Riding a Bike to Independence

Learning to ride a bike is a basic right of passage for children from New York to Washington. The thrill, the skinned knees, and the independence are all a part of the process and every child deserves the chance to experience it. Children with special needs, however, often don’t get that opportunity. Less than 20% of autistic children and 10% of children with Down syndrome learn to ride a bike. However, programs popping up across the country are bringing about a change. These bike camps first began with a single camp in 1999 in LaCrosse, WI. Dr. Richard E. Klein … Continue reading →

Special Needs Parents, There’s an App for You

Smartphone technology means we can access the internet from anywhere, turn on our lights at home while at work and check the oil level on our car from inside our home. Great…luxurious and probably not all that necessary, but great. On the other hand, what gets me excited about smartphones is the potential they have to be helping hands to parents of children with special needs and to adults with special needs. The list of available applications ready and waiting to aid and assist is growing. From the hearing impaired to the diabetic, there’s an app for you. Non-Verbal or … Continue reading →

Including Children with Disabilities

For decades children with disabilities have been placed in a separate classroom from “regular” students, making their disabilities rather than their abilities the focus. For the new generations this is all about to change, thanks in part to people like Dan Habib and his commitment to educating the public on inclusive education through his documentary, Including Samuel. Samuel, the younger of Habib’s two sons, has cerebral palsy. There is more to Samuel than his wheelchair. He is full of life, bright and funny. For the Habib family, it only made sense that Samuel be in the regular classroom. Luckily, their … Continue reading →

Create an Accessible Playground in Your Town

Playgrounds are great fun for kids – the slide, the swings, and the bobbling horse. It is an adventure every time. For kids with physical limitations, however, the playground is an obstacle standing in the way of the good times the other kids are having and leaving them feeling left out. Communities across the country are finding the solution to this problem through accessible playgrounds. Accessible playgrounds are just what they are called, accessible. Wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches can no longer keep a kid from having fun and playing with the other kids at the park. If you would like … Continue reading →

New App for Autism

The introduction of “I” products from Apple has lead to the reinvention of how we do so many things. We can do pretty much anything from our phones these days, including turn on or off our lights when we are away from home or find our way when we get lost in the woods or on the street. Now, iPhone and Apple have introduced an app that can help your autistic or non-verbal child to communicate her wants and needs. It’s called iInteract. If your child is non-verbal, but can use a computer to communicate with you, this program is … Continue reading →

Tools For the Legally Blind

People who are legally blind do have some sight, but it is very limited. There are many different kinds of vision related tools that can be used to help a legally blind person to see some things a bit better. Finding the right tool, the one that works best for a specific person, is extremely helpful. A bookstore might be the last place one would think of shopping for a person who has is visually impaired. However, Barnes & Noble has a good selection of hand held magnifiers. My mother prefers the page magnifier. This is a flat, plastic magnifier … Continue reading →

Pets and the Special Needs Child

When you have a child with a special need, the thought of having an animal to take care of in addition to all of the other work you do can seem like an overwhelming hassle that isn’t worth it. However, children with special needs can benefit in numerous ways from having a pet to bond with and play with. Having a pet teaches every child the importance of responsibility. Your child will learn quickly that the pet needs to be fed, cleaned and cared for. If your child can physically participate in those responsibilities, she should be allowed to. The … Continue reading →

Choosing a Day Care

Most parents do not look forward to sending their child to day care. They do it out of necessity. However, for the parents of special needs children, the opportunity to send your child to day care should be viewed as a blessing. It means that your child is developmentally ready to take on new physical and social challenges. I highly recommend, though, that you resist sending your child to a traditional day care just to prove to the world and yourself how “normal” he or she is. If you live in a smaller city, you may not have a choice, … Continue reading →