special needs planning. Here are some tips from the pros: Make a Binder. Bernard A. Krooks, J.D., CPA, LL.M, CELA, is a founding partner of Littman Krooks LLP and an expert on special … Continue reading →

Time Management Tips

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Having children messes with your schedule – big time. You are no longer in control of your own day. Parents of children who have special needs not only have hectic schedules, but even more tasks to squeeze into their day. Staying organized and managing our time is tough, but there are steps to take that will make it easier. Checklist For me what helps the most is making a list for the day. Without a list, I am pretty much useless. My day goes by a lot faster and is much smoother when I have a list of tasks to … Continue reading →

Benefits of Music Therapy

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We’ve all done it – used music to learn or remember some bit of information. Think back to how you learned the alphabet. It was to a sweet little tune called the ABCs. Music helps all of us to improve a variety of skills from memory and balance to relaxation and relationships. The same goes for children with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. Music Therapy is defined as the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish goals. It is thought that music can promote overall wellbeing by helping with relaxation, stress management, memory, communication and physical rehabilitation. Memory … Continue reading →

Another Step Forward for Inclusive Education

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I’ve written in the past about how important inclusive education programs are for both children with disabilities and children without disabilities. However, until recently, these programs have been reserved mostly for the elementary, middle and high school levels of education. Some colleges and universities have allowed those with disabilities to attend classes, as long as they weren’t a distraction or a disruption to the rest of the class. However, the College of Charleston, in Charleston, South Carolina recently created the program REACH. REACH stands for Realizing Educational and Career Hopes. Students enrolled in the program are able to live on … Continue reading →

Link Found Between ADHD and Reading Disorders

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a childhood condition that we have all heard a lot about over the last 20 years. Families of those with ADHD, however, may have been the only ones who realized that it often comes accompanied by a developmental reading disability (RD). Children who have difficulty reading are often found to have symptoms of ADHD, but the cause for this connection has yet to be discovered. However, a new study printed by the journal Cortex is reporting that the two disorders have common genetic influences. As part of an ongoing study of the causes for … Continue reading →