Chicago Special Parent Summer 2015 by Chicago Parent

Specıal Parent Chicago

SUMMER 2015

An empowerment guide from

Respite at risk: What’s at stake

10 tips for birthday party success

Tame tantrums today

Moms on a mission All hands on deck for kids LOCAL RESOURCES YOU NEED

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Specıal Parent Winter 2013 Chicago

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SPECIAL RECREATION: Your child will explore whole new worlds!

• Adaptive Sports • Aquatics • Cultural Arts • Field Trips

• Inclusion • Paralympic Sports • Social Clubs • Special Events • Special Olympics

• Summer Camps • Unified Sports • Vacation Trips • Weekly Programs

Providing programs that will enhance socialization skills, improve self-help skills, build self-esteem, and develop fine and gross motor skills.

The Special Recreation Network of Illinois (SRANI) provides information on the 34 cooperative agencies throughout Illinois called Special Recreation Associations (SRAs). These SRAs deliver a variety of community-based recreation services to children, teens and adults with disabilities through a cooperative agreement with their member park districts and recreation agencies. For a statewide listing of SRANI agencies, see our display ad in the Resource Directory or visit www.specialrecreation.org.

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| ChicagoParent.com

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“Children with disabilities deserve an education that

Simple and inspiring words. Why Little City

ChildBridge Center for Education – a therapeutic day school – is both applauded and admired. Through transformational design and innovative programming, we provide a distinctive pathway to achieving success and greater independence by uniquely preparing students for lifelong inclusion, at home and in the community.

will best

With our newly expanded facility, we have opened admissions for a limited number of additional students. Avoid getting put on a waiting list. We urge you to act quickly as demand is high.

prepare them

Contact Karrie Dean, Administrator, today to schedule a personal tour at 847.221.7728 or kdean@littlecity.org.

for life outside the classroom.”

littlecity.org/dayschool

ChildBridge Center for Education Little City Campus: 1760 West Algonquin Road, Palatine Conveniently located at the crossroads of Chicago and the Northwest Suburbs ChicagoParent.com |

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Inside

IN OUR SHOES 9 11 My Life: a.u.t.i.s.m. terrified me 13 My Life: Everybody needs friends 15 Day of Play 16 News you can use

FEATURES 19

Catastrophic cuts

RESOURCES 35

What the state budget troubles mean for special families who need respite; plus moms take on Springfield

Happy birthday! 10 tips for throwing a special needs birthday party

Tantrum trouble How to manage your child’s challenging behavior

Baby steps for new school Parents create a place for students that meets a need in Chicago

Tween transitions How to ease the move into middle school

ON THE COVER Lia Horita, 6,

of Chicago, who has Global Developmental Delays Photographer: Thomas Kubik, TK Photography Design: Claire Innes

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INSPIRATIONS 46 Daniel Eichengreen loves making people laugh

Lia’s favorite things Favorite food: Pizza and blueberries Favorite activities: Dancing and singing Favorite bedtime book: If You Give a Pig a Pancake Favorite toys: Puzzles

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Love At Shriners Hospitals for Children — Chicago, our mission is simple: deliver world-class care to children who need it most – whether their families can afford it or not. For nearly 90 years we’ve specialized in helping children affected by orthopaedic conditions, cleft lip and palate, spinal cord injury, and rehabilitation needs. And while expertise, dedication and generosity make it all possible, ultimately we believe our hospital is fueled by love. That love is what helped the Shriners network of 22 locations treat over 124,000 children last year alone, helping them at every step as they made the journey from patients back to kids.

Do You Know a Child Who Needs Expert Specialty Care?

For a consultation, or to refer a patient, call:

shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/chicago

Shriners Hospitals for Children — Chicago

facebook.com/shrinerschicago

773-385-KIDS (5437)

twitter.com/shrinerschicago

2211 N. Oak Park Ave., Chicago, IL 60707

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FROM THE EDITORS

On the front lines

eing a parent is hard. Being a parent of a child with special needs can be even harder, but it also comes with much joy, new perspectives and opportunities. One of Special Parent’s long-time advocates, Katie Driscoll, grabs those new opportunities with both hands. She started Changing the Face of Beauty to get more kids with special needs seen in advertising in a grassroots effort to provide jobs in the future for her darling daughter and other special kids. This year she got commitments from TAMARA L. more than 100 companies. O’SHAUGHNESSY She wants to do more in 2016, raising Editor money to take the message directly to advertising firms, plus creating a nationwide program for high schools and colleges to get marketing and business students thinking now about special needs in the future. She’s hoping 2,500 people will donate $20 each to keep Changing the Face of Beauty growing. We’ll be donating, and you can, too, at gofundme.com/ctfob. “I’m confident that it’s really going to make a big difference,” she says. In this issue, you also will meet some parents who saw challenges and decided they needed to step up in ways they might not have anticipated. Claudia Parker never saw herself heading to Springfield to talk to state lawmakers about the need for respite services, but she did

just that, along with another mom frightened about how life would change for families with the sudden loss of services because of the state budget crisis. Janice Weinstein and a group of moms worried about life after high school for their children. They wanted to make sure they had friends, jobs and safe places to live, but found those opportunities lacking. So they created some. Peg Chaidez wanted to give back to a community that had embraced her famELIZABETH ily. When she saw a need for an inclusive DIFFIN playground at one Downers Grove school, it Editor quickly became a project that occupies her time every day. Although she’s faced some frustrating red tape, she says she’s not giving up. When it comes to raising our very special children, it’s all hands on deck. A can-do attitude helps. The important thing is that we keep trying to make the best life possible for our kids and others. Remember, you are doing a great job.

OUR ADVISORY BOARD

MARIAN CASEY is the executive director of A.S.K- Answers for Special Kids, a resource and advocacy organization that serves the needs of parents of children with special needs throughout northeastern Illinois. She is an attorney, active on a number of community boards, and the mother of a child with special needs.

SHEEBA DANIELCROTTY, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who focuses on child, adolescent and family psychotherapy and evaluation. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of neurobehavioral disorders, learning disabilities and social-emotional problems.

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CARA LONG, a registered nurse and a mom of three, including one born with Down syndrome, is a state-credentialed parent liaison at Easter Seals DuPage and the Fox Valley Region. She has worked with families as a support parent and public awareness speaker for the National Association for Down Syndrome.

AHREN HOFFMAN is manager of Industry Relations & Partnerships at National Lekotek Center. She is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist who has evaluated thousands of toys and play products through the National Parenting Publications Awards, Toys R Us Toy Guide for Differently-abled Kids and AblePlay.org.

LARRY REINER, Ed.D. CPRP, with a doctoral degree in counseling, adult and higher education, is executive director of the Northeast DuPage Special Recreation Association. He is highly regarded for leadership in creating recreation opportunities for kids and adults with special needs.

DR. ALAN ROSENBLATT is a specialist in neurodevelopmental pediatrics who has been involved in medical care, advocacy and education efforts on behalf of children with special needs and their families at the local, state and national levels.

| ChicagoParent.com

7/9/15 11:28 AM

STAFF EDITORS Elizabeth Diffin, Tamara L. O’Shaughnessy ART DIRECTOR Claire Innes EDITORIAL DESIGNERS Jacquinete Baldwin, Sky Hatter ASSISTANT EDITOR Emily Adams DIGITAL EDITOR Jackie McGoey CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Danielle Braff, Megan Murray Elsener, Cortney Fries, Gillian Marchenko, Claudia Parker INTERN Katie Johns DISPLAY AD SALES Annette Coffee, Dawn Engelhardt, Erika Goodman, Ursula Hourihane, Lourdes Nicholls, Karen Skinner SALES AND MARKETING COORDINATOR Kamil Brady IT AND DIGITAL DEVELOPER Mike Risher AD PRODUCTION MANAGER Philip Soell AD DESIGN MANAGER Andrew Mead AD DESIGN Debbie Becker, Mark Moroney CIRCULATION MANAGER Jill Wagner DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Shanez Butler CREDIT MANAGER Laurie Myers COLLECTIONS Charlie Kelly

Learning for a lifetime

ELMHURST LEARNING AND SUCCESS ACADEMY (ELSA)

______ PUBLISHER Dan Haley VP/OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Andrew Johnston COMPTROLLER Ed Panschar

CONTACT PHONE (708) 386-5555 FAX (708) 524-0447 EDITORIAL chiparent@chicagoparent.com DISPLAY ADS advertising@chicagoparent.com CLASSIFIED ADS classified@chicagoparent.com CIRCULATION circulation@wjinc.com WEBSITE ChicagoParent.com Our offices are at 141 S. Oak Park Ave.,

College-like experience for young adults with disabilities. Elmhurst College offers an excellent post-secondary experience for students with developmental disabilities—taught on our beautiful campus in Elmhurst, Illinois. Students in this four-year certificate program, who are between the ages of 18 and 28 and who have earned a high school diploma or certificate of completion, learn and grow in three key areas: • Academics and Career Exploration • Independent Living Skills • Social and Recreational Skills Students receive first-rate instruction from Elmhurst College faculty and staff. The goal: to work productively and live as independently as possible. Learn more. Call: (630) 617-3752 Email: elsa@elmhurst.edu Visit: www.elmhurst.edu/elsa Follow us on facebook.com/ELSAelmhurst

On-campus housing is now available for ELSA students!

ChicagoParent.com |

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| ChicagoParent.com

7/10/15 11:48 AM

In Our Shoes ‘He loves just being like every other kid’

n his first day of first grade, Owen Chaidez was terrified. And not for the usual reasons. Although his elementary school worked hard to adapt the inside of the building for his wheelchair and other needs, the outside was a different story. On the playground, trying to play just like the other kids, Owen’s chair got stuck, and when the bell rang, he found himself trapped and all alone. “I told him, ‘I’ll find a way this will never happen again,’” says his mom, Peg Chaidez, who believes the inclusive universally designed playground

How to help To donate and for more information about Dream Build Play Experience, visit dbpexperience. com or facebook.com/ dbpexperience. she and others envision for Hillcrest Elementary School will help the entire community of Downers Grove. Chaidez partnered with Sharon Duncan of Abide In Me (abideinme.org) to help take

the idea from paper to reality. “At the end of the day, any time I think I’m going to fail, Owen always reminds me that I never quit and I can do anything. I won’t fail on this for him. I’ll find a way,” she says. Owen is showing everyone his mettle, too. Born with Arthrogryposis, with his legs like a pretzel, doctors warned he would never walk. It was just one thing on doctors’ long list of nevers for Owen. Now 9, Owen is learning to walk distances, with his sights set on racing with his mom. “It’s just amazing to see. He is so proud that he can do this,” Chaidez says. “I understand now when people say what a blessing it is to have a child with special needs because my life has been so different. I’ve had so many experiences I wouldn’t have had if we didn’t have Owen. It just changed my whole perspective, the way I approach other people, different situations.” Chaidez and Owen, who wants to be a paleontologist like his hero Philip J. Currie, hope to get everyone involved in building the playground. Though it’s been slow, they can’t give up, something Chaidez learned when Owen was born. “People tell you that it will be hard (with a child with special needs), just like having kids is always going to be struggle, but until you are in it and living it every day, you have to have that mindset that you can’t quit. You can’t say ‘this is too much, I can’t do it.’ This is what moms do, this is what parents do. We work together, we find a way.” At least $250,000 is needed for the playground. Hillcrest students have already raised $8,000 themselves. As the push for donations continues, Owen will be the charming boy in the dino tie explaining to anyone who will listen exactly why the inclusive playground is important. “He really believes in the good in people,” Chaidez says. ChicagoParent.com |

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In mom’s words The best advice you ever received: Find your support network and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You are strong because you asked for help when you needed it most. What is your best mom survival strategy? Laughter. Even on the worst days (including surgeries), as a family we try and make each other laugh until we cry. The one thing you’d change about being a parent with a child with special needs: Access to the adaptive equipment and therapies my child needs without a fight. Helping your child become independent and flourish shouldn’t involve daily battles over whether it is needed and what is covered.

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Midwestern University

Speech-Language Institute Your Family’s Home for Healthcare

We provide exceptional service, quality care, and the latest technology. Clinical faculty have expertise addressing the unique needs of children and adults with communication impairment.

You Want [to Communicate More Effectively.] Exceptional Care at Affordable Rates. Some of the patient challenges we provide help for are...

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• Developmental Delay

• Articulation

• Cognitive Impairment

• Language and Literacy

• Autism

• Hearing Loss

• Stroke-related Aphasia

• Social Communication

• Traumatic Brain Injury

• Voice

• Augmentative/ Alternative Communication • Apraxia and Dysarthria • Bilingualism • Memory

• Feeding and Swallowing • Stuttering

Chicago Parent is your special needs resource Chicago Parent covers special needs topics all year round. You can also find these supplemental magazines and special sections. September

Specıal Parent ChiCago

Chicago Parent Special Needs editorial features

February Winter Chicago Special Parent

May

Chicago Parent Special Needs editorial features

July Summer Chicago Special Parent

School crush crushed

SEPTEMBER 2014

Specıal Parent

| FREE

ChiCago

SUMMER 2015

FREE

CONNECTING WITH FAMILIES

in their corner

how to be your child’s

best advocate

Winter 2015

An empowerment guide from

3 ieP preps

An empowerment guide from

Respite at risk: What’s at stake

tips for birthday party success

Tame tantrums today

LOCAL RESOURCES YOU NEED

The unexpected soft side of

Moms on a mission

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MAY 2015

113 reasons to love May

tea time royalty toast mom in style

All hands on deck for kids

Free ranger? take our quiz

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connEcting with FAMiliEs

Oh baby How to survive and tHrive

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clinical trials?

things to do for free

Chicago Bears’ Martellus Bennett

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7/10/15 9:53 AM

‘a.u.t.i.s.m. terrified me’ MY LIFE

An open letter to my daughter on her birthday BY STEPHANIE HETTRICH

cannot believe you are turning 4 today. I admit I love to baby you as my youngest and last child, but I think mainly because you remain so vulnerable in my eyes. You are still something of a mystery to me and I still don’t quite know who you are. I might never know, but either way, my love, fascination and admiration for you, your struggles, your courage and your incredible efforts to “belong” continue to deepen with each passing minute. I definitely feel broken, older and more tired over the past four years, but the rewards have made it all worthwhile. We are finally on a positive upward track after what seemed like an endless cycle of confusion, chaos, fear and helplessness! After countless horribly violent breakdowns (I don’t even call them tantrums because when Steve and I need to physically pin you to the ground while you experience one of these meltdowns, the occurrence is more akin to an epileptic attack, a demon-possessed child like the girl in “The Exorcist”), repeated interrupted birthday parties, museum visits or any out-of-theordinary outings, I sank deeper and deeper into severe anxiety, extreme stress, PTSD, sleeplessness and depression. Our whole family was caught in a whirlpool driven by the overwhelming lack of consistency in your moods, your sleep patterns, your anxiety-inducing triggers, your likes/dislikes, your sources of obsession, your problematic sensory integration and your

buried yearning to have fun like other kiddos as you fought your many enemies lurking in your environment and/or in your poor little troubled soul. And then, God heard my prayers and finally intervened, right when I thought I was about to reach a point of no return. Ironically, it all started looking brighter when we got your diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. I couldn’t quite believe it, as the word a.u.t.i.s.m. terrified me, but it also opened up a whole new world that ended up helping you, me and our whole family. Thank you, Drs. Booth and Sobotka, for forcing me to get help despite my stubborn selfdenial and warped vision that I needed to put the oxygen mask on my children first, not realizing I was about to suffocate myself in doing so. We finally arrived at a landing in this eternal staircase we were climbing. We finally were able to grasp little victories that go a long way in the myriad of roadblocks and challenges we come

across every day, every night. As your godsend of a teacher, Ms. Catie at Eyas Landing, once told me, “our kiddos (with autism) don’t know where they are in their bodies, in time, in space. They are utterly lost.” This notion shines such an incisive light on your constant struggles and on the courage you somehow muster to make it through the day. Our world is not a friendly place for you, and in our ignorance, Daddy (pronounced Peppa Pig style) and I were uselessly and unsuccessfully trying to impose it on you, as if you were a conventional kid. We had no idea that the best approach is the reverse—we first had to adapt our world to your

incredibly complex and mysterious ways of life so that in turn, we could teach you how to live and thrive in ours. I am finally understanding you, your world, your mind. I will never completely “get you,” but I’m hungry to peel back every layer and better understand this world you amazing kids come from. It is a journey we may have only begun, but when I hold your little hand, I hope you feel the joy it gives me to know we are together no matter what! Happy birthday, my sweet love. I love you and am so proud of you! Your humbled mother Stephanie Hettrich is a Chicago mom

Your fascinating idiosyncrasies We can one day look back at these and smile with laughter, love and a sense of victory: Your best friend: Eh Eh Eh (short for Elephant, pro nounced the French way) Your biggest enemy: small children and babies. Any child smaller than you is prey you almost can’t control yourself from attacking, pushing, shov ing, hitting, sometimes incred ibly violently and dangerously

The one thing about you we can always count on: Utter inconsistency and unpredictability

Your favorite non food “food:” fluoride free tooth paste (you could eat a whole tube if I didn’t hide it)

You cannot live without: Order, routine and repeat habits

Your biggest source of anxiety: loud sirens, vacuum cleaners and hand dryers in public restrooms

Your favorite foods: Trader Joe’s marinara sauce (you could eat a whole jar in one sitting), compote de pommes, salmon, cornichons, bagels, bananas, frozen blueberries and watermelon

Your main objects of fascination: baby swings, garbage trucks, garbage cans, diggers, spider webs, spiders

ChicagoParent.com |

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UNLOCK YOUR CHILD’S GREATEST POTENTIAL WITH SUPPORTIVE COUNSELING Immediate Openings! Children, Teens and Young Adult Therapy Counseling Services Include: • Neuropsychological and

• Anxiety and Depression

Psychological Testing • Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Chronic Medical Illness and Disabilities

• Behavioral/Discipline Problems

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How Research is Guiding the Treatment of Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder & Executive Functioning If you are a professional working with or a parent of a child with autism, sensory processing disorder or executive functioning challenges, this conference must not be missed!

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

SERENA WIEDER, PH.D.

ELIZABETH TORRES, PH.D.,

Clinical Psychology - Clinical Director

Rutgers, State University of NJ Assistant Professor of Cognitive Psychology/Computational Neuroscience

Reimagining Development – Myth and Potential The DIR FLOORTIME Model

TYPES OF PARTICIPANTS

Technology Meets Science: Towards a New Quantitative Path of Hope in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Clinicians (Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Social Workers, Psychologists, Developmental Therapy)

Educators Physicians Researchers Students

DR. RICHARD SOLOMON, M.D,

SARAH WARD, CCC-SLP

Medical Director & Founder of The PLAY Project

Co-Director - Cognitive Connections

Time for PLAY: Evidence for Developmental and Parent-Mediated Autism Interventions

Strategies for Executive Functions in Children

OFFICIAL CO-SPONSORS

Parents *CEUs/CPDUs are available

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| ChicagoParent.com

7/9/15 11:26 AM

MY LIFE

Everybody needs friends The search for a school can be trying, but hope abounds BY SHARON COLLINS

e all share the same bond of having these children we have been given to care for, raise and educate. So how do we do that? Initially we live with anguish, fear and trepidation, not knowing who to trust except our doctors. Then one day, they start to grow and are thrust into an educational system where there are many roads they may travel. There begins our family story. Benjamin is 18. He was born with Down syndrome. It was not until he was in third grade that we received the unwanted diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. We knew early on Ben was not always going to be the cute, affable child that people think is sweet, but would grow up to be a man with special needs, with whom people didn’t know how to interact and of whom some were afraid. Ultimately, it has been the teachers in Ben’s life to whom we give all the honor and praise because they teach us how to teach our son and give us creative ways to be patient and recognize each and every point of improvement. It takes Ben a really long time to learn things, which drives us nuts and then leads us to a place of patience. We dive into extra-curricular activities (music, dance, swimming, long walks outdoors) to cultivate his interests, create focus and ultimately wear him out. It was Ben’s slow learning curve that alarmed us because initially Ben was a runner. Even when there was a family of six in the house, he would disappear and turn up outside. So “Operation: Find a High School” began in earnest. It was our new mission to find one that would teach him to become a functional adult. After these children graduate high school at the age of 22, the pickings are slim and grim. Schools needed to have these key factors: a safe, bright

environment, a place where he would learn life skills, and a place where he would make friends. We live in South Shore, located on Chicago’s southern lakefront, and Ben’s home school directed us to Southside high schools for their inclusion programs. At each school, the students with special needs had an area for most of their classes. They would then be escorted to classes in which they would be included according to their skill levels. They ate lunch together at tables away from the general education students. How is this considered inclusion? After visiting three high schools with special education programs whose environments seemed utterly restrictive, Northside Learning Center was our last hope.

We scheduled a visit and arrived at a lovely, tranquil setting that was bright, airy and clean. There were smiling faces on the staff and students saying ‘Hello!’ It has a greenhouse, a bike repair shop, a car wash and a barbershop. These are all classes the children take as part of their Life Skills curriculum. There also is a gym, a cafeteria and academic classrooms. They teach sign language, music, art and drama, have a recycling program and partnerships with local businesses where the children work, all while teaching them the core subjects of reading, writing and arithmetic. We had found our match—a school to mold our Benjamin into a functioning citizen who will one day have a job, and where he can fist bump his friends in the halls. ChicagoParent.com |

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Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

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| ChicagoParent.com

7/9/15 11:25 AM

DAY OF PLAY

Science in the world around us BY AHREN HOFFMAN

Sunshiny day

f you look at the world around you, you will see that science is literally everywhere. Through exploring, questioning and wondering, kids learn and satisfy their natural curiosity, which is why kids ask so many questions! When a baby gets his first glimpse at the bright world, his senses are stimulated by the e environment around him. Through touch, sight, ight, taste, smell and sound, he is discovering how the world works. Through play, we can look a little deeper er at the science-filled world. rld. By showing the playful ful side of physics or the cool part rt of chemistry, you are letting your our child know just how exciting science can be and how exhilarating it is to learn outside the classroom. From the small ll bugs in the ground to the big sun in the sky, y, take your child on a day ay of science adventure with these toys and play ay ideas:

Summer and fall are best when the sun shines, so take advantage of it by exploring the city on the CTA. The trains are handicap accessible, but some stations are not. Visit transitchicago.com/accessibility together to plan your day. Trains are a major form of transportation and can teach kids about kinetic energy. Have fun by cooling of off with a water table! Water exploration with w the Weplay provide sensory Sand & Water Table can pr science simulation stimulation along with sci or float activity. like a sink o Little Kids Inc. Li Fubbles Bubble Glitter Fubb Bug o or ALEX Toys Bubbalooka Bubba can teach kids how wind w works as they blow bubbles outside ou and watch where they fly. fly Collect out outdoor specimens like blades of g grass and leaves and view them thr through a magnifying glass or check out oth other tools in the Educational Insights GeoS GeoSafari line to explore

nature. Have kids sketch and draw their observations. Don’t forget, science is all about asking questions, so as your kids are calming down for bedtime, make sure to ask them about what they’ve learned. Not only is this a great way to hear more about what they enjoyed, but answering these questions also reinforces the lessons learned while boosting memory and recall, language, imagination and relationships. Ahren Hoffman is manager of Industry Relations & Partnerships at National Lekotek Center and a member of Chicago Special Parent’s Advisory Board.

Temperature’s rising Explain to kids how body temperature works: When temperatures are on the rise, kids are most likely to feel alert and awake; when they’re y falling, they might feel drowsy. Invest in an outd outdoor weather thermometer for kids to check or keep up with the weather on the local new news, radio station, app or website. Will thi this be a day dominated by outdoor play? Or will this be a day to stay iinside?

Rain, rain, go away R On rainy days, turn the kitchen into a science lab— following recipes, measuring a and tasting ingredients is like d doing experiments. Kidstir co cooking kits provide a participato ticipatory way for kids to engage with fo food, understand the basics of nutr nutrition and build a positive relation relationship to the kitchen. ChicagoParent.com |

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NEWS YOU CAN USE Compiled by Megan Murray Elsener

New app teaches math to students with disabilities Math is a complex subject, and for students with disabilities, it can often feel impossible. Minneapolis-based AbleNet Inc. has created a new math curriculum, Equals Math, that uses assistive technology and hands-on learning for K-8 students with disabilities. It is seeing good results. The Midlothian school district has used the curriculum for the past three years, with students averaging 112 percent gain in math skills. “It is our hope that we can repeat the success we’re seeing in this suburban school district to the students with disabilities in the Chicago public school system,” says Jennifer Thalhuber, AbleNet’s CEO.

Fresh Start brings foundation to Chicago Fresh Start Surgical Gifts has teamed up with The Plastic Surgery Foundation to create Fresh Start Caring For Kids Foundation based in Chicago. The organization transforms the lives of disadvantaged infants, children and teens suffering from physical deformities caused by birth defects, accidents, abuse or disease through reconstructive surgery and related services. In its first year here, it has provided no-cost reconstructive surgery to 19 Chicago area children with more than $500,000 of

donated medical services. While it is new to the Chicago area, the organization has helped more than 6,500 people in its 20-year history. With multiple surgery weekends scheduled throughout the year, the organization gives children a fresh start in life. “Fresh Start’s long-term

approach to care is a perfect fit for patients who have been rejected by other health organizations because their condition is too extensive or complex,” says Dr. Utica Gray, Chicago regional director for Fresh Start Caring for Kids Foundation. For information, visit fresh startkids.org.

Comprehensive ABA ABA Programs Programs Comprehensive for Children Children with with Autism Autism for Receptive and Expressive Language Receptive and Expressive Language Visual Perception and Matching Skills Visual Perception and Matching Skills Feeding Therapy Feeding Therapy School Consultations and 1:1 School Support School Consultations and 1:1 School Support Motor and Vocal Imitation Motor and Vocal Imitation Social Skills Social Skills Fine and Gross Motor Skills Fine and Gross Motor Skills

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twitter.com/childbehaviors twitter.com/childbehaviors

| ChicagoParent.com

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NEWS YOU CAN USE

Students Flourish at Cove

Ignite learning by building useful skills Opportunities for learning and new experiences are key for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and that’s why Search Inc. has created the Ignite Program to spark curiosity and continue learning. It offers a series of early evening classes for individuals with disabilities. Topics include literature, goal attainment, active living, drawing, cooking and yoga. Each session runs for 12 weeks and is open to anyone with a disability who is 16 or older. “The goal of Ignite is to spark

a new educational experience in our students,” says Maggie Davidson, community life coordinator at Search Inc. “We want them to stretch their abilities and learn how to apply new skills to every area of their lives.” She says the small class size allows instructors to respond to individual needs and adapt their teaching to fit a range of abilities. “One of the best things about Ignite is seeing the great socialization that happens as a result of the class,” Davidson says.

ExerciseBuddy app new for autism A newly launched app is the first of its kind to specifically teach individuals with autism to exercise. Through the app, ExerciseBuddy, autism fitness specialist David Geslak uses exercise visuals and peer-led videos to teach children with autism how to exercise. “Video modeling is a proven way to teach individuals with autism how to perform certain tasks, such as showing them how to do jumping jacks,” Geslak says. “One of the most exciting things about our videos is that they are peer-led, with three teenagers who have autism demonstrating the exercises.” He says exercise has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and increase attention span and on-task behavior. The ExerciseBuddy app is available in the Apple store. For more information, go to exercisebuddy.com.

Students at The Cove School benefit from our intensive individualized instruction and highly specialized team, while learning in an environment that is specifically designed for children with learning disabilities. Cove students are fully integrated in their school environment, participating in arts, athletics, college counseling, job training and authentic leadership opportunities. If you know of a student that could benefit from the exceptional and individualized K-12 program at Cove, contact Dr. Sally Sover, Executive Director, at 847.562.2100 or ssover@coveschool.org. Join us at our next Open House on Wednesday, October 14, 2015 RSVP to spritzker@coveschool.org 350 Lee Road Northbrook, IL 60062 847.562.2100 Fax 847.562.2112 www.coveschool.org

ChicagoParent.com |

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Our Family Programs and Pediatric Services Preschool Education and Playgroups Developmental Playgroups Speech & Language Camp for Preschoolers Introduction to Preschool Program Feeding Group Summer Camps

Pediatric Therapy Speech Therapy Developmental Therapy Behavioral Therapy Music / Listening Therapy Occupational Therapy Interactive Metronome Program

Autism Program: Integrated Floor time/ABA

Educational and Therapeutic Strategies: Therapy, classes and playgroups for infants and children. In Learning Through Play our mission is to provide family-friendly services to Chicago families of both typically and atypically developing children. TM

• • • •

Qualified behavior analysts & experienced team Play-based floor-time strategies utilized Complete sensory profile + sensory strategies Teaches academics, speech, social and self-help skills

Small Class Sizes with Professional Teachers Adapted Aquatics Instruction for Children with Special Needs

chicagobluedolphins.com 18

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| ChicagoParent.com

7/9/15 11:24 AM

“The impact that we feel on a daily basis, just caring for them, is profound. The impact on these kids can be catastrophic.” Jaime Dustan, Waukegan mom

Catastrophic cuts

What the state’s budget troubles mean for special needs families BY DANIELLE BRAFF

ark has been in the same wheelchair since he was 2. He’s now a 60-pound 7-year-old, and his growing body gets shoved into a toddler-sized chair daily. “When he gets off the school bus, he’s just done,” says Brandy O’Connor, Mark’s mother. Mark was a preemie, and he suffered an intraventricular hemorrhage two days after he was born, which caused cerebral palsy, leaving him a quadriplegic. In October, Mark was fitted for a new wheelchair. But in order to fill a $6 billion budget deficit, Gov. Bruce Rauner proposed some cuts and made some more immediate ones— and a significant chunk of those cuts affected the special needs and respite community. These cuts trickled down to Mark’s wheelchair. Essentially, he can’t get one anymore. One of the immediate cuts that went into effect May 1 had to do with Medicaid reimbursement reduction: reimbursement

was reduced by 16.5 percent. The mobility company that was going to provide Mark’s wheelchair suspended all services with Medicaid patients, and Mark’s family can’t afford the $9,000 to pay for a wheelchair that fits. “It’s really limiting his life,” his mother says. “He’s trying to use communication devices, but he has to be in his wheelchair to access the device. But since he’s limiting the time he has to be in his wheelchair because he’s uncomfortable, we’re really pushing the limits.” The governor’s spokeswoman says the state has no other choice. “Parents who care for children with special needs have a difficult job, and we appreciate the care they provide,” says Catherine Kelly, spokeswoman for Rauner. “Unfortunately, for years, democratic legislators pushed through irresponsible budgets, and we are now facing a $6 billion deficit. Without structural reform, some very difficult decisions had to be made to put the state back on a fiscally sustainable path.”

The path may be getting more fiscally sustainable for the state, but if the cuts go through as planned, it may be fiscally impossible for parents of children with special needs to continue the way they’ve done. Some say they may even lose their homes. Jaime Dustan, of Waukegan, says she’s been relying on a Medically Fragile and Technology Dependent Waiver, which has been supplying her 9-year-old with the nursing care he relies on to survive. Ian was born with suspected mitochondrial disease, and he has a myriad of issues including asthma, chronic pain, seizure disorder, intestinal dysmotility and GERD, among other problems. Right now, he’s homebound, and nursing staff monitor his vitals, his pain, his medications and his IVs. With Rauner’s cuts to reimbursement, many of the nursing agencies cut the wages by $4-$5 per hour to make up for the lost money, but right now, Dustan’s employer is

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In Our Shoes

Moms take on Springfield A very personal fight for respite care BY CLAUDIA PARKER

ave you ever said something that landed you in a place you didn’t expect? In my case, it was Springfield, on the first floor of the Illinois State Capitol. Nerves aside, I spoke before the House Appropriations Social Services Committee, pleading for continued funding for respite care services for Illinois families. Respite care makes personalized, in-home care available to families of dependents with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy or intellectual and developmental disabilities. It’s a statefunded program only for those with severe disabilities. My husband, Don, and I have two little girls, Donae, 7, and Rhonda-Rene, 4. We’ve been receiving respite care from Good Shepherd Center for Exceptional Children in Hazel Crest for two years, since right about the time we discovered Rhonda-Rene has a mutation in her FOXP1 gene. The mutation causes an intellectual disability that’s produced a 50 percent global developmental delay. In addition, she has childhood apraxia of speech and a sensory

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processing disorder. Her unregulated movements present a danger to herself and others if not watched closely. Rhonda-Rene’s developmental age is much younger than her chronological age, making it challenging for her to participate in social and academic activities without a one-on-one aide. While she’s extremely affectionate and joyful, unless she initiates the contact, she can become defensive. As a result of Rhonda-Rene’s needs, constant movement and outbursts, our family is not always welcome in public places. Before receiving GSC’s respite, Don and I rarely went anywhere. GSC gave us back a quality of life we thought we lost. We need this service to keep our marriage strong and our lives in balance. So, upon learning funding was in jeopardy, I wrote a letter to legislators begging for their reconsideration. That letter launched a series of events, ultimately placing me in Springfield as a bona fide advocate. “Respite care is a lifeline for families whose dependents have medical needs too serious for them to handle on their own,” says Brendan McCormick, executive

“Eliminating funding for the program will force families to chose between working and caring for a loved one.” — Brendan McCormick, executive director of GSC

director of GSC. “Eliminating funding for the program will force many parents to choose between working and caring for a loved one. That is wrong and will end up costing the state significantly more in the end.” Brian and Michele Kovack of Evergreen Park are also recipients of GSC’s respite care. “When I found out GSC was losing their funding, I was devastated. I cried for an hour,” Michele says. “I don’t know how I’ll keep my job without them. I dried my tears and I decided to write Gov. Rauner.” Michele accompanied me and three GSC employees to Springfield. There we were, two moms, both from Evergreen Park, raising daughters with different degrees of disabilities, fighting to sustain a critical service. When funding is reinstated, it will impact all families in Illinois, making our efforts extremely worthwhile. Please sign our online petition at http:// tinyurl.com/orcujc2. Claudia Parker is an author, freelance journalist and columnist. She is a mom of two girls, one of whom has special needs.

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CATASTROPHIC CUTS absorbing the reimbursement cut. But this can’t last forever, Dustan says, so she’s in jeopardy of losing her son’s nursing care. “If I lost my nursing care, I would be unable to work, and I probably would lose my house,” Dustan says. “It would dramatically impact our situation because I don’t get child support from their father. The impact that we feel on a daily basis, just caring for them, is profound. The impact on these kids can be catastrophic.” The budget cuts, if the full extent are carried out as expected, could harm entire special needs organizations that are already scrambling to figure out what to do. Currently on the chopping block are the elimination of respite services and a 12.5 percent reduction to the intermediate care services for developmental disability services. “If that were to occur, the cuts would be $400,000 of our already strapped budget,” says James Weise, executive director of Park Lawn, a non-profit organization based in Oak Lawn serving individuals with developmental disabilities. Weise says that while he understands that the state is in difficult straits right now—and that something long-term needs to be done—it shouldn’t be done on the backs of the most vulnerable people. At Park Lawn, there have been no wage increases for more than eight years, and, Weise says, there are limits to the non-profit’s fundraising. “Already, we’re among some of the lowest reimbursement levels in the country,” he says. “We’re treading water, but not keeping pace with reality.” Other cuts affect not only the special needs community, but also entire towns. In Elgin, $400,000

from page 19

was secured in 2011 for a special needs park that would be open to the public through an Illinois Department of Natural Resources grant. But in 2014, the grant was frozen because of the budget cuts. “The park was empty for many years, even though it’s an area used by a preschool,” says Kim Wascher, director of the parks and recreation department in the village of South Elgin. Fortunately, the village stepped in and gave the parks the money that was supposed to come from the state so that the department could continue the park project. Everything about the playground is accessible, including the tree house structure, which has a ramp to get to the highest point. There are touch-and-feel items for those with sensory issues, and there’s a swing so children with autism can swing on their stomachs and feel like they’re flying away, Wascher says. Just like the special needs budget. Danielle Braff lives with her two daughters and husband in River Forest.

SPECIAL NEEDS REQUIRE SPECIALCARE

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Chad Noyes, CLU®, ChFC®, ChSNCTM Financial Advisor 520 Lake Cook Road, Suite 315 Deerfield, IL 60015 847-831-7113 chad@hoopisgroup.com www.hoopisfinancialgroup.com

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7/9/15 3:14 PM

Happy birthday! BY GILLIAN MARCHENKO

id birthday parties are a rite of passage for parents. We have children. They get older every year. Eventually, they are going to want a party. Although birthday parties often prove to be a gargantuan amount of work—Where should it take place? What’s the theme? How many children should we invite? And do I really have to come up with games and goodie bags?—the payoff is usually worth it. The smile on a child’s face as friends and family crowd around singing “Happy Birthday” or her laughter while playing a game are memories we want. Families affected by special needs want these memories, too. As our kids’ number one advocates and cheerleaders, we work to make sure their life experiences resemble their typically developing peers’. Why shouldn’t they? Every child deserves to play in little league, participate in a ballet class and have a birthday party. Honestly? The thought of a birthday party for our youngest daughter with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism (and who is nonverbal) frightened me. I worried that a party would be too much. Evangeline gets overwhelmed easily, and hasn’t shown much interest in her birthday—presents, singing, the whole thing. She hates lit candles and doesn’t care for the birthday song. But I wanted to have a friend party for her because being nonverbal doesn’t mean she doesn’t understand. I wanted to show her that we celebrate HER.

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Like with many things in life, parents of kids with disabilities need to carefully prepare for birthday parties. But here’s the good news: It can be done. And it can be a blast.

tips for throwing a special needs birthday party

Start from scratch. Throw out all your preconceived notions about birthday parties. For Evangeline’s party, I tried to think of activities and foods she would enjoy and that would work for all the kids attending, both special needs and typically developing.

Select a good location. We had our party at a church. The room was set up for kids with special needs. The building had an elevator and ramp and a quiet room for those who needed a break. Plus, Evangeline knew the space well because she attends Sunday school there every week. If you don’t have a space like this available in your community, get creative. Maybe a room at the library would work, or perhaps your home is big enough. Think about how many kids could comfortably fit, and then just to be safe, and to account for wheelchairs or other equipment, invite three fewer.

Lia Horita turns 7 Dec. 23. Photo by Thomas Kubik/ TKPhotography

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Enlist help. I made sure we had enough helpers for the day. I enlisted my older daughters. Some of the parents agreed to stay. I even invited Evangeline’s teacher from school. They all were a great help one-on-one with the kids as I kept the party moving along.

Minimalize eating. Provide snacks and perhaps something sweet, but overall, don’t make a big deal over food. Eating can be stressful for some kids, and others may get nourishment through tube feeding, or have certain allergies. On our invitations, I made it clear that a full meal would not be provided. We served yogurt, grapes and mini-cupcakes and held the party between lunch and dinner.

If the birthday kid doesn’t like it, don’t do it. We threw out the birthday song and candles because our daughter is afraid of them. The kids were busyy having fun. No one even ven noticed!

Plan two or three low-key activities that everyone can participate in, if they want. We put coloring ring sheets on the tables, es, had a homemade ‘pin the hat on Barney’ game without blindfolds so that every child could participate, and danced to “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and “The Hokey Pokey.” Again, kids could participate or not, and the ones who preferred being in another room during that time were paired up with a buddy willing to initiate quiet activities or just hang out.

Don’t make the party too big or too long. Ten kids or fewer is best. When you throw in extra help and parents, the party will be bursting at the seams. Also, make the party two hours or less. All kids seem to hit a wall after two hours of high-energy fun.

Decide what to do with presents. We opted not to open presents during the party because it is exhausting for Evangeline. Later on, we helped her open gifts one at a time and stretched it out over a few days.

Give appropriate goodie bags. If you hand out goodie bags, make sure the items inside can be appreciated by all gu guests and aren’t harm harmful. At the end of our party, each child re received a bag with st stuff Evangeline li likes: a mini cchocolate bar, a h harmonica (all kids lov love music!) and bub bubbles.

en n is Now op io t a r t is g e R en n is Now op Registratio

KESHET KESHET

Two Locations 847-205-1234 or keshet.org for more information. Two Locations 847-205-1234 keshet.org for more information. Keshet, a partner inor serving our community, is supported by the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago Keshet, a partner in serving our community, is supported by the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

We’re Here to Help

Hold your agenda and expectations loosely. The party may go according to plan and it may not. But the point is you did it, and either way, you made memories. Make a note of what worked and what didn’t for future parties. When the year is right for your child (and don’t feel bad if this year isn’t right; we know our kids the best), throw out all the ‘shoulds’ regarding a kid’s birthday party and build it around your child. The memories you make will be priceless. Gillian Marchenko is a Chicago mom and freelance writer. She has penned a memoir about special needs, Sun Shine Down.

We partner with Illinois families and communities to help children and youth with special healthcare needs connect to services and resources.

Contact Specialized Care for Children at: dscc.uic.edu (800) 322-3722 ChicagoParent.com |

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Save The Date! ‘s

Fall

Sunday, October 4th 10am - 4pm Sports Thrills • Character Visits • Bounce Houses Train Rides • Obstacle Courses

2367 W. Logan Blvd., Chicago (Western & 90/ Kennedy Expy)

Play, Eat, Learn, Shop & Explore! 24

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| ChicagoParent.com

7/9/15 4:01 PM

In Our Shoes

Tantrum troubles How to manage your child’s challenging behaviors BY CORTNEY FRIES

hat do you do when your child hits, tantrums or refuses to share? Where should you turn for a child dealing with anxiety or depression? A panel of four experts—JoAnne Loper from Tuesday’s Child, Gene Lieber from Lurie Children’s Hospital, Kylie Kosmacek from Chicago Public Schools, and Clinical Psychologist Rich Arend—convened at this year’s Neighborhood Parents Network Developmental Differences Fair to discuss behavioral interventions for children ages 2-14. Here is their advice for the most common questions they hear.

What should I do when my child misbehaves? Focus on positive parenting, not punishment. Show the child how to replace inappropriate behavior with an appropriate alternative. For example, if the child is fighting over a toy, show her how to share. Instead of yelling, “Stop!,” validate her feelings. Say, “I see you want that toy. Ask for a turn.” Facilitate a back-and-forth reciprocal process where using words pays off. She will learn she gets the toy back in two minutes and will make asking for a turn part of her behavior repertoire.

How do I redirect a child with speech delays from hitting? Teach him safe, powerful ways to get his intense feelings out. He can slap and squeeze his hands, grunt or stomp his feet. Then help him label the emotion, “You’re mad.”

Closely observe what is causing the anger. Determine the goal of the child’s behavior and facilitate a positive way for the child to get what he needs.

What should I do when my child is being physically aggressive? It’s best to intervene before the child gets to that point. Once she’s gone over the cliff’s edge, it’s hard to pull her back. Often, problems are predictable— you can see the situation escalating. Try to get ahead of difficult times, like transitions or fights with siblings. However, if the child has already started to tantrum, take her to her room or another safe place. Help her calm down with sensory strategies like punching bags for older kids or ripping paper.

After the storm, help her find ways to express her needs and wants. Giving her a “do over,” or chance to repair what

she messed up, also repairs her self-esteem.

Recommended resources Chicago Public Schools Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services cps.edu/Pages/DiverseLearners.aspx Provides specially designed instructional supports and services “How Does My Engine Run?” program for selfregulation alertprogram.com/index.php Teaches selfregulation awareness Lives in the Balance livesinthebalance.org Supports behaviorally challenging kids and their caregivers The Explosive Child book ccps.info/books Increases understanding of easily frustrated, chronically inflexible children

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TANTRUM TROUBLES

from page 25

Available services

What should I do when my child has learned a dangerous behavior in his classroom? Talk to the teacher about ramping up reinforcement for children who are meeting expectations. Help offset the focus from the ones displaying inappropriate behavior.

Tuesday’s Child early childhood behavioral intervention, tuesdayschildchicago.org Parent and child training for challenging kids, ages 6 and younger Learn effective discipline, reasonable expectations, and how to create a safe and engaging environment

What supports are available over the summer? Ask if the extended school year is an option for your child. The decision is typically made in the spring. If your child isn’t eligible for ESY, Loper recommends Easter Seals summer camps for children with autism (easterseals. com/our-programs/ camping-recreation).

Lurie Children’s Hospital outpatient treatment groups, luriechildrens.org Groups for children of similar age and cognitive functioning to address related issues Work through challenges in a helpful group setting Lurie Children’s Hospital partial hospitalization program Intensive, five day treatment program for children ages 4 14 Increase mastery of skills through intense repetition

Cortney Fries is a mom of two and a frequent contributor for Chicago Parent.

Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois

Special Family Support

Has your child been diagnosed or do you suspect that your child has a learning disability? For Information contact:

LDA of Illinois

10101 S. Roberts Rd, Ste 205 Palos Hills, IL 60465 (708) 430-7532 ldaofil@ameritech.net

MANNY HERRERA Occupational Therapist

2015 Fall Workshops

Like us at Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois on

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Helping Chicago families meet the challenges of raising a child with special needs.

Are you concerned about your child’s IEP and progress, about the school’s support for your child, or about identifying good therapy options? We can help. Special Family Support provides:

www.ldail.com

September 12 - Bullying September 26 - A Transition October 3 - Behavior Interventions October 17- Practical Tips October 24- A Father’s Story November 14 - Postsecondary World December 5 - English Learners

Lurie Children’s Hospital

Volo Commerce Center 26575 W. Commerce Dr. Unit 506 Volo, IL 60073 T: 847.740.6229 F: 847.740.6447 e: mannyot@sbcglobal.net

Development of an Action Plan • Understanding the evaluation process within and outside of school • Interpreting an assessment and moving forward • Identifying a team of qualified professionals to support your child and family Educational Advocacy • Observing your child’s classroom and strategizing with teachers • Crafting strong, meaningful IEPs • Monitoring IEP compliance

Please contact us for a free phone intake consultation: 773.504.3248 www.specialfamilysupport.com

| ChicagoParent.com

7/10/15 11:10 AM

SIBSENSATIONS PROGRAM FOR SIBS OF KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

SIBSENSATIONS gives siblings (ages 8-13) of children with special needs a chance to meet peers in a fun, friendly setting where they can share common joys and concerns. Through games, activities and discussions, they will form friendships, learn about disabilities and discover how to handle tough situations they all face. When:

Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Monthly meetings, please call for upcoming dates

Cost:

$10.00 per session, registration is required.

Where:

acktman Children’s Pavilion Y 1675 Dempster-Park Ridge, IL

Contact:

Kathryn Smart MS RN, 847-723-9484 Kathryn.smart@advocatehealth.com

Will this be another year that your son or daughter does not make friends? Does he or she sit home Saturday nights?

Diane Gould, LCSW, BCBA Fran Shapiro, NCSP

Call us at : (847) 494-3188

PEERS® is a 14 week evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated teens and young adults who are interested in learning how to make and keep friends. During each session participants are taught important social skills through instruction and practice. Group members will learn to: • use appropriate conversational skills • find common interests with others by trading information • handle rejection, teasing, peer pressure and bullying • choose appropriate friends • handle arguments and disagreements

Online at : www.PeersChicago.com

As featured on ABC 7, NBC 5, WGN-TV and WCIU-TV The Karate Can-Do! Foundation works hand-in-hand with North Shore Dojo, the area’s premier karate school, to provide personalized training to improve the lives of children who learn differently.

Photo by Jade Albert

Sensei Jeff Kohn is the recipient of the 2011 United States Olympic Committee’s Paralympic Coach of the Year Award

Learn more at

autismspeaks.org/signs Some signs to look for:

No big smiles or other joyful expressions by 6 months

No babbling by 12 months

No words by 16 months

847.729.0001 • www.NorthShoreDojo.net 2081 John’s Court, Glenview Karate CAN-Do! is a registered 501(c)(3)

© 2012 Autism Speaks Inc. "Autism Speaks" and "It's time to listen" & design are trademarks owned by Autism Speaks Inc. All rights reserved. The person depicted is a model and is used for illustrative purposes only.

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7/10/15 10:45 AM

Baby steps for new school Parents create place that meets a need in Chicago

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DANIELLE BRAFF

ucked inside an unassuming building, steps from President Obama’s home in Hyde Park, four children practice a play on a recent school day. “What would you say to the woodcutters?” one of the two teachers asks Ella, a curious girl with big eyes and long, wavy hair who was pretending to be a butterfly. “Oh no,” Ella shouts. “Stop. Go away. This is our home.” The woodcutter retreats. From afar, the small group of students, who range from kindergarten through second grade, seem like any other group of students. They hug each other in the middle of the play. They talk. And when it is time to clean up, they scatter like

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birds, pretending not to hear their teachers’ pleas to figure out what was out of place in the room. But looking a little closer at this intimate classroom, there are signs that these students are just a little different. During the play, Elliott wanders off for a few seconds, over to a beanbag on the side of the classroom, sits down and rocks for a bit before one of his teachers rubs his back and carefully maneuvers him back to the group. When Elliott decides his mask is bothering his face,

his teacher quickly swaps it for a hand puppet, no questions asked. The school is City Elementary, founded in September 2014 for diverse learners who are highly functioning but aren’t well suited to Chicago’s public or private schools. The tuition is $20,000 annually, which has been supplemented with donations, and the school is preparing to apply for Chicago Public School funding with the Illinois Board of Education. Unlike traditional schools, this one has no desks, and the children take frequent

breaks to shake away their energy. They grab scooter boards and race them down the halls for two minutes between activities, and there is a routine to their days, which is never, ever disrupted. Blue drapes in the three classrooms cut the glare so there’s never an abundance of light, and the teachers focus on social learning and help students understand how to be a part of a group and to learn others’ perspectives. It’s exactly what Elliott needed, despite what his parents originally thought. When the couple enrolled their preschool-aged son into an elite private school, they were thrilled. But just two weeks into the school year, Elliott’s teacher called, saying something might be wrong. Parent-teacher conferences were a disaster.

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Eventually, a formal evaluation determined that Elliott was on the autism spectrum. The couple enrolled him in a therapeutic preschool program where he thrived academically and socially, but when it was time to send him to elementary school, they couldn’t find a school that could meet his academic and socio-emotional needs. So they co-founded City Elementary. Nearly all of the parents who send their children to the school are doing it after finding out that their children couldn’t thrive elsewhere. “Both my husband and I came to the same conclusion when looking for a school for our older child who is autistic, and I ended up quitting my job and homeschooling her,” Penny Visser says. “My daughter joined the school in February, and it’s been incredible. She’s doing unbelievably well because she’s in a setting that’s conducive to

her particular learning style.” City Elementary is one of a handful of schools in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs that are popping up for special needs children who aren’t quite fitting in Chicago schools. These include the Chicago Autism Academy in Frankfort, founded in 2005, and the Alexander Leigh Center for Autism, which opened its doors in 2004.

“In the education world, kids are fit into a structure that they need to adapt to and that doesn’t fit all the kids,” says Karen Daiter, head of City Elementary. “Sitting at a desk and listening doesn’t fit all the kids. What we grew up with isn’t working.” City Elementary has three rooms for its four students (it plans on increasing its numbers, slowly through its rolling admissions, and adding one grade

annually through fifth grade). One room is devoted to sensory needs. It’s filled with everything from a quiet tent to cushion discs to balancing tools for the children to help develop sensory integration and muscle response. This room is incredibly important for these little learners. “Without their sensory needs being met, they won’t be able to explore or be curious,” says Leah Harp, vice president of the board of the school and one of the founding parents. She also knows from experience. Harp wanted to send her son to the local public elementary school, but, she says, being in the school building with a bulging class size would have been too overwhelming for him. So she called 25 Chicago-area private schools to find out what they could offer. “They said it would be seven hours in a classroom, but that

continued on page 30

www.upsfordowns.org UPS for DOWNS is a parent directed non-profit organization offering support, education, and encouragement for parents, families, and others who love and care about persons with Down syndrome. We inspire community acceptance by sharing with others the presence, potential and abilities of people with Down syndrome.

Check the website for information, calendar of events, or more ways to get involved. email: info@upsfordowns.org

847-895-2100

ChicagoParent.com |

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CITY ELEMENTARY wouldn’t work for him,” says Harp, explaining that Outstanding OppOrtunities thrOugh recreatiOn fOr children and adults with disabilities. her son, like all the children there, needed the sensory plan time. “We didn’t want to move to the NORTHWEST SPECIAL RECREATION ASSOCIATION suburbs, and we didn’t want to WikkiStix_SpecialParentPRS.pdf 1 7/6/15 11:27 AM homeschool.” So she helped figure out what NWSRA BC ad.indd 1 7/12/2013 11:45:13 AMneeded to be in place to help these children flourish. One of those elements is the activity classroom, which is filled with plants and globes and books. “It’s where they learn through their environment,” Harp says. It’s also where Ania Gardner, the classroom aide, uses horticultural and art therapy. The former marketing consultant changed career paths when she had two children with special needs. She is now studying special education and being certified as a horticultural therapist. Finally, there’s the main classroom, which houses tables

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from page 29 but no desks, where the children do the bulk of their academic learning. That’s where Kate Bonfante, the lead teacher, works with each child individually, adjusting to their sensory and cognitive challenges. She’s implemented learning strategies focusing on each of their abilities. City Elementary is small now, but it’s gotten a lot of attention from Chicago parents. Daiter says they expect the enrollment to grow to seven by September, and there have been requests to open a North Side school as well. Another dream is to open a city school for kids who aren’t verbal. But, like the students they’re serving, these administrators are taking baby steps. For now. Danielle Braff lives with her family in River Forest.

| ChicagoParent.com

7/10/15 10:48 AM

Tween transitions How to ease the move into middle school

BY CORTNEY FRIES

he tween years are a time of increased independence, body changes, social pressures and additional responsibility, yet they are also a wonderful time for children to be industrious and show their true potential.

For tweens with special needs, middle school can be difficult, warns Ellen Sternweiler, owner of The Sensory Kids Store in Wilmette and mom to three children with developmental difficulties. “But you’ve got this. You’ve made it this far. You’re going to make it,” she says. Sternweiler assembled a panel of special needs parents and Educational Therapist Richard Bograd for this year’s Neighborhood Parents Network Developmental Differences Resource Fair to discuss the changing demands of middle school. Transitioning to middle school can be scary and confusing, but with your continued

to complex curriculum or increased demand for executive functioning skills.

Celebrate successes. While it may be difficult to watch your child come in last, realize that he may have improved his performance or played his personal best.

support, kids can more easily overcome this next big hurdle. They offered these tips to set your child up for success:

Continue to communicate with teachers. Even though parents are encouraged to be more handsoff in middle school, you know your child’s unique challenges.

Go after what your kid needs. For example, if no reference materials are provided in class but your child needs them to succeed, ask for them.

Reassess your child’s IEP. The therapeutic gap may have widened due

Maintain healthy eating and sleeping routines. Your child is older, but facing many challenges. Keep a 9 p.m. bedtime.

Help your child thrive during unstructured times. Coach them on breaking into lunchroom conversations. Aid them in developing social circles. Friends are a necessary respite from the stress of the day.

Talk about their changing bodies. Kids will notice if they are early or late in development. Have explicit, open, honest conversations.

Teach and encourage your child to text friends. Cellphones are a major mode of communication in middle school. Your child needs to be able to take part, too.

Limit screen time during the week. On weekends, allow one hour as soon as kids wake up. They get what they want right away; parents get more sleep. Cortney Fries is a freelance writer and Chicago mom of two.

ChicagoParent.com |

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It takes a village

How a group of moms came together to create opportunities for their kids

BY MEGAN MURRAY ELSENER

or parents who have children with special needs, there are many uncertain changes and adjustments that must be made. One of the biggest challenges is often known as “transition,” when the child leaves public school services and moves to adult services. This transition generally occurs at the end of senior year of high school or the day they turn 22. Yet the services for adults with special needs are much more limited and scarce, leaving parents at a loss for what is next. Janice Weinstein, along with a passionate group of mothers in the Northbrook/Glenview area, was determined to create opportunities for adult children to socialize, work and live in their local communities. “What brought us together was our vision for a great life for our special needs children with opportunities that mirror the experiences that their brothers and sisters have had—to be on sport teams, to be invited to birthday parties, to share their hobbies and passions, and to have new opportunities for learning and growth—just like everyone else,” Weinstein says. So Weinstein and five other mothers created TotalLink2 Community to empower people with disabilities to have a great life in their own community through employment,

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lifelong learning, recreation and meaningful social connections. “We see ourselves as moms first,” Weinstein says. “I think we’re forward thinking, creative, and we’re not afraid to be the voice for our children if and when they aren’t able to express their own needs and opinions.” Joan Martin has two children with developmental disabilities and has been one of the founding and active members of TotalLink. “As a group, we all had children of different ages and disabilities,” Martin says. “Our common bond was we were not content with the status quo for what was presently available for services and lifestyle for a

future adult life for our sons and daughters.” As Martin’s two children neared transition, her biggest challenges were employment and the lack of available opportunities. “The adult service system for people with developmental disabilities has not progressed at a fast enough pace to have options and funding available for inclusive housing, employment and recreation for the amount of people leaving the school system who need these services,” Martin says. “There is no reason why our adult children should leave a school system that provides full resource of services to an adult system that puts them on a waiting list. Their education makes them ready to blossom and step into the community as responsible citizens. It is our responsibility to meet them where they are and invite them to be a part of the place they grew up in and introduce them to work, social life and recreation just like ever other citizen.” In 2011, with a grant from the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, TotalLink launched its customized employment services called “Everyone Works.” To date, they have placed more than 34 young adults into competitively paid positions within inclusive work settings such as at ABT Electronics, Mariano’s, Kids First

| ChicagoParent.com

7/9/15 11:15 AM

Pediatric Partners and Jennings Chevrolet. Pauline Shoback’s adult daughter, Marice, has autism and has been a client of TotalLink for the past year after her transition from high school. TotalLink helped place Marice in a job at the Northbrook Park District, where they went to interviews with her and helped structure the job for her success.

“Marice loves being active and learning new things,” Shoback says. “... She has help in finding and keeping a job that can be customized to her strengths, with the help of TotalLink.” Beyond employment, TotalLink also focuses on the social aspect of the lives of its special needs community. According to Shoback, Marice has attended social activities,

a class on social media and a class on entrepreneurship by TotalLink. “The social component is wonderful for young people who really are challenged by trying to find social activities,” she says. TotalLink’s housing committee is exploring options on behalf of their local community. Both Martin and Weinstein credit the success of TotalLink to

the tight bond with their clients and families, all of whom are invested in the success of these special young adults. “We develop a strong bond with our clients and their families,” Weinstein says. “TotalLink feels like family to many and we’re proud of that.” Megan Murray Elsener is a freelance writer and mother of three.

3 Amigos Adopt A Manatee Friend … or Three! ®

Call 1-800-432-(JOIN) 5646 savethemanatee.org

Photo © Patrick M. Rose

ChicagoParent.com |

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LC2015_ChParent_2_Layout 1 2/5/2015 4:51 PM Page 1

“From the Simple and inspiring words. Why Little City

understanding

of disabilities

With our newly expanded facility, we have opened admissions for a limited number of additional students. Avoid getting put on a waiting list. We urge you to act quickly as demand is high.

comes the

Contact Karrie Dean, Administrator, today to schedule a personal tour at 847.221.7728 or kdean@littlecity.org.

deepest

highest passion for the possible.”

littlecity.org/dayschool

ChildBridge Center for Education Little City Campus: 1760 West Algonquin Road, Palatine Conveniently located at the crossroads of Chicago and the Northwest Suburbs 34

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| ChicagoParent.com

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he resources you will find here are just an excerpt of the hundreds of searchable resources you will find online at ChicagoParent.com. If you are a resource provider and your services are not listed online, e-mail Elizabeth Diffin at ediffin@chicagoparent.com with your information or submit your information at www.chicagoparent.com/resources/resource-submission-form.

ADAPTIVE SERVICES EHLS 210 W. Campus Drive Suite B, Arlington Heights (847) 215-9490 ehls.com

Provides stair lifts, accessible bathroom remodeling, ramps and wheelchair lifts, ceiling mounted lift systems, home elevators and general remodeling.

MobilityWorks

including sales, mechanical service, rental vans and mobility consulting.

for autism. Also provides free services for families.

RampNOW

2200 S. Main St., Suite 205 Lombard (630) 691-1270 (888) 691-1270 (hotline) autismillinois.org

2225 Tanglewood Drive Aurora (630) 892-7267 rampnow.com

Rents, sells and installs lifts and ramps.

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS Autism Speaks

23855 W. Andrew Road Plainfield 5050 Dempster St., Skokie 155 E. North Ave. Villa Park (877) 275-4907 mobilityworks.com

Chicagoland chapter Regency Office Plaza Suite 304, 2700 River Road Des Plaines (224) 567-8573 autismspeaks.org/Chicago

Provides wheelchair vans and adaptive equipment to people with special needs,

Nonprofit organization dedicated to awareness, funding, science, research and advocacy

The Autism Society of Illinois

Information and referral, special education advocacy and first responder training.

Autism Behavioral Therapies Various locations (224) 554-9634 theautismtherapygroup.com

ABA therapy provided in homes and pools.

Charlie’s Gift Autism Center Center for Autism, Sensory Processing and Related Disorders 1048 W. Ogden Ave., Suite

#200, Downers Grove (630) 810-1200 thecommunityhouse.org

and the “Junior A Team” for ages 5-12.

Provides individual and group occupational, speech and mental health/behavioral therapy through a family-centered, team-based approach. Family education/ support activities and sibling activities are offered throughout the year. Afterschool clubs and summer programs offered. A family lending library is available.

Chicago Autism & Behavior Specialists

Chicagoland Autism Connection 1803 W. 95th St., #268 Chicago (773) 329-0375 chicagoautism.org

Meets on the third Saturday of each month September-June, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Easter Seals School and Center for Autism, 1939 W. 13th St., Chicago. Free respite care offered during the meeting for children with autism. Offers the “A Team” social and recreational club for ages 13-young adult with ASD

Resources

Find more information online

1063 W. Hawthorn Drive Itasca (800) 844-1232 autismbehaviorspecialists.com

Works with children and families living with autism spectrum disorders, communication disorders, behavior disorders and learning disabilities.

Easter Seals Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research 1939 W. 13th St., Suite 300 Chicago (312) 491-4110 eastersealschicago.org or eastersealsandautism.com

Combines educational, therapeutic research, training, school-to-work transition and adult vocational services. Allows Easter Seals to expand its autism program and custom designed facility to meet the special needs of students with autism, emotional/ behavior disability, cognitive or developmental delay. Interior features include special acoustic finishes, lighting fixtures and observation rooms in classrooms rooms to help reduce distractions and promote more effective learning. Serves clients 3-22.

Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley: Autism Diagnostic Clinic & Autism Services

Adaptive Services, Autism Spectrum Disorders . . . . . . . . 35 Blind or Visually Impaired, Deaf or Hearing Impaired, Down Syndrome. . . 37

830 S. Addison Ave. Villa Park (630) 620-4433 eastersealsdfvr.org

Tuesday’s Child

Provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary team evaluation by experienced professionals to determine the presence of an Autism Spectrum Disorder or other developmental ChicagoParent.com |

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Epilepsy, General . . . 38 Recreation . . . . . . . 40 Support . . . . . . . . . 43

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AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS disability. The team is composed of a social worker, occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist and psychologist. This inclusive clinic assists families in determining their child’s specific needs. Families will leave with a diagnosis, initial treatment guidelines and resources. Easter Seals also offers a variety of services that address the specific strengths and challenges of children with autism.

Have Dreams 515 Busse Highway Suite 150, Park Ridge 2020 Dempster St., Evanston (847) 685-0250 (Park Ridge) (847) 905-0702 (Evanston) havedreams.org

Resource organization serving children, teens and young adults with autism.

Behavioral Perspective Inc. 452 N. Eola Road, Aurora (630) 618-4370 behavioralperspectiveaba.com

Offers in-home and clinicbased ABA Therapy, community outings, parent training, consultations and social skills groups for people with autism.

PACTT Learning Center 7101 N. Greenview Ave. Chicago (773) 338-9102 pactt.org

Offers educational, residential, vocational and consultative services for people with autism and their families. The therapeutic day school focuses on academics, independent living, communication and social interaction for students 3-21 and includes a transition program that

Special Recreation Associations in Illinois provide a lifetime of recreation opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. Please visit www.specialrecreation.org or contact WDSRA at 630-681-0962 to find an agency near you.

560 Green Bay Road Suite 10, Winnetka (847) 814-1096 autismfamilycenter.com

Offers a multidisciplinary approach to helping families live with autism. Services include applied behavior analysis (ABA); individual, couples and family therapy; as well as art, play and yoga therapies.

Autism Home Support Services 85 Revere Drive, Suite AA Northbrook (847) 564-0822 autismhomesupport.com

In-home customized

CHOICES For Parents

Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association (KSRA) 815-758-6663 x122, jeggleston@dekalbparkistrict.com

South Suburban Special Recreation Association (SSSRA) 815-806-0384, www.sssra.org

Lily Cache Special Recreation Association (LCSRA) 630-739-1124, www.lilycachesra.org

South West Special Recreation Association (SWSRA) 708-389-9423, www.swsra.com

Lincolnway Special Recreation Association (LWSRA) 815-320-3500, www.lwsra.org

Southwestern Illinois Special Recreation Association (SWILSRA) 618-877-3059

Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation (M-NASR) 847-966-5522, www.mnasr.org

Special Recreation Association of Central Lake County (SRACLC) 847-816-4866, www.sraclc.org

McDonough County Special Recreation Association (MCSRA) 309-833-4526, www.mcsra.org

Special Recreation Services of Northern Lake County (SRSNLC) Lindenhurst - 847-356-6011, www.lindenhurstparks.org Round Lake - 847-546-8558, www.rlapd.org/programs-specialrecreation.cfm Waukegan - 847-360-4760, www.waukeganparks.org Zion - 847-746-5500, www.zionparkdistrict.com

Northeast DuPage Special Recreation Association (NEDSRA) 630-620-4500, www.nedsra.org Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association (NISRA) 815-459-0737, www.nisra.org

Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation (CUSR) 217-239-1152, www.cuspecialrecreation.com

Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association (NSSRA) 847-509-9400, www.nssra.org

Chicago Park District Special Recreation Dept. 312-742-5798, special.recreation@chicagoparkdistrict.com

Northlands Association for Special Recreation (NASR) Belvidere 815-547-5711, www.belviderepark.org Freeport 815-235-6114, www.freeportparkdistrict.org Rockford 815-987-1606, www.rockfordparkdistrict.org

Fox Valley Special Recreation Association (FVSRA) 630-907-1114, www.fvsra.org Gateway Special Recreation Association (Gateway) 630-325-3857 x110, www.ray-graham.org Heart of Illinois Special Recreation Association (HISRA) 309-691-1929, www.hisra.org Illinois River Valley Special Recreation Association (IRVSRA) East Peoria – 309-699-3923, www.fondulacpark.com Pekin – 309-347-7275, www.pekinparkdistrict.org

Autism Family Center

Look for our ad in this magazine.

Decatur Park District Special Recreation Assn. 217-429-7750, www.decatur-parks.org

serves as a bridge to adult life for older teens. PACTT also operates two group homes for children and two adult homes that focus on independent life skills and community integration.

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Special Recreation of Joliet and Channahon (SRJC) 815-741-7275 x169, www.jolietpark.org/srjc-home Special Recreation Services (SRS) 708-841-1071 x233, www.specialrecservices.org Springfield Park District 217-544-1751, www.springfieldparks.org

Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA) 847-392-2848, www.nwsra.org

Tri County Special Recreation Association (Tri County) 815-407-1819, www.tricountysra.org

Oak Lawn Park District/Special Recreation Cooperative 708-857-2200, www.olparks.com

Veterans Park District/Village of River Grove 708-343-5270, www.veteransparkdistrict.org

River Valley Special Recreation Association (RVSRA) 815-933-7336, www.rivervalleysra.com

Warren Special Recreation Association (WSRA) 847-244-6619, www.warrentownship.net/wsra

Special Opportunities Available in Recreation (S.O.A.R.) 309-434-2260, www.bpard.org

Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA) 630-681-0962, www.wdsra.com

South East Association for Special Parks & Recreation (SEASPAR) 630-960-7600, www.seaspar.org

West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA) 847-455-2100, www.wssra.net

| ChicagoParent.com

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AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS ABA behavior therapy for children with autism and other related disorders.

Smart Love Family Services Chicago and Oak Park (773) 665-8052 smartlovefamily.org

Offers autism treatment program and other counseling services.

a Birth to Three Early Intervention Program, a blended preschool, the Sandy and Rick Forsythe Center for Comprehensive Vision Care, a scholarship program for post-secondary education, and a Tools for Living retail store.

Steinberg Behavior Solutions

The Chicago Lighthouse Vision Rehabilitation Center

4711 Golf Road, Ste. 100 Skokie (847) 676-5398 steinbergbehaviorsolutions.com

222 Waukegan Road Glenview (847) 510-6200 chicagolighthouse.org/north

Offers ABA evaluation and treatment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, feeding therapy, school consultations, behavior evaluations with parenting coaching, social skills and potty training and sleep consultations.

Products, services and programs for people of all ages who are blind or visually impaired.

BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED The Illinois Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments P.O. Box 2947, Naperville (815) 355-2098 ipvi.org

Provides support, information and service to parents of visually impaired children.

The Chicago Lighthouse for People who are Blind or Visually Impaired 1850 W. Roosevelt Road Chicago (312) 666-1331 chicagolighthouse.org

Provides the highest quality education, clinical, vocational and rehabilitation services for children, youth and adults who are blind or visually impaired, including deaf-blind and multi-disabled. It offers a nationally acclaimed school for children with multi-disabilities,

The Hadley School for the Blind 700 Elm St., Winnetka (847) 446-8111 hadley.edu

The largest provider of tuition-free distance education for individuals over age 14 who are blind or visually impaired. Courses offered in four program areas: family education (for parents and grandparents), high school, adult continuing education and professional studies. Materials are provided in a student’s medium of choice including large print, braille, audio and online.

DEAF OR HEARING IMPAIRED Alexander Graham Bell Montessori School 9300 Capitol Drive, Wheeling (847) 850-5490 agbms.org

Provides an oral education program for deaf and hard-of-hearing children using Cued Speech to enhance their ability to acquire age-appropriate literacy skills. Children are mainstreamed with typically developing hearing peers and receive support

services from licensed teachers of the deaf and speech and language pathologists.

Project Reach-Illinois Philip Rock Center 818 DuPage Blvd., Glen Ellyn (630) 790-2474 philiprockcenter.org

Provides technical assistance/consultation, information, training and family support to address the needs of children with deaf-blindness and their families.

CHOICES for Parents P.O. Box 806045, Chicago (312) 523-6400 (866) 733-8729 choicesforparents.org

Provides parents of children with hearing loss with support, information and resources.

DOWN SYNDROME Down in the Southland P.O. Box 831, Tinley Park (708) 614-6118 downinthesouthland.org

Fosters the development of lifelong educational, social and life skills among individuals with Down syndrome and their families in the southern suburbs of Chicago.

GiGi’s Playhouse 2350 W. Higgins Road Hoffman Estates (847) 885-6149 gigisplayhouse.org

International Down syndrome achievement centers that offer free educational and therapeutic programs and support for individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community. Other Illinois locations include Chicago, Fox Valley, Tinley Park, McHenry, Rockford and Bradley.

Jewish Child & Family Services

Integrated Pediatric Interventions

Making the Future Brighter

As a nationally renowned pioneer in the field, we believe in early, individualized and inclusive intervention.

We offer your child... • Individualized, cutting-edge therapies • A talented team of pediatric intervention experts

• Exceptional speech, developmental, occupational, aquatic and social skills therapy

Offers information, a

• Family-focused care, education, supports and services at home and in our clinic

jcfs.org/ipi

Support for Parents and Families, Every Step of the Way

Call today for a free consultation 847.412.4379 Jewish Child & Family Services is part of the BCBS PPO, Aetna HMO & PPO, and Humana HMO & PPO networks. JCFS is a partner in serving our community, supported by the JUF/Jewish Federation. 7.2015

Going Places FREE | SUMMER 2015

spots

Ice cream, s’mores & more

for thrillseekers

The Ultimate Guide to Family Fun!

Summer edition now available! NIght owls adventures

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For more information, call (708) 386 5555 or visit ChicagoParent.com ChicagoParent.com |

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Joy Faith Knapp Children's Center 3145 W. Pratt Blvd Chicago, IL 60645

• Therapeutic peer groups, family-based play…and more

National Association for Down Syndrome 1460 Renaissance Drive Suite #405, Park Ridge (630) 325-9112 nads.org

Elaine Kersten Children's Center 255 Revere Dr. Suite 200 Northbrook, IL 60062

• Integrated, multidisciplinary treatments and plans

Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

7/9/15 11:14 AM

DOWN SYNDROME parent support program for newly diagnosed children, mentoring program, work experience program and other individualized services. Also has a speaker presentation program.

Ups for Downs Hartford Plaza, 1070 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg (847) 895-2100 upsfordowns.org

T:10”

A volunteer parent-run group for families, professionals and people with Down syndrome. Meetings are held on Tuesday evenings at Fox Run Golf Links Clubhouse, 333 Plum Grove Road, Elk Grove Village. Stipends are available to offset child care costs for parents who wish to attend. For more information, email info@upsfordowns.org.

EPILEPSY Danny Did Foundation P.O. Box 46576, Chicago (800) 278-6101 dannydid.org

A non-profit foundation created to educate parents about epilepsy and particularly Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy. The foundation offers resources for parents, seizure monitoring devices and awarenessraising events. Funding goes toward families who cannot afford seizure devices, and research.

GENERAL Access Living 115 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago (800) 613-8549 (312) 640-2100 accessliving.org

Offers peer-oriented independent living services; public education, awareness and development; individualized and systemic advocacy; and enforcement of civil rights on behalf of people with disabilities.

Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

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Association for Individual Development 309 New Indian Trail Court Aurora (630) 966-4000 the-association.org

Nonprofit, communitybased organization serving more than 5,000 individuals throughout Kane, Kendall, DeKalb, DuPage, suburban Cook and Will counties. More than 20 programs are available for individuals with physical or developmental disabilities.

The Arc of Illinois 20901 La Grange Road Suite #209, Frankfort (815) 464-1832 thearcofil.org

A clearinghouse of information committed to empowering people with disabilities to achieve full participation in community life through informed choices..

Brain Balance Achievement Center 1101 S. Milwaukee Ave. Suite 105, Vernon Hills (847) 821-1328 brainbalancecenters.com

Works with children with developmental and learning disorders such as ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s, dyslexia, Tourette’s, PDD and Autism Spectrum Disorders. An individualized program that uses a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach designed to address each child’s specific deficiencies while combining proper nutritional guidance.

Center for Audiology, Speech, Language and Learning Northwestern University 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston (847) 491-3165 communicationclinic.north western.edu

A university-based clinic specializing in evaluation and treatment services

for infants through adults with speech-language, learning, swallowing and audiology needs.

Easter Seals DuPage & the Fox Valley Region Centers in Villa Park, Naperville and Elgin 830 S. Addison Ave., Villa Park (630) 620-4433 eastersealsdfvr.org

Offers physical, occupational, speech-language, nutrition and assistive technology therapies. Also offers audiology services, community outreach programs and specialty clinics. Pediatric medical specialists partner to provide a Respiratory Clinic, Nutrition & Feeding Clinic, Positioning and Mobility Clinic, Casting Clinic, Splinting Clinic, Orthopedic Clinic, Vision Clinic and Dental Clinic. Social worker and parent liaison available to help parents. Provides support groups and sibling support groups. Other locations at 1323 Bond St., Suite 119, Naperville, (630) 3579699, and 799 S. McLean Blvd., Suite 103, Elgin, (847) 742-3264.

Easter Seals Autism Programs-Joliet 212 Barney Drive, Joliet (815) 725-2194 joliet.easterseals.com

Offers a wide variety of programming for families that have children with autism spectrum disorders including pediatric physical, occupational and speech therapy. A medical diagnostic clinic, social skills groups, sibling recreational workshops, family special recreation nights, inclusive birth to 4 daycare, mental health therapy, educational materials and a parent support group.

Community Support Services Inc. 9021 W. Ogden Ave. Brookfield. 5416 W. 25th St., Cicero

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GENERAL and behavior intervention, 24/7 residential services, therapeutic art programs and special needs foster care and adoption services. The ChildBridge Center for Education provides progressive services for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as students with severe and profound needs on the autism spectrum.

(708) 354-4547 communitysupportservices.org

Nonprofit serving suburban Cook and eastern DuPage people of all ages with intellectual/ developmental disabilities and their families. Promotes independence and ability to engage in community life with respite, CILA group homes and independent living arrangements, adult and parent support services, customized supported employment, transition planning and classes, cooking, art, health and wellness classes, and social activities. Cicero location focuses on family support services.

NF Midwest Danny Did Foundation and couples counseling; play therapy, art therapy, vocational counseling and peer mentor facilitated social skills training.

Keshet 617 Landwehr Road Northbrook (847) 205-0274 keshet.org

Family Center Chicago Multiple locations, Lakeview neighborhood, Chicago (847) 814-1096 familycenterchicago.com

Provides education, recreation and vocational programs for children and

Offers individual, family

adults with special needs. Programs are run within the framework of Jewish values and traditions.

LEEP Forward

Jewish Child & Family Services

Programs encourage regulation, social engagement and peer interactions as well as individual growth.

Multiple locations jcfs.org

Helps families with autism, special education, counseling and inclusive summer camps.

Celebrations

1280 W. Washington Blvd. Chicago (312) 624-8750 leepforward.com

Little City ChildBridge Services 700 N. Sacramento Blvd.

Suite 201, Chicago 1760 W. Algonquiin Road Palatine (773) 265-1671 (Chicago) (847) 358-5510 (Palatine) littlecity.org/childbridge

Provides full range of services for children 21 and under with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, including in-home personal and family supports, clinical

473 Dunham Road, Suite 3 St. Charles (630) 945-3562 nfmidwest.org

Focus on awareness, research, education and support of people impacted by neurofibromatosis.

MFTD Waiver Families mftdwaiver.org

A support and advocacy group for families of children who are medically fragile and technology

NOW OP EN!

Providing year-round recreation services for individuals with disabilities

Lisle Rec

1925 Ohioreation Center Street, D oor 8

630-960-7600 630-960-7605 TDD 4500 Belmont Road Downers Grove Serving the communities of: Brookfield Clarendon Hills Darien Downers Grove Indian Head Park LaGrange LaGrange Park Lisle Western Springs Westmont Woodridge

V E RT I S I N G

OCTOBER 2014

| FREE

ChiCago Parent’s Party Planning guide SP

CELEBRATIONS Your perfect party planner

CONNECTING WITH FAMILIES

SLEEP WOES? One mom’s nightmare

Ella Jenkins: Chicago treasure turns

DIY COSTUMES, PARTIES & SPOOKY FUN

HOORAY

for Halloween CP_Cover_October_2014.indd 15

Coming in October For more information, call (708) 386-5555 or visit ChicagoParent.com

9/5/14 1:03 PM

ChicagoParent.com |

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The Annual Buddy Baseball All Star game paired up kids from Keshet and the Lost Boyz and Renegades baseball teams for an afternoon of hitting, running and pizza. More than 300 people attended the game, which was sponsored by the family of Jerome and Freda Joseph.

GENERAL dependent. Day-to-day support is provided through a private online group, charitable events and informal gatherings.

Oak Leyden Developmental Services 411 Chicago Ave., Oak Park (708) 524-1050 oak-leyden.org

Individual and group therapy and support services for children birth-5 with developmental delays; community drop-in events for families with young children; Music Together classes; day and residential services for adults with developmental disabilities.

Protected Tomorrows Inc. LifeCare Center 103 Schelter Road Lincolnshire (847) 522-8086 protectedtomorrows.com

Advocacy firm focused on life planning. Staff helps

create future care plans, which address the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities, mental illness, physical disabilities, or cognitive and neurological diseases in the areas of education, residential, financial, legal, health care, government benefits, employment and recreation.

Pam Labellarte 231 Bingham Circle Mundelein (847) 401-5053 fromadvocacy2action.com

Special education advocate and parent of two children with a disability who provides advocacy services to families of children with disabilities, during all stages of the educational/transition process. Services include supporting parents at school meetings. Presents educational programs to parents and community groups.

Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

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Suburban Access 900 Maple Ave., Homewood (708) 799-9190 suburban-access.org

Non-profit agency handles case management and service coordination to individuals with developmental disabilities in 18 townships of south and west suburban Cook County.

The Association of Children’s ProstheticOrthotic Clinics 9400 W. Higgins Road Suite 500, Rosemont (847) 698-1637 acpoc.org

An association of professionals involved in clinics providing prosthetic-orthotic care for children with limb loss or orthopedic disabilities.

Tuesday’s Child 3633 N. California Ave. Chicago (773) 423-5055 tuesdayschildchicago.org

Addresses behavioral

issues through training for parents and children.

V.I.P Service Dog Foundation P.O. Box 851, Oswego vipservicedogfoundation.com

Trains service and companion dogs for the disabled.

RECREATION Special Recreation Associations in Illinois specialrecreation.org

To find your Special Recreation Association or learn more about specialized recreation services, log on to the website.

Chicago Rowing Foundation rowchicago.com

Through Pauly’s Pals, rowers with developmental differences receive oneon-one rowing instruction in indoor tanks.

Dolphin Swim Club Crystal Lake, Skokie: (847)

854-1300 Loves Park, Rockford: (815) 282-3488 Schaumburg: (847) 478-3343 dolphinswimclub.com

From small-group lessons to private one-on-one lessons, teachers are experienced in working with students who have special needs including autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and sensory integration disorder.

Hanson Center 901 Warrenville Road, Suite #500, Lisle (630) 620-2222 raygraham.org

The 12.5-acre facility includes an indoor riding arena, a playground, a petting zoo and an indoor solarium. Programs include horseback riding, sports, physical fitness, summer camps and a preschool. All programs are designed for different age groups and can

accommodate persons with disabilities.

Karate CAN-DO 770 Lake Cook Road Suite 300, Deerfield

Foundation teaches karate to children and adults with learning differences and physical challenges.

Second City Training Center Chicago secondcity.com/training/chicago

Offers improv for ASD and anxiety curriculum, offering both teens and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders a unique 12-week mentoring and development experience that includes improv games and exercises to help with the exploration of relationships and social cues.

Rink Side Special Sk8er class Rink Side Ice Arena and

| ChicagoParent.com

7/9/15 11:13 AM

RECREATION Family Entertainment Center at Gurnee Mills Mall, Entrance H, Gurnee (847) 856-1064 ext. 525 rink-side.com

Skating class for ages 3 to adult who have physical and mental challenges. Classes are held Saturday mornings year-round.

Right Fit 7101 S. Adams St., Unit 7 Willowbrook (630) 850-4050 right-fit.com

Right Fit’s Raise the Bar fitness programs and camps are offered year round for youth and adults with autism spectrum disorders and those physically and mentally challenged. Right Fit is a partner with PAK (ProActive Kids) training youths who struggle with obesity and providing support to the families.

Special Olympics Illinois 1644 N. Honore St., #200

Chicago soill.org

Provides sports training and competition for children (8 years and older) and adults with intellectual disabilities. Check website for competition schedule and locations in Chicago area.

Special Olympics Illinois Young Athletes Program (630) 942-5610 (309) 888-2551 soill.org/young-athletes

A gross motor training program for children with and without intellectual disabilities between the ages of 2 and 7. Young Athletes trainings and events happen at the local, regional and state level.

KEEN: Kids Enjoy Exercise Now University of Illinois at Chicago Sport and Fitness Center 828 S. Wolcott Ave., Chicago

Trinity Methodist Church 1024 Lake Ave., Wilmette (312) 876-2535 keenchicago.org

Nonprofit, volunteerled organization that provides free one-to-one recreational opportunities for people ages 5-21 with developmental and physical disabilities. KEEN pairs a trained volunteer “coach” with a young athlete in sports and swim program. A second facility is located at Trinity Methodist Church, 1024 Lake Ave., Wilmette.

Flying High Sports & Rec Center: Superstars Pediatric Therapy Program 5400 East Ave., Countryside 7711 W. 99th St. Hickory Hills (708) 352-3099 flyinghighgym.com

Indoor sports and rec center. Offer Superstars, a pediatric occupational and physical therapy program.

Easter Seals Autism Therapy

Home Modiﬁcations and Lifts Free In-Home Consultation 847-215-9490 North • 630-717-4445 West 773-775-6122 Chicago

Visit Our Showroom!

210 W Campus Drive • Arlington Heights, IL 60004 Let us make your home environment more comfortable for everyone in the family.

Julia Jauregui of Bridgeview Mom of three. Plans to major in nursing. How will YOU fill in the blank? #fillintheblank @morainevalley

We can enhance your home with stairlifts and wheelchair lifts, ramps, ceiling mounted lifts and bathroom modiﬁcations.

Extended Home Living Services… Family Owned and Serving Chicagoland Since 1991

• Partnering with multiple funding agencies. • Dedicated to the lives of children with special needs.

9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills morainevalley.edu

41 | Specıal Parent Summer 2015 | ChicagoParent.com CHICAGO

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ehls.com ChicagoParent.com |

Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

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NEWS YOU CAN USE

Let’s All Play

Brookfield Zoo offers program to better serve children with disabilities

or the first time, the Chicago Zoological Society has partnered with the National Inclusion Project to enable Zoo Camp staff at the Brookfield Zoo to better serve children with disabilities. The Let’s All Play program trains camp staff members in inclusion techniques and provides scholarships for children with disabilities. Brookfield’s Zoo Camp serves more than 1,700 children each summer and an estimated 6 percent of all campers have special needs, including physical

disabilities, autism, sensory processing disorders and attention deficit disorders. As part of the program, the zoo hired a zoo camp counselor inclusion specialist to serve as a resource to campers and staff and to provide support and advice as needed. “We are dedicated to building and strengthening inclusion initiatives zoowide, and the Let’s All Play partnership will enable our camp staff to better serve our campers with disabilities,” says Dave Becker, senior manager of learning experiences for the CZS, which manages Brookfield Zoo.

“We receive more inquiries about Zoo Camp every year as more families have become aware of the Chicago Zoological Society’s capacity to work with children with special needs. This partnership will allow all children, regardless of ability, to learn about animals and become conservation leaders.” “The ultimate goal is to create an environment that makes it so everyone can participate, everyone can have successes and everyone can make a friend,” CZS’s Amelia Orozco says.

Megan Murray Elsener

RECREATION Therapy Yoga Gymnastics Rocks Locations in Chicago, Libertyville, Nile and Northbrook (773) 991-7316 therapygymnastics.com

Provides pediatric occupational, physical, and speech therapy through gymnastics and yoga, in gyms throughout the Chicagoland area. Additional locations at 1845 Raymond Drive, Northbrook; 7779 N. Caldwell Ave, Niles; and 2610 W. Commerce Drive, Libertyville.

Haley’s Playground 555 S. Constitution Drive Aurora (630) 777-5045 haleysplayground.com

Provides a safe, healthy, sensory motor environment for individuals with physical, cognitive and social disabilities to improve their quality of

life through play, exercise, activity and education. Available for ages 2-30. The kids, teens and young adults are mentored by their peers of typical development. Offers Thursday Teen Night, Saturday morning classes and Sunday open gym. For information, visit facebook.com/ haleysplayground.

Chicago Children’s Museum Navy Pier 700 E. Grand Ave., Chicago (312) 527-1000 chicagochildrensmuseum.org

On the second Saturday of every month, the museum hosts its Play For All program, which provides families with children with special needs a chance to visit the museum early and play in a quiet, more manageable setting.

Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

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Community Support Services Inc.

| ChicagoParent.com

7/9/15 11:12 AM

RECREATION Opens at 9 a.m. for the event and offers a quiet room with special lighting. Museum opens to the public at 10 a.m. The first 250 to register receive free admission. Registration can be done at chicagochildrensmuseum.org/index.php/about/ accessibility-inclusion

Special Gifts Theatre P.O. Box 2231, Northbrook (847) 564-7704 specialgiftstheatre.org

An educational and therapy-based drama program for people with special needs. Uses the stage as a platform to develop social skills, increase self-confidence and improve speech communication. Multiple locations and programs are available year round for children and adults.

SUPPORT The Apraxia Connection 401 N. Catherine Ave. La Grange Park theapraxiaconnection.org

Established as a public charity organization by three Chicagoland moms of children with apraxia of speech, global apraxia, and associated disorders. Chicago-area communities and the Midwest.

Celebrate Differences 5375 Route 34, Suite 4 Oswego (630) 885-3006 celebratedifferences.org

An all-inclusive community resource center, welcoming regardless of age or disability. Offers informative monthly workshops, sibling workshops, a resource library, an annual summer and holiday party, a Next Chapter book club, play groups and more. Connects families through outreach projects, social activities and social networking.

Family Support Network of Illinois 651 E. 159th Place South Holland (708) 331-7370 familysupportnetwork.org

Works to unify individuals with disabilities and their families to advocate for funding, services and community resources that strengthen and support the individual and the family directly by responding to their individual needs and empowering them to live in their own homes.

Family Resource Center on Disabilities 11 E. Adams St., Suite 1002 Chicago (312) 939-3513 (312) 939-3519 (TTD) frcd.org

Provides information and support for families, free seminars, Youth Advocacy Project and Parent-To-Parent Training Project.

Lexi Kazian Foundation-Helping From Heaven 105 Townline Road, Suite 132 Vernon Hills (847) 624-LEXI (5394) helpingfromheaven.org

Helps network families through fun events for the child with special needs that the whole family will enjoy. Also runs Lexi’s Closet, a place to request therapy equipment parents can’t get from their insurance company, are waiting to get delivered or are not sure might work for their child. Also accepts gently used therapy equipment to share with others.

National Lekotek Center 2001 N. Clybourn Ave. Suite 100, Chicago (773) 528-5766 lekotek.org or ableplay.org

Offers therapeutic playbased sessions and

play groups for children with disabilities (birth-8 years) and their families. These play sessions are structured to help children with special needs learn, develop and thrive. Toys and play are used to help the children at Lekotek relate to the world. Members can borrow 5+ toys per month. Services are provided in English and Spanish.

SURE, AT FIRST I WAS A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK BY THE WHOLE PEEING STANDING UP THING. SURE, BUT I TAUGHT HIM TO THROW A STICK AT FIRST WAS HANGING A LITTLEOUT TAKEN ABACK ANDI NOW WITH HIM BY THE WHOLE PEEING STANDING UP THING. IS THE BEST PART OF MY DAY. BUT I TAUGHT HIM TO THROW A STICK AND NOW HANGING OUT —WITH HIM EINSTEIN IS THE BEST PART OFadopted MY DAY.12-09-10

Supporting Illinois Brothers and Sisters

— EINSTEIN adopted 12-09-10

3800 N. Lake Shore Drive #3E, Chicago (708) 989-3619 sibsnetwork.org

Nonprofit organization providing support to siblings of people with disabilities in Illinois by connecting them with information, networking opportunities and resources. For information, e-mail tara@sibs network.org.

Special Parents for Special Kids 212 Barney Drive (inside Easter Seals), Joliet specialparentsforspecialkids.com

A parent-led group open to all parents, regardless of their child’s diagnosis. Monthly meetings to share experiences and support. Childcare provided on-site.

Tic Together Community Group River Heights Business Center 5375 Highway 34, Suite 4 Oswego

Support Group for people whose lives have been touched by Tourette Syndrome. Meets the second Sunday of every month at 6:30 p.m. and is open to all ages and educators as well. For more information, email tic2gether@gmail.com. ChicagoParent.com |

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Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

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Specıal Parent CHICAGO

SERVICE DIRECTORY

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

DOWN SYNDROME SUPPORT

www.upsfordowns.org

See our ad on the Inside Front Cover

See our ads on pages 3 and 34

SIBLING SUPPORT

SIBSENSATIONS PROGRAM FOR SIBS OF KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Monthly meetings, please call for upcoming dates

Cost:

$10.00 per session, registration is required.

Where:

acktman Children’s Pavilion Y 1675 Dempster-Park Ridge, IL

Contact:

Kathryn Smart MS RN, 847-723-9484 Kathryn.smart@advocatehealth.com

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY At Southwest Dental we take special care of

special needs. Check the website for information, calendar of events, or more ways to get involved. email: info@upsfordowns.org

847-895-2100

PEDIATRIC THERAPY

Integrated Pediatric nterventions Interventions In our clinic and your home, our exceptional pediatric therapists use cutting-edge treatments, family-based play and therapeutic peer play groups to grow your child’s independence.

See our ad on page 5

UPS for DOWNS is a parent directed non-profit organization offering support, education, and encouragement for parents, families, and others who love and care about persons with Down syndrome. We inspire community acceptance by sharing with others the presence, potential and abilities of people with Down syndrome.

(708) 403-3355

16600 South 107th Court, Orland Park, IL

Locations in Northbrook & Chicago

Call 847.412.4379

A partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community. 7.2015

Look for the Winter issue of Chicago Special Parent in February!

Specıal Parent ChiCago FREE

in their corner

how to be your child’s

best advocate

Dr. Tentler holds diplomate status in the American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists. Dr. Robert L. Tentler and Associates, General Dentistry

Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

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An empowerment guide from

3 ieP preps

LOCAL RESOURCES YOU NEED

clinical trials?

for a free consultation

CPS_Cover_winter2015.indd 8

Winter 2015

1/30/15 12:23 PM

| ChicagoParent.com

7/10/15 11:22 AM

ChiCago Specıal Parent Advertiser Index Ad Name .....................................Page Number(s)

Hatchbacks ��48

Differences Forum ��12

The Achievement Center ��29

Hoopis Financial��21

Northwest Special Recreation Association ��30

Advocate Lutheran General �� 27

JCYS North Shore ��37, 44

The New Brain ��21

Brehm School ��8

Karate Can-Do! Foundation �� 27

SEASPAR�� 39

Chicago Blue Dolphins LLC ��18

Keshet �� 23

Shriner's Hospital�� 5

The Cove School ��17

Learning Disability of Illinois �� 26

Smart Love Preschool ��12

Diane Gould�� 27

LEEP Forward�� 47

Southwest Dental Group �� 14, 44

Division of Specialized Care For Children �� 23

Little City�� 3, 34

Special Family Support ��26

Easter Seals ��14

Manny OT ��26

SRANI ��2, 36

EB Pediatric Resources ��18

Midwestern University �� 10

Steinberg Behavior ��16

Elmhurst College �� 7

Moraine Valley Community College ��30

Ups for Downs��29

Extended Home Living ��41

National Pediatric Developmental

Wikki Stix��30

ChicagoParent.com |

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INSPIRATIONS

Making ‘em laugh BY ELIZABETH DIFFIN

n his life so far, Daniel Eichengreen has been a birdwatcher, a pirate, a lifeguard and a park ranger. But his favorite thing about all those different jobs probably isn’t what you expect. What Daniel Eichengreen loves the most is making people laugh. Since 2008, Daniel has been nurturing that talent through The Red Kite Project, a branch of Chicago Children’s Theatre that produces plays especially for children with autism. But Daniel, who has acted in six different Red Kite productions and also helps at the summer camp, is unique because he also has autism. It all began when Daniel, who had performed with a partner when he was younger, told a family friend that he wanted to be an actor. The friend put Daniel’s parents, Jerry and Bill Eichengreen, in touch with Jacqueline Russell, CCT’s creative director and the visionary behind The Red Kite Project. As soon as she met Daniel, Russell says, she started thinking of ways to make him a part of Red Kite.

Daniel Eichengreen, 26 Hometown: Highland Park “I think that every child should have a dream and should have an opportunity to live their dream. … Daniel is living his dream.” – Jacqueline Russell To learn more about Daniel’s work with The Red Kite Project, check out the documentary by the same name, available on Amazon.com.

Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

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“Daniel was immediately entertaining us,” she says. “He’s always been really eager to be a performer; there’s just a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of interest.” So for Red Kite’s performance in 2008, “Red Kite, Blue Moon,” Daniel took the stage as a space pirate. His job was warming up the audience with jokes like “Have you heard about the new pirate movie? It’s rated ARRRRRGH.” And although Daniel claims that he gets a little nervous on stage sometimes, his mom says he was immediately at ease in the spotlight. “He just loves acting, it lights him up,” Jerry says. “Daniel is so un-self-conscious, so unafraid of failing, so out there. I’m really amazed.” She says Daniel’s work with Red Kite has really had an impact on him, helping him focus on tasks and interact with his peers. And his good memorization skills—Daniel can immediately launch into his introductory monologue

PHOTO BY LIAM FITZGERALD

from last winter’s “Red Kite, Blue Sky”—means that he can work on some of the things that come a bit less easily. Daniel also works as an assistant counselor at Camp Red Kite, which allows him to pass on to the campers some strategies that have been helpful to him personally, such as how to calm down by taking deep breaths or releasing tension. Through the camp and the Red Kite performances, he’s become a role model to the kids and their parents. “Seeing him as a role model has given [parents] a lot of hope for their own children,”

Russell says. “So many parents are told what their child isn’t able to do, but coming to see Daniel shows them there’s lots of possibilities and we should keep striving for more.” That’s a lesson that Daniel’s own family has had to learn. Jerry admits that when she first heard Daniel say he wanted to be an actor, her instinct was to roll her eyes. But now, watching him perform with such confidence, she’s realized that she was putting unnecessary limitations on Daniel. “It taught me a big lesson not to put a ceiling or a cap on my son’s dreams,” she says. “I’ve just realized how often we don’t leave our hearts and minds open to what might be possible.” And the possibilities are still wide open for

Daniel. He takes private acting lessons from a coach, and together they’re working on perfecting a monologue from “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” that could potentially be used on auditions. He takes improv classes at Chicago’s famous Second City theater, relishing the opportunity to think on his feet. When you meet Daniel, it’s not hard to believe that someday he could take the stage in his self-proclaimed “dream role” as Cruella de Vil or even following in the footsteps of his favorite funnyman, Vince Vaughn. Or perhaps he’ll nurture one of his many other interests, such as sports, travel or food, or get an office job that taps into his love for organization and office systems. Whatever the case, he’s determined to be successful. “It’s so hard to know where the child is going, and all you can do is provide opportunities,” Jerry says. “He just gets better and better.”

| ChicagoParent.com

7/9/15 3:12 PM

THERAPEUTIC DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRIC CLINIC Specializing in the treatment of children with Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder and Developmental Delays.

DEVELOPMENTAL, RELATIONSHIP-BASED SERVICES & SPECIALTIES Therapeutic Preschool and Transitional Kindergarten Programming ∙ Birth-to-Three Center Educational Therapy ∙ IEP Support ∙ Classroom Aides ∙ Inclusion Support Parent Training Classes ∙ Case Management ∙ Social Groups ∙ Improv Teen Groups ∙ Summer Camps ∙ Feeding Therapy ∙ Occupational Therapy Speech Language Pathology ∙ Individual Developmental Therapy Social Work ∙ Therapeutic Intensives ∙ Supportive Birthday Parties Behavioral Therapy ∙ Clinic and Home Based ∙ Transition Planning Services

Located in the West Loop in large facility which includes individual treatment rooms, group spaces, sensory gym, Snoezelen room and outdoor play area. Free Parking on-site. Inquire about scholarship opportunities through LEEP Beyond. Complimentary Consultation | (312) 624-8750 | leepforward.com

ChicagoParent.com |

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Specıal Parent Summer 2015 CHICAGO

7/9/15 11:10 AM

Now putting shoes on over AFO braces is easy.

Tired of struggling to get shoes on over your child’s AFO braces? Fun and functional Hatchbacks eliminate the stress. Our patented “Easy Fit” heel system ﬂexes open with ease, allowing you to slip the shoes on in seconds.

800.936.0511

See for yourself at Hatchbacksfootwear.com

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