Category Archives: Aids for the Disabled

Assistive Technology Now Includes Children’s Voices

Children who have certain types of learning disabilities may be non-verbal. This can happen with kids who have an autism spectrum disorder. Recently, schools have started using iPads to help students with autism communicate. Now, Proloquo2Go will let them “talk” in a child’s voice. The iPad is an amazing piece of technology. The versatility of it allows it to be used as anything from a way for a person to check his email, to a tool that can assist children who have special needs to cope, communicate, and practice social skills. Schools have started using iPads with the students who … Continue reading →

Pets Might Help With Social Skills

A small research study done in France indicates that a pet can help a child who has an autism spectrum disorder to develop his or her social skills. It appears that the timing of the pet’s arrival into the family needs to be when the child is younger, rather than older, for best results. According to the Mayo Clinic, kids who have autism tend to have difficulties in three crucial areas of development. They struggle with social interaction, language, and behavior. One of the things that can help a child who has an autism spectrum disorder is called Applied Behavior … Continue reading →

Summer Camps for Kids Who Have Special Needs – 2012

Children who attend a summer camp get the opportunity to have some unique experiences that cannot be found outside of camp. There are plenty of summer camps that are designed to accommodate children who have special needs. Will your child be going to camp this summer? It is normal for parents to be a bit nervous about the idea of their child attending a summer camp. This is especially true for parents of kids who have special needs. In addition to all the typical worries about the weather and the food, there are genuine concerns about whether or not the … Continue reading →

ECHO Helps Military Families Who Have Kids With Special Needs

Families who are using TRICARE may be eligible for ECHO. It is part of the TRICARE program and it is designed to provide financial assistance for certain services and supplies for families who have children with specific types of special needs. TRICARE is the health are program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families worldwide. It is the health care program serving active duty service members, National Guard Reserve members, retirees, their families, survivors and certain former spouses worldwide. TRICARE is the main component of the Military Health System. It combines the health care resources of the uniformed personnel, … Continue reading →

Jack’s Helping Hand Reaches Out to Offer Support

What does your child play with? It isn’t easy to find engaging, and appropriate, toys for kids with certain kinds of special needs. Organizations like Jack’s Helping Hand are making things a bit easier for parents, by creating a toy lending library. This is just one of the ways that Jack’s Helping Hand can offer assistance to parents of kids who have special needs. Jack’s Helping Hand is an organization that was created by Paul and Bridget Ready, in memory of their son, Jack. He had a rare form of brain cancer, and lived to be three years old. He … Continue reading →

How Video Games Can Help Kids With Special Needs

Video games are more than just “time wasters” or an inexpensive way to have some fun. They can be used as a tool to help children who have a variety of special needs. There are adapted controllers, games designed for kids with specific special needs, and even classroom applications for video games. There are plenty of parents who would describe themselves as “gamers”. These are the people who have been playing video games since they were children, and who are still playing video games today. There are also quite a few parents who feel that all video games are a … Continue reading →

Things to Know About the Avenger Controller

Recently, there has been news regarding a video game controller that was originally designed to be used by gamers with disabilities. A scandal involving some less than polite statements from PR representative have taken the focus off the controller itself. Despite this, the Avenger Controller is still a useful tool for gamers to use, whether or not they have a special need. David Kotkin is a teacher who created a new type of video game controller for one of his students. The student had a disability that made it difficult for him to use a standard X-Box controller. The student, … Continue reading →

How to Apply for Social Security Disability Benefits

Social Security Disability is a program that is designed to provide income to people who are unable to work because they have a disability. This program is available for adults and children. Parents can apply for benefits for their children who have disabilities. Here is a quick guide that can help you get started. Trying to navigate your way through the application process for Social Security Disability benefits can be overwhelming. In general, government websites that are designed to give people information about how to qualify for benefits are written in language that is extremely difficult to understand. Don’t let … Continue reading →

The SSI Program Could be Facing Cuts

There is a government program called the Supplemental Security Income (SSI), that is designed to provide a monthly financial benefit to people who are unable to work because of a disability. There are a lot of parents of children who have special needs that need the help this program provides. The SSI program is being scrutinized by lawmakers who are concerned about fraud and abuse of the program. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program for children has started getting some criticism in Congress. In December of 2010, The Boston Globe did a series that called SSI “The Other Welfare”. This … Continue reading →

A More Specific Definition of “Service Animal”

Service animals can be extremely helpful for adults and children who have certain kinds of special needs. Legally speaking, stores, hotels, restaurants, and schools, must allow people to bring their service animals with them when the person is going into a public place. Not all animals can be considered to be “service animals”, however. When people hear the phrase “service animal”, they tend to think of a black or yellow lab dog that is guiding a person who is visually impaired or blind. While this is one situation where service dogs can help people, it is not the only one. … Continue reading →