Tag Archives: disability

Help Your Child Recognize Bullying

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This is a companion blog to my previous one, “Protect Your Special Needs Child from Bullying.” Children with special needs don’t always recognize what bullying “looks” like. That may be because rejection and cruelty has become all too common for them. Or maybe it’s just too difficult to judge the conduct and emotions of others. For example, it might be hard for a child with Asperger’s Disorder to determine whether someone is telling a friendly joke or laughing at him. Unfortunately, bullies will take advantage of these difficulties, putting our kids at risk. I looked around the internet for some … Continue reading →

Protect your Special Needs Child from Bullying

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Once upon a time, there was a bully. He was rough. He was tough. He was mean. He was obscene. He was large, and in charge. He thought he was cool, and he ruled the school. Although this is the image that comes to mind when we think of “bullies,” in reality, bullying takes many forms. In most cases, bullies look like any ordinary student at your child’s school. And they often strike in groups, where several kids encourage and feed off each other. A bully doesn’t wear a sign on his chest. And many of them (rather vicious at … Continue reading →

What is Spina Bifida, and Who is at Risk?

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What is Spina Bifida? Every year, about 3,000 infants are born with spina bifida, a neural tube defect which occurs during the first month of pregnancy. The spinal column of an unborn child begins to form early, often before a woman even realizes she is pregnant. If the spine does not fuse together properly, it leaves the delicate nerves of the spinal cord exposed or damaged. This is spina bifida. In severe cases, there may be brain involvement, causing fluid on the brain and requiring a permanent shunt for drainage. Spina bifida typically causes varying degrees of disability, from partial … Continue reading →

“If Only We Had Known…” Couples Sue over Wrongful Life

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Is having a special needs child worse than death? Apparently for some parents, it is. A number of couples are now suing their obstetricians for not informing them about testing procedures available during their pregnancy, which would have exposed fetal conditions such as spina bifida. In other words, they lost the opportunity to make an informed choice about continuing the pregnancy. According to the law in many states, physicians must inform expectant couples of all their prenatal testing options. Personally, I don’t blame parents for wanting to know about the health of their unborn child. And prenatal testing can provide … Continue reading →

Falling in Love with your Real Child

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Often as parents we have unrealistic expectations for our kids. Our child is born, and we dream an imaginary future for him or her. “My son is going to be a golf pro,” “My daughter will win beauty pageants,” or “My boy will be valedictorian and get a scholarship to MIT.” Even simple dreams like, “My daughter will look like me,” or “I’ll teach my son to play baseball,” might not become reality. And this can be hard to deal with at first. Eventually, nearly all parents come to realize that their child isn’t exactly what they expected. Especially in … Continue reading →

Do You Insure Your Pay Check?

Most of us insure our homes, cars, and even our lives. But what about one of the most valuable assets – Our paychecks? I don’t think anyone ever expects to become disabled or unable to work due to sickness or injury until we are faced with the situation in our own lives. We don’t plan to have an accident or a serious illness and not being able to work or run our own businesses. When it does happen Disability Income Insurance may help to insure the income our families need when we need it the most. People who have earned … Continue reading →

Perseveration… Perseveration… Perseveration…

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Many children with severe disabilities, particularly those on the autism spectrum, perseverate. Perseverating means they do certain actions over and over again, like repeating a phrase, shutting a door, twiddling fingers, lining up toys, rubbing hands together, spinning objects, etc. It is almost as if these children are locked into an endless cycle of meaningless, odd behaviors. Why do children perseverate? There are a couple of reasons. First, they might find life to be so chaotic and confusing that they crave some sort of control. The repeated door slamming, for example, gives the child a sense of predictability, order, and … Continue reading →

Evaluate Your Child’s Motor Abilities: Take This Quiz!

It’s easy to tell when a child has major problems with muscle tone or coordination. Yet it’s possible for children to have problems with muscle tone which are more subtle. When we’re focused on cognitive abilities, we might miss motor problems in our child which need attention. Observe your child in these scenarios, and ask yourself these questions: Gross Motor Ability 1. When my child hugs me, he feels: a) like he’s using upper body strength to squeeze me back. b) somewhat flaccid without much grasp. c) rigid and stiff, with his muscles seeming a little tight. 2. If I … Continue reading →

Traveling with a Disability

If you or someone you know has a disability and is planning to travel by air it is a good idea to read the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) before taking flight. The ACAA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air travel and requires U.S. air carriers to accommodate the needs of passengers with disabilities. Here are some of the ACCA’s main points: · Airlines may not require advance notice that a person with a disability is traveling. Carriers may require up to 48 hours’ advance notice for certain accommodations that require preparation time (e.g., respirator hook-up and … Continue reading →

Solve Your Child’s Eating Problems

There are many reasons why children with special needs may be picky eaters. Sensory Integration Disorder, which accompanies a wide spectrum of disabilities, may cause hypersensitivity to taste, textures, temperatures, and smell. Or, conversely, it may cause the lack of sensitivity to texture, taste, and smell, which can make eating a mundane, tedious task. Motor difficulties can prevent problems with chewing and swallowing. Or children with attention deficits can become too distracted to stay seated and finish eating. With my son Kyle, I encountered a strange issue with his eating habits. He absolutely loved apples, to the point that I … Continue reading →