Tag Archives: special needs

Musings

My daughters, while very intelligent, are experiencing some learning issues, especially with language. Language-based learning differences seem to be quite common among adopted children, as I noted in a previous blog. I remember hearing parents of kids with special needs say that the disappointments and hardships seemed small compared to the joy they had in their kids, or similar sentiments. I confess I thought these parents were not being entirely truthful. I thought, of course you love the child, but the limitations still must be disappointing. Now I think I know what they meant. It really surprised me when a … Continue reading →

So You Think the Olympics Ended in August? Think Again!

Why would I be writing about another Olympic role model with adoption ties a month after the Olympic Games ended? Well, in reality the Games ended just this past week. From September 6-13, the Paralympic Games took place in Beijing. The world’s second-largest sporting event–elite competitions for athletes with physical or visual disabilities–draws the best disabled athletes from all over the world. The “para” in Paralympics is for “parallel”, on a par with, rather than paraplegic as some people assume. The Paralympic Games are held in the same year and at the same location as the Olympic Games. Cities and … Continue reading →

Caring for Your Child When He’s Ill

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Probably the hardest job any parent has is to take care of their child when their child is ill. It is exceptionally difficult when your child is in pain, and you can’t take it away. Couple that with having to wait around in a hospital. Perhaps your child has had multiple hospitalizations for some underlying health problem, such as our son with special needs, who has Sprintzen’s Syndrome. At the risk of sounding completely sexist, it seems to be especially hard on the father. The dad, who believes it’s his “job” to fix everything. However, this is something that dad … Continue reading →

New Church Website Focuses on Disabilities

The church has come out with a new website to help members with disabilities. The site is designed to help ward leaders and other members help the person with disabilities be an active part of the ward. This site addresses ward concerns as well as family concerns. This website can help you find the tools you need to successfully reach out and welcome members with disabilities. The site has an area specially designed for leaders and teachers of those with disabilities. This section gives guidance and suggestions on the best way to teach those with disabilities in a positive loving … Continue reading →

Developmental Milestones and When You Should Worry

Although we have a very extensive collection of articles already in the baby blog regarding infant development from newborns to 24 months, I still find that parents need reassurance regarding their child’s development. So what should you do when your child misses a milestone marker? Trust Your Instincts I have said it before, and I’ll keep saying it over and over and over again. Moms–we are born with good maternal instincts. Use them. If something seems off to you, go get it checked out. True, it’s probably nothing. If junior isn’t talking, he probably has a quite personality or if … Continue reading →

Homeschooling Our Gifted Son: The Hunt for “Gifted Curriculum”

I have to first say that it’s not necessary to find curriculum specifically for gifted kids if you have a highly gifted child. But someone recently asked me a question about whether or not you should go deeper or wider when homeschooling a gifted child and what do you do about curriculum. (In other words, do you use ‘regular’ curriculum and just keep advancing grade levels. . .or do you take your time to explore grade level curriculum in depth with lots of investigation.) I think the answer depends on the family and the child, but I’ve offered some thoughts … Continue reading →

A Family of Twenty

Every so often you read a story about extremely large families, who by birth or adoption have more than a dozen children. I myself remember reading The Family Nobody Wanted when I was in second grade. I think I was moving toward adoption even then. The Seattle Times recently published a long article by a reporter from the Tri-City Herald about a family in Richland, Washington who has adopted fourteen children. They also have six biological children, one of whom still lives at home. That makes for a household of seventeen people. Mike and Julee Feder say that originally they … Continue reading →

Is it Okay to be Choosy? Part Two

My last blog introduced the topic of balancing wanting to adopt a child who really needs you with wanting to adopt a healthy child or a child who can do things you’ve always dreamed of doing with him or her. Adoption should be a mutually beneficial arrangement. In some cases, material assistance to the birthmother or an international child sponsorship agreement may be a better option. In other cases, a stable home life will not be possible with the birth family even with assistance. Adoption should mutually benefit the adoptive parents and child by allowing the parents to have joy … Continue reading →

Is It Okay to be Choosy? Part One

Many adoptive parents are partially motivated by a desire to help children. When considering adopting children with special needs, many of us struggle to balance this impulse with the very human dreams we have about raising children and with the reality of what we believe we have the energy, emotional fortitude and resources to handle. Sometimes our motives are questioned by others too. A friend of mine was challenged as to why she did not want to adopt a child with mental handicaps. If your desire is truly to help children, her interrogator said, you’ll adopt the child who needs … Continue reading →

Book Review: The Mislabeled Child

For unknown reasons, adopted children seem to have a much greater incidence of learning disorders than the general population. The Mislabeled Child can be a wonderful help for parents in getting beyond a label to the root of a child’s problem. Unlike many other books, this one also offers specific ideas, games and resources parents can use at home to strengthen certain skills. Spouses Brock and Fernette Eide, M.D.s, run the Eide Neurolearning Clinic in Washington State. They are researchers and clinicians in the field of learning disabilities. They also teach their own two children at home. The Eides share … Continue reading →