Parenting Special Needs- Sept/Oct 2014 by Ahren Hoffman

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WORKING? MONITORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENTS

AUTISM Fitness

BEST PRIVATE

SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES

In the Classroom

SUPPORT DIFFERENT-ABILITY AWARENESS FREE

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Support our initiative to educate our communities about Different Disabilities & Abilities. You can start by becoming a friend; sharing this poster, a personal story, information on a disability,or read a children’s book that teaches about differences to your child or a class. Remember: Acceptance begins with a Smile : )

inside this issue... Sep t Oct 2014 Features

Moms Share 15 Real Geri Booth Shares about “Hurricane Taylor”

High Cost 28 The of Autism to Keep on Top 34 Tips of Your Child’s IEP it Working? 40 IsMonitoring the Effectiveness of Treatments

Me: 48 About Communication & Choice Making Guide

psn community news

8 Noteworthy! Nation’s First Catholic High School Exclusively for Students with Special Needs Zip Up Special Needs Awareness Financial Aid Opportunities for Disabled Students

10 12

it out! 10 check New Products & Products You Can Use & Win!

real life

Doug 20 Dr. The Dangers of

Ask the

PROFESSION PROFESSIONAL AL

Overscheduling Your Child

How To

Communicate on 22 Effectively Your Child’s Behalf

Moments 59 Proud Proud Mom Dawn Marie Sinatra-Nasi COVER: Mariana Pacheco

shares SEPT/OCT 2014

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inside this issue... your life

26 30 32

Mommy Time Outs Waterfalls at Wolf Run

10 Success Tips for the New School Year

Book Shelf Essentials 5 Classic Parenting Books

in focus

The 50 BEST Private Special Needs Schools in the United States

health & ﬁtness

44 50

Packing Your Child’s Lunch 42 IsA Healthier Option? Fitness Fun 44 Autism Fitness in My Classroom Diets 46 Special at School

fun & functional

59 in every issue

42 4

6 psn contributors 7 from the heart 9 contest/giveaways

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App Tools

Power of Play

for School Success Want Your Child To Learn How To Get To School On Time? THINK BACKWARDS!

Tips 55 ASL Classroom Tips + Visual Connections

56 “Foodie” fun for kids: Chocolate Caramel Apple Cookies

SEPT/OCT 2014

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psn contributors making a difference FOUNDER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Chantai Snellgrove chantai@parentingspecialneeds.org PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN CHIEF

Tom Snellgrove tom@parentingspecialneeds.org DESIGN DIRECTOR

Chantai info@parentingspecialneeds.org Meme Hieneman

Barbara Sher

Eric Chessen

Barrie Silberberg

Ph.D. in Special Education

Pediatric Occupational Therapist & Author

M.S., YCS, Exercise Physiologist

Author

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Michael Leisttein info@parentingspecialneeds.org ADVERTISING SALES

Chantai/Judy Jaszcz Corporate Sponsors & Ad Sales Manager sales@parentingspecialneeds.org

Curt Mellott MidWest & Lower Eastern curt@parentingspecialneeds.org Robin Newman

Douglas Haddad

Christina Bartlett

LCSW, PC Clinical Social worker, Adjunct Professor

Ph.D. (“Dr. Doug”) Author, Full-time Contributing Writer

Registered Dietitian

Jim Hasse, founder of cerebral-palsy-careerbuilders.com

Advertising Sales Person Needed inquire at Sales@parentingspecialneeds.org CIRCULATION & PR

Bob Jaszcz bob@parentingspecialneeds.org WEBMASTER

Sean Thompson sean@parentingspecialneeds.org Parenting Special Needs Magazine is available bi-monthly and distributed digitally for free. www. parentingspecialneeds.org Cynthia Falardeau Executive Director of the Education Foundation of IRC

Cristen Reat Co-Founder Bridging Apps.org

Ernst VanBergeijk

Ahren Hoffman

Ph.D., M.S.W. NYIT/VIP

(CTRS), Manager of Industry Relations & Partnerships at the National Lekotek Centerr

Knowledge is love and light and vision. ~ Helen Keller Sarah Cook

Becca Eisenberg

Amanda Morin

Photographer Cookwire photography

Speech Language Pathologist

Education Writer, Special Education Advocate & Author

Editorial Submission are welcome. We reserve the right to edit, reject, or comment editorially on all submitted material. We can not be held responsible for the return of any submitted materials. Articles and advertisements in Parenting Special Needs Magazine do not necessarily reﬂect the opinion of the publisher nor does the publisher assume responsibility for statements made by our advertisers or editorial contributors. Acceptance of advertising by Parenting Special Needs does not constitute an endorsement of products, services or information. Parenting Special Needs Magazine, is © 2014 Parenting Special Needs, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. PUBLISHED BY: Parenting Special Needs ,LLC 518 S. Valencia Circle S.W. Vero Beach, FL 32968

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editorial director from the heart

School Success...

Winston Churchill once said “success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”. Every one of us in our “special community” can benefit from understanding this...and have already chosen to do by virtue of “pressing onward” every day. It so happens that this month’s tie-in theme is “School Success”. We can all benefit from the incredible amount of tips and advice we have to share this month. These “lessons learned” are designed to save us effort, energy, frustration and most importantly.....time; the one resource we will never get back. I know all of us are back into the Fall school routine, so I hope you check out the articles that can assist you with the new year ahead of you. There is advice about IEPs and how to stay on top of them. We have an interesting new column called “How To...” where professionals AND parents share advice on a specific topic. As always, take a look around the magazine. I know there is something in there for each and every one of us. All the best,

Coming Next Issue Holiday Gift Guide

Chantai Snellgrove Founder and Editorial Director chantai@parentingspecialneeds.org

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psn community news

Sharing

updates

Zip Up Special Needs Awareness Campaign

What the Pink Ribbon is to Breast Cancer Awareness, Zip Up for Special Needs wanted an iconic symbol that would become their very own awareness product. Richard Kligman and his business partner came up with the idea for a zipper pull because “when you zip something up, you are bringing two sides together” and so the idea was born. Zipper Pulls will help spread our message of love & inclusion.

Nation’s First Catholic High School Exclusively for Students with Special Needs Veritas Christi, the nation’s ﬁrst Catholic high school exclusively for students with special needs, is planning to open the administrative ofﬁces as soon as possible followed by the school itself, in time for the January 2015 semester. A nationwide fundraising effort is currently underway. “Every child is valuable, every child has meaning, and every child deserves to get our very best every day, as teachers and administrators,” said Chip Clearwater, principal and co-founder of Veritas Christi. Chip is also the father of a daughter with special needs. For more information, please visit veritaschristi.com

Financial Aid Opportunities for Disabled Students Financing college is a complicated process and even more so for students with disabilities. Roadblocks such as full-time student requirements and unmet medical costs prevent many with disabilities from getting the ﬁnancial help they need. This resource provides a comprehensive list of scholarships catered to speciﬁc disabilities as well as links to organizations working to help people with disabilities pursue higher education. For more information,

www:zipupforspecialneeds.com

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visit: www.bestcolleges.com/ﬁnancial-aid/disabled-students/

SEPT/OCT 2014

‘

about our cover...

Great Giveaways Log on to parenting special needs.org click on CONTESTS and enter to WIN these great products.

Want in I t ? Wit! Look for this symbol on pages then enter to WIN at PSN Contests

Covered In Comfort from Ableplay

Time Tracker from Ableplay

Time Timer from Ableplay

The Everything Parent’s Guide to Special Education: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs from Adams Media

Stay in touch in order to W in! Like us on

Facebook.com/ Parenting Special Needs Magazine

Parenting Special Needs.org/ subscribe

Our “cover-girl” is 4 year old Mariana Pacheco. She comes from a large family of 5 brothers and 3 sisters. Mariana has been diagnosed with severe autism, sensory disorder anxiety and seizures. She has been mostly nonverbal, but has recently starting singing some words to some of her favorite songs because she loves music so much. Her grandparents are very proud that she is also saying “thank-you” and “welcome”. She is also very happy to be back in school as we can all see from the cover picture.

Cover Image Courtesy: Ticha King

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check it out! special products

NEW Products

Sprint Neurodiversity ID pack Sprint has launched the Neurodiversity ID pack, a unique bundle of best-in-class mobile applications targeted at helping individuals with cognitive and neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia. The ID pack is a collection of apps that can be downloaded with a single click that aims to help improve math and reading skills, provides educational tools, and offers developmental games for children in kindergarten through 12th grade, in addition to providing support apps for parents to accelerate learning and overcome communications barriers.

The Jenx Supine Stander and the Jenx Multistander Jiraffe has introduced a brand new range of vibrant colours to its most popular products from Jenx Ltd., the Jenx Supine Stander and the Jenx Multistander. The company has created a wider range of colours to make some of their most popular support much more bright, friendly and fun. www.jiraffe.org.uk

www.sprint.com

DynaVox T15 DynaVox T15 is a powerful, 15-inch, dynamic display tablet for individuals with advanced access needs, visual impairments or physical limitations. The T15 joins the DynaVox T10 as part of the groundbreaking T-Series suite of DynaVox touch-based, speechgenerating devices intended for those with aphasia, autism, cerebral palsy, cortical visual impairment, early ALS, locked-in syndrome and stroke. www.dynavoxtech.com

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check it out! special products

Some of these Special Products are available for Parenting Special Needs’ Contest Winners. To enter, click on CONTESTS on our site and register.

Products you can use and win!

Toys Bring Back to School Success

s summer is ending and the back to school ads are starting to appear, it’s time to get organized for a successful new school year. The fun and games don’t have to end because school bells are ringing! Schedules, transitions and new experiences can be challenging, but establishing a routine is one key to eliminating meltdowns. Create a “school hub” by the door complete with a combination calendar, magnet and dry erase board to keep track of important dates, events and papers for school. Include wall hooks or create cubbies for backpacks and other school supplies to keep track of everything.

W in it!

Help the morning rush to get out the door by preparing lunches, backpacks and even laying out clothes the night before. Making this an evening routine with your kids also provides quality time to prepare and discuss the next day’s events.

W in it!

Helpful Books for Parents of Children The Everything Parent’s Guide to Special Education: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs by Amanda Morin, Adams Media

Children with special needs who succeed in school have one thing in common-their parents are passionate and effective advocates. It’s not an easy job, but with TThe Everything Parent’s Guide to Special Education, you will learn how to evaluate, prepare, organize, and get quality services, no matter what your child’s disability. TThis valuable handbook gives you the tools you need to navigate the complex world of special education and services.

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Promote Independence

W in it!

Promote independence for your child’s morning routine by using products like the Time Tracker by Learning Resources, Time Timer or On-Task-On-Time Timer by Timely Matters which help boost confidence at the start of the day. Leave a trail of notes or other surprises for your child in their lunchbox, backpack and workbooks to put a smile on their face during the school day. Write things as simple as “I love you” or include a humorous reminder of desired behavior like, “Listening ears keep you in the clear!” Finally, feed your child’s sensory needs with innovative products like weighted binders and backpacks from Covered In Comfort, unique writing instruments from The Pencil Grip and fidget toys from the Therapy Shoppe. For more play ideas and toys for children with special needs go to www.ableplay.org. This website was created by the National Lekotek Center to encourage children of all abilities to experience the beneﬁts of play. Find us on Facebook. Reviewed by Ahren Hoffman, Manager of Industry Relations &Partnerships, National Lekotek Center; ahoffman@lekotek.org

with Special Needs 8 Keys to End Bullying: Strategies for Parents & Schools! by Signe Whitson, W. W. Norton & Company

Many books have peered into the psychology of bullying, but few have been able to synthesize what we know into 8 simple, targeted “keys” that equip educators, professionals, and parents with practical strategies to tackle the issue of bullying head-on. Adults can learn and implement many techniques including establishing meaningful connections with kids, creating a positive school climate and more.

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ÂŠ 2011 011 Fo Fox xB Broa r dcasting roadcast ttiing C Com ompa pan p ny

Lauren Potter - American Actress As an actress, Lauren has appeared on the hit show, Glee, but she is also an advisor to the White House for People with Intellectual Disabilities and appointed by President Obama. Lauren was born with Down Syndrome.

no limits!

Support Different-Ability Awareness

Geri Booth Life’s lessons

“Hurricane Taylor”...

eri Booth is a special mother who contributed to this issue’s “Real Moms Share” section. We asked her to give us an insight into herself, as well as into her life raising her daughter Taylor. We asked her a series of questions; some serious and some “just for fun”. See what she said...

Photos courtesy Geri Booth

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PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS: Tell us a little bit about yourself and family. Geri Booth: I really have no claim to fame. I’m just like the rest of you: just an “average Joe” (or average G, if you will). I’m married (second time around) and I have three very wonderful (and very different) children: my oldest daughter, 23, is in grad school; a son, 20, is working on finding his way in this thing called life and my youngest daughter, Taylor, is 9. She is the happiest, most lovable child you will ever meet. I try to help others in need. I think we should all do something every day to make someone smile. PSN: Tell us a little bit more about your child’s diagnosis and personality. GB: Taylor has a congenital brain malformation. She has epilepsy and is mentally disabled. I really aim to stay positive, no matter what struggles life may throw my way. I feel that the best way to deal with the challenges in life is to turn your focus outward, towards others. I love to make people happy. PSN: Will you share with us an experience, or lesson, you’ve learned on your journey raising a child with special needs? GB: We are celebrating Taylor’s 10th birthday soon. I’ve been doing a lot of reminiscing lately, since Taylor’s first few years of life were rather chaotic. 2004 was one of the most active hurricane seasons in the Tampa Bay area. It was also the year our daughter Taylor was born. Little did I know that weathering those storms was preparing me and teaching me valuable lessons for handling what life with Taylor would bring. I was 8 months pregnant when the first storm hit. Hurricane Charley. We were without power for 5 days: 8 months pregnant and no power is not a good combo. I told my husband that I couldn’t take another night of this. As we packed a bag and prepared to leave our home for the comfort of an air-conditioned hotel room, the power came on. First life lesson of the hurricane season - Just when you’re about to give up hope, hang on a little longer: it will get better.

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Family photo from Christmas 2011. A bit outdated but one of my favorites of all of us.

Frances was the next storm to come our way, about a week before Taylor was born. Wind and rain were the only effects of Frances for us, but just as soon as Frances passed us, we started to track Ivan. Second life lesson of the hurricane season - Just when you think the storm has passed, there’s usually another one approaching. Ivan was on a direct path for our area and was predicted to make landfall on September 13th, Taylor’s due date. The phone call arrived on Friday September 10th. I was at work. The call was from my doctor’s ofﬁce and it was short and sweet. “Be at the hospital at 6:00 tomorrow morning, we’re going to induce labor.” It turns out the hospital was located in the direct path that Ivan was projected to take. I was going to have a baby in less than 24 hours and would be leaving the hospital a day before a direct hit of a category 4 hurricane. I NEEDED SUPPLIES! The next Photos courtesy Geri Booth

day, September 11, 2004, Taylor was born. Hurricane Ivan ended up completely missing us. Third life lesson of the hurricane season - Do not worry for God is in control. There were two more storms that year, Frances & Jeanne. But it wasn’t until a couple of months after Taylor was born that the real storms hit. Our first few years with Taylor were consumed with doctors, tests, hospital stays and procedures. She had numerous health issues. By the time Taylor reached her first birthday, she was already seeing an Urologist, Cardiologist, Otolaryngologist (ENT), and a Neurologist. We were also consulting with a Geneticist. Besides treating all of her health problems, we were desperately seeking an elusive diagnosis. To me a diagnosis meant answers, support, and hope. If I could just find a name for what was causing all of her issues, wouldn’t it provide comfort? Ten years later and still no official diagnosis, I can tell you the answer is a resounding “No!” What I know now and what I came to realize after many years of a futile search for answers is that comfort, peace, and hope do not come from answers, they come from acceptance. They come when you stop trying to find answers, stop trying to find something (or someone) to blame, stop searching for reasons; when you start living your life with your precious gift. A gift - that is what Taylor is; a gift from God. We’ve been told before that we were chosen for Taylor; that she is blessed to have us as her parents. I don’t buy that at all. I say that my husband and I are the blessed ones. Taylor was chosen for us, not

the other way around. We needed Taylor in our lives. Looking back, I am amazed at how much my life has changed and how I have changed, all for the better. Final life lesson of the hurricane season - Storms may cause damage, darkness, despair but storms pass and are usually followed by rainbows: the most beautiful of God’s creations. PSN: What has therapy, early intervention, preschool or school been like for your daughter? GB: Taylor loves school. She loves being around her teachers and other kids. My husband and I both work and she has gotten used to being around a lot of kids. We’ve had challenges: Taylor seems to fall through the cracks. Because of her intellectual disabilities, she is placed in a classroom with very low functioning children. The other classes in her school’s ESE program are for much higher functioning children. Taylor may not be able to function as well as those children, but she loves the interaction with other kids and does have the ability to learn. This school year she has been spending about an hour a day in a higher functioning ESE class and she loves it. We’ve found that we have

Taylor and her Grandma

Taylor and her brother and sister, all dressed up for Purple Day, which is the day we wear purple for epilepsy awareness. SEPT/OCT 2014

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had to fight for everything for her, but as all special needs parents know, we are our children’s best advocates and we won’t stop fighting for them. PSN: What do you most want for your child? GB: I want her to always be happy. I want to be able to give her a life full of love and fun experiences. I want plenty of hugs, tickles and laughter in her life. I want her to know that she will always be loved and cared for. I hope, as she gets older, she will gain the skills she needs to have some independence and be able to enjoy her life as an adult with special needs. PSN: What do you know now that you wished you had known earlier?? GB: I really struggled early on in Taylor’s life. I had a difficult time dealing with, and accepting the fact that I had, a child that was not “normal”. I wish that there was a “What to Expect When You Have a Special Needs Child” book. Back then, I wish I were at the place I am now: positive, faithful, and happy. I wish that I didn’t have to go through such a dark time. I wish I had someone that would have told me, “You can do this. You are going to be okay.” My hope is to be that person for others. PSN: Do you have a proud moment about your child that you would like to share? GB: There have been so many and every accomplishment makes me just beam. I remember when she was starting to walk. It was so awesome to watch her cruise from couch to couch and then finally take a few independent steps. Of course, all parents have that moment; for us it just didn’t come until Taylor was about 5. The thing I am most proud about her now is that she is starting to follow directions. I just love it when I say “Taylor, go bring this to Daddy”, and she carries whatever I gave her over to her Daddy. She has the biggest smile on her face when she does. PSN: In conclusion, is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers? GB: Just know that you are not alone in your journey. There are so many wonderful people out there who are raising, and have raised, children

fun

Just for about Geri

What do you do to ﬁnd time for you? My husband and I have our “we” time. Sometimes my husband and I will take a day off from work and go to the beach while Taylor is in school. We are also fortunate to have a sitter that we trust, so we are able to go on the occasional weekend getaway. I also like the mani-pedi time, too Mommy timeout: Dream vacation? I love the beach, so anywhere that I can spend a day soaking up the sun and listening to the sounds of the waves is utopia for me: Fowl Cay or Necker Island in the Caribbean. Favorite Quote? One of my all-time favorites is from Mother Teresa: “We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do”.Your one makeup essential? I can’t say that I have one. The world needs…? The world needs more laughter. We need to laugh more, not take life so seriously. My job is? My job is to always be there to support my family Favorite wacky word or phrase? Taylor is nonverbal, but my husband and I make up words that we think she would use. Our favorite is “cation”, as in: “We’re going to Disney on ‘cation”.

with special needs. Find them. To those who have “been there, done that”, ﬁnd that parent who is new to all of this. Share with them. Know that our children are miracles; gifts from God. Take time to enjoy life with your precious gift. Have fun!Y PSN: Geri, thank you so much for sharing your experiences and for inspiring us with the lessons you have learned raising Taylor. Please visit Gerri at: www.dosomethingproject. blogspot.com/. Gerri says: I hope that, even though we may never meet, we become good friends. Photos courtesy Geri Booth

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THE DANGERS OF SCHEDULING YOUR CHILD!

VER

by Douglas Haddad, Ph.D.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Less is more.â&#x20AC;?

re todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children being for organized dance lessons by age - Ludwig Mies van der Rohe crammed with too three. (German-American modern architect) many activities? Many There is also the thought parents strive for keeping their that if a child is not exposed to childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schedule packed and something very early on in life, he/ live in constant fear that their child will become she wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever like it or become the next Michael an underachiever if he isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t occupied with â&#x20AC;&#x153;thingsPhelps or Gabby Douglas. There are families to-doâ&#x20AC;? all the time. Taking Billy to hockey practice that are always so busy where the weekends are on Mondays and then guitar lessons on Tuesdays, overtaken by traveling to sporting events. We see hockey games on the weekends, and religion kids getting involved in youth sports as early as school on Sundays, all the while bringing Sally pre-school and early elementary school where to dance on Wednesdays and Fridays and piano adults are trying to instill grown-up values and a lessons on Thursdays is not only time and money competitive nature on their child, trying to turn consuming and exhausting for you and your child, them into world-class athletes. but potentially dangerous for the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healthy development. DR. DOUGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIPS: A recent poll conducted by the Public s 3TEP OFF THE GAS PEDAL A BIT AND SLOW DOWN Broadcast Service and the National Parent Teacher Allow your child to discover his/her own passion Association found that four out of ďŹ ve parents organically by doing less. Invariably, children will believe there is a national trend toward overbe much happier, less anxious and depressed in scheduling children. Granted, parents have the best the long run and not hold resentment against of intentions for their children to be exposed to you for being forced to do something they a variety of things really didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ďŹ nd pleasurable in the ďŹ rst place. and develop skills Also, it will save you a lot of time, money, and in many areas of aggravation in futile, if not counterproductive, life at an early attempts at â&#x20AC;&#x153;keeping your child busy.â&#x20AC;? age. However, it is s "ALANCE h3TRUCTURED WITH 5NSTRUCTUREDv 0LAY important for many 4IME Kids should be getting a balance between parents to get past structured and unstructured play time. Sending the feeling of â&#x20AC;&#x153;not kids outside to play more often would not only doing enoughâ&#x20AC;? go a long way toward combating childhood for their child. obesity, but it would simultaneously allow kids Just because a kid to enjoy more unstructured play. The American enjoys dancing Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean she play outside as much as possible, for at least 60 has to be registered

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advice REAL LIFE allowed to run around, put together legos, or play house. BENEFIT: Improves the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to problem solve s +EEP IT FUN Encourage physical activity by allowing your child to play unorganized, pickup games in the neighborhood. This allows kids to be creative, make up their own rules, regulate themselves, ďŹ x problems and resolve conďŹ&#x201A;icts as they occur, all while having fun and getting exercise. For more information on empowering your child and assisting in his/her maturation, decisionmaking, overall development and becoming super healthy, check out Dr. Dougâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ofďŹ cial website: www. douglashaddad.comY $OUGLAS (ADDAD 0H $. (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dr. Dougâ&#x20AC;?) is a public school teacher, nutritionist and the author of parenting/child guidance book Save Your Kidsâ&#x20AC;Ś Now! The Revolutionary Guide To Helping Youth Conquer Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Challenges and co-author of Top Ten Tips For Tip Top Shape: Super Health Programs For All Professional Fields..

Image Courtesy Facebook Friends

minutes a day and especially when the weather is still nice outside - they should take it while they can get it. Unfortunately, almost half of our children arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t getting outside, while technology has taken up much of their time. School-aged children should be getting 1-2 hours of play time a day, split between structured and unstructured play time. For younger kids, break it up into 15-20 minute bouts. This allows them to do different activities and maintain focus and interest better. Example of a structured activity: A child throws a ball into a basket. BENEFIT: Improves coordination and overall motor abilities Example of an unstructured activity: A child is

How To

Effectively Communicate On Your Child’s Behalf by Jan Salhoff

am by no means an expert in this area, however, on the subject of effective communication with a child’s teacher, I have had a great deal of experience on both sides of the teacher’s desk. I was an elementary teacher. I have a child with disabilities who is currently enrolled in the public school system. There have been children from all walks of life (and all intellectual levels) enter my classroom. They all came with their gifts and challenges. Their respective parents were part of my classroom as well, as I tried to keep the whole family informed on our classroom activities. Each year, I had several children with IEP’s. They had resource classes for reading and/or math daily. In addition, some received physical therapy and speech therapy. Although it was not my responsibility to write or execute the IEP’s (it was the responsibility of the resource teacher), it was my responsibility to make sure everyone communicated with the parent through me. On the ﬂip side of my role as a teacher, I also am the parent of a special needs child. My daughter has an IEP, and is in a self-contained classroom. I was fortunate that she attends the same school where I taught. I’ve since retired to be able to be home with my children and not work outside of the home. Here are some best practices on how to effectively communicate with your child’s school and teacher. I’ve learned after being on both sides of the ‘ teacher’s desk.

Make yourself known. Introduce yourself. Communicate (email or on paper) 22

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Introduce yourself in the beginning of the school year to everyone that works with your child, from the Principal to the Teacher Assistant(s). Offer to help the teacher in any way you can, whether it be in the classroom, sending in supplies, etc. Arrange to meet with the teacher and provide a letter of introduction for your child to the above mentioned people. In that letter, explain any allergies, their likes/dislikes. Anything you can provide to a teacher in writing to tell more about your child is helpful. (Yes, teachers all get the standard forms parents complete at the beginning of the year, but a personal note about your child hand delivered by you enables the teacher to remember your child more speciﬁcally). Get and give email addresses for those people. Keep them informed as to what’s going on at home. Sometimes even the smallest thing will be very helpful to them. Example – a sick pet, upcoming birthday, etc can really distract a child. By advising your child’s teachers, it keeps the teacher informed. Homework. Do not do your child’s homework for them. 99% of the time homework is a communication

advice real life

Maria Corwin Hall Family Snapshot: My 3 sons, Tristan,10; Jayson, 7; and Nicholas, 5, each have a different diagnosis. Tristan was born with down syndrome, Jayson was born slightly delayed because he was 10 weeks early and my son, Nicholas, has seizures. Each one of my sons are strong, but they are different from each other. They have a baby brother, Declan, age 3.

tool to show the parent what the child is learning in school. Give guidance, but don’t tell them how to do it “your way”. Instead, write an email to the teacher saying your child did not understand the homework. That enables the teacher to address the homework and re-teach in a different manner. Read with your child every night. Do not read to them unless they are unable to read. Have patience. If you are having a challenging time with a teacher, please do your best to work it out with the teacher ﬁrst. Do keep a paper trail, whether it be emails, some type of electronic note keeping, written (day/date/topic) in a notebook. It is crucial to document all communication about your child with anyone whom is working with them. In summary, always keep the lines of communication open with anyone who is working with your child, whether it be a religious leader, scout leader, medical personnel, or educator. You are the ultimate coordinator for your child, and it is your responsibility to do so for their well-being. Y

Resolution: I have come up with several tricks that I use frequently for communicating with the school, teachers and the para-professionals. One of the most important things is to not back down. Do not be intimidated by what they say. Yes, they have knowledge and/or experience, but you are your child’s parent. You are their advocates and their voices. It’s important to establish a teamwork based approach to come up with plans together. When it comes to getting our children into a school, communicate, back and forth, what works and what doesn’t. Truly get to know who you are working with. With my two older children, we started to work together right away. Some of the ways that we became a team was to have a very “open door” policy. If we introduced something new from home, that was working for our children, the other side (school) could help build on it, and vice versa. While we worked out the IEP strength based plan, we discussed goals from both sides. We discussed the strengths and weaknesses; how to keep the strengths sustained while improving upon the weaknesses while striving to meet the goals. We also worked out how to handle the summer break in order to keep using those practices so that progress was not lost. We are always in communication with their teachers, para’s, etc... Communication is very important so that we always keep coming up with new goals when older ones are met. We want to keep “strengths strong” and help the weaknesses to get stronger. Our team is one of The Corwin Hall Family earned ,open trust. Y SEP/OCT 2014

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

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How To Monique Duell Family Snapshot: I have 2 handsome sons: Ronald, 16, who has ADHD and Jeremiah,13, who has been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (Spastic Diaplegia). I am also a caregiver to my adult brother who has severe autism and Epilepsy. Both of my sons attend school in PG County. My oldest goes to regular high school (and has an IEP) while my youngest goes to a special needs school and also has an IEP. Resolution: I was having issues with my youngest sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s school. The staff wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t properly diapering him and properly re-dressing him afterwards. In addition, they were sending home the wrong clothes which, by the way, is very unsanitary! They even sent home the wrong communication books, folders and forms with personal info on it including social security numbers. I was not a happy mother! I addressed this issue by ďŹ rst communicating it to his teacher and paraprofessional in the notebook that they send home daily and via email. I thought this should resolve it, but it got worse. His labeled supplies (wipes, diapers, change of clothes) were vanishing and I was being asked every week to send in more. I was livid when I sent in a tub of 400 wipes on a Monday and by Friday they asked me to send in more. I was disappointed, sad and hurt. These werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t new staff members or new to my son, either. He had been attending this particular school over 5 years. It was time to go to the principal! The principal assured me that these issues wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen again! I have a good rapport with the school: I know everyone and they know us. I was relieved! I make it a habit of just dropping in unannounced to see if my childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-being is still up to parr. Remember parents, we are our childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a sin to address whomever is responsible for abuse or neglect of your children. If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not right, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not right! Take action!Y Monique Duell is the author of â&#x20AC;&#x153;How Do I Handle A Special Needs Childâ&#x20AC;??

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Jeremiah is on the left and Ronald is on the right.

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Richard Branson - Entrepeneur

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As a fearless business magnate, Richard has pioneered many new avenues of business: Passenger Aviation, Music, Retail, Cellular Communication, and even Space Travel. His challenges with Dyslexia have proven to be a source for discovering new strengths within himself.

no limits!

Support Different-Ability Awareness

Mommyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Timeout : T ake a time out and use V isualization Meditation to relax. Imagine yourself here with the beauty of fall and the sound of the cascading waterfalls. Take a couple of deep breaths and begin to let go of any stress. Tiadaghton State Forest, Lycoming County, along the Golden Eagle Trail. Wolf Run, a tributary of Pine Creek, has carved a deep gorge through the Allegheny Plateau. Photos courtesy of ÂŠ Nicholas A. Tonelli/flicker.com Music courtesy Ryan Judd www.TheRhythmTree.com

breathing space your life

THE HIGH COST OF by Cynthia Carr Falardeau

can’t even begin to explain what it was like to see our son, Wyatt, open the elementary school production of “Rock & Roll Forever.” This was the same child who was once so fearful of noises that we couldn’t get him into the school cafeteria. Yet, there he stood in front of 200 people. At 11, he was tall, proud and belting out the opening lines. It was a far cry from Wyatt’s ﬁrst six years of nonverbal communication. He hated wearing clothing and ate nothing but PediaSure, peanut butter and aerosol cheese. He was completely inconsolable unless he was attached to my body. Looking back, I really don’t know how my husband, Jim, and I ever managed. We knew early on that Wyatt was not making the developmental milestones. But at the time, they did not diagnose children before the age of 4 with an autism spectrum disorder. As Wyatt neared his second birthday, I knew two things: I couldn’t ﬁx him, and I needed a job to pay for what insurance would not cover. Although Jim was a successful securities broker, we knew we were going to need additional income to fund the therapy services. Desperate, I began to reinvent myself. I had been successful as an assistant store manager. However, I knew I could not maintain my weekly 60-hour schedule and care for our son. I began to network with key community leaders and tried to apply for administrative assistant positions. These jobs would allow me to work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. I was determined

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SEP/OCT 2014

not to be deterred by the fact that the pay was half of what I made in my previous career. I was desperate to find a way to secure $20,000 to $25,000 a year and foot the estimated bill of providing intensive therapy. Six months before Wyatt’s third birthday, I landed a job with a nonprofit. For the first time in my life, I didn’t even negotiate the salary. I took it. It was my son’s ticket to a new life. The test of my mental and physical endurance had just begun. We enrolled Wyatt in the school district’s voluntary prekindergarten program when he turned 3. The school was 30 minutes from our home. To manage, I worked from home between 5 and 7 a.m. I took a quick shower and then drove him to school. I would run back to get him, deposit him at a local day care for a few hours and then run him to therapies. I worked off the hood of my car and at night. I was frazzled and completely sleep deprived. Wyatt was evaluated and diagnosed with an ASD a few weeks after his fourth birthday. The series of evaluations were yet another bill not covered by insurance. His therapy regimen involved speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy and behavior therapies. He saw each therapist for an hour twice a week. The average cost for these one-hour sessions was $90. The monthly cost of services was $2,880 ($28,710 each year after insurance). Our private insurance company only covered 65 visits a year.

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics this week found the average lifetime cost of supporting an individual with an autism spectrum disorder is $2.4 million By the time Wyatt was 5, we had started to brace ourselves for the reality that he might never speak. Without any hesitation, we purchased a $7,800 communication assistance device called a DynaVox. We also invested in an evaluation by a pediatric clinical psychologist. That was another $2,000 not covered by insurance. We felt these tools were necessary in helping to give our son a voice and to assist the school district in developing his Individualized Education Plan. The good news is that Wyatt was hooked on the DynaVox from the beginning. He went from 6 tiles to 42 in a matter of months. Then the most miraculous thing happened: He wanted to use his voice. We pushed on, with the support of the school team, to ﬁnd things that would motivate his compliance and speech. By Wyatt’s seventh birthday, he could string together words, and his speech could be understood in contextual situations. We continued this rigorous therapy schedule until Wyatt was almost 8. As he neared his ninth birthday, I think Wyatt and I both hit a wall. We were burnt out on therapies. He

wanted to try new after-school activities. Jim and I also needed a break. A couple weeks before Wyatt finished third grade last year, I got a call I could not have anticipated. Our trusted school team felt Wyatt was ready to go to his neighborhood school. After years of driving to the north and south part of our county for Wyatt to attend schools with intensive services, our boy was going to attend the school across the street from our house. In that moment, I flashed back to the little boy who I dropped off at preschool -- his red little face smeared with tears and snot; his green eyes seared with anger. I remembered feeling despicable for leaving him there. Then I turned and looked at a recent photo of Wyatt on my desk. The school coordinator said, “Mrs. Falardeau ... are you still there?” Speechless, I paused and said, “I never thought this day would come.” I fell apart and started to cry uncontrollably. They were tears of thanksgiving. We are now debt free. Looking back, we never really questioned the mounting debt. We believed with all of our heart that it would eventually pay off. The financial sacrifices we made were worth every penny. We feel that Wyatt’s story is a testimony to the value of intensive early intervention. His progress continues, but we will never forget that emotional anguish. Our story is not unlike many other parents of children with special needs. In fact, I often feel guilt or experience survivor’s syndrome. I know that other parents have spent more, tried alternative therapies, and risked more than we have. Their children are still nonverbal and noncompliant. That angst continues to drive me to write and raise funds on their behalf. My prayer is that through my writing and fundraising for Autism Speaks, we can encourage other parents. And in some small way, play a part in supporting valuable research and services for those families who still yearn to hear their child speak and to be independent.Y

SEP/OCT 2014

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

your life advice

10 Tips for the

NEW SCHOOL YEAR by Lynda Sloan Allen

s I thought about what a new school year means for parents of a child with special needs, I came up with some ideas to help make this school year the best it can be. My hope is that these reminders and guidelines will lift you up when you need it most!

1. Parents, remember to take care of yourselves so you are able to continue to take care of others. We can only give out what we have inside ourselves and we must be in our greatest balance to be able to take care of our loved ones.

2. Along those same lines, inside yourself you must know that you are always doing an amazingly wonderful job for your son or daughter because you are doing the very best you can with all that you can do and all that you know in the present moment.

3. Remember out loud for yourself, and for and with your child, what you are grateful for. Do it every day. Do it especially every morning and even throughout the day. Living with an attitude of gratitude will bring more things to be grateful for.

4. Without a vision, the people perish. And, this is one of the greatest truths for your son or daughter. Your greatest vision…yes, your in-your-heart-you-know-what-can-befor-your-child plan is your guide. You must have a plan that evolves along with your child.

5. You know your child better than anyone. This means that you also have the awesome responsibility that comes with that knowing. Along with all you do for your child, you must recognize it is up to you to convey that information in such a way that you help others know your child, too.

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6. How many times have we heard this: Rome was not built in a day? Your child’s development and growth will come a day at a time. And, everything you need to get done, will get done. It will happen… although you may need to make some adjustments to what you expect will happen. Everything comes in time…and not necessarily when or how you wanted it.

7. You are the chosen leader of your child’s team and you get to decide how to lead his/her team. Convey your beliefs, your hopes, your dreams for your child with such enthusiasm that every team member has no choice but to catch it! At the same time, make sure you love and care for every member of your team just as if they are your best employees!

8. With the help of your team, you will be developing a comprehensive and individualized plan for your child. However, sometimes the professionals are not able to work as a team. So, you take the lead yourself or ﬁnd someone who can. You will pull it all together to create an amazing plan to develop your child personally, socially, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

9. Your child is your priority, of course, but cannot possibly be everyone else’s. And, what is happening for your child is the most important thing to YOU, but/and not necessarily for others. My grandfather used to say:“This cut on my ﬁnger hurts more than your broken arm”. It’s how we humans are; focused on ourselves and on our loved ones. Just remember this if you don’t get the reaction or response you’d hoped for.

10. Remember everything ~ yes, everything ~ happens for a reason. We must trust and believe this truth because it is a humble reminder that we don’t know what we don’t know. Perhaps there are reasons beyond our awareness or understanding that must be…and maybe we’ll get to know them in time.Y Lynda Sloan Allen, is the owner of Make Your Mark in Life Learning Center in Vero Beach, FL. Lynda is the leader of a team of extraordinary tutors who focus on the whole development of the child by developing cognitive/brain and social/ emotional skills along with academics in every tutoring session. Her website is filled with great information: www.makeyourmarklearningcenter.com

Treasure Coast Down Syndrome Awareness Group’s 7th Annual

SUNDAY October 12th, 2014 9:00a.m. – 1:00 p.m. INDIAN RIVERSIDE PARK

1707 NE Indian River Drive Jensen Beach FL 34957 Register on line: www.ds-stride.org/treasurecoastbuddywalk 501-c3 Non-Profit Organization $15 per person or $40 for family of 4, Includes Buddy Walk T-shirts and Food Donations can be made on line at: www.tcdownsyndromeag.org Or by check to TCDSAG PO Box 326, Hobe Sound, FL 33475 You may also register at the event – T-shirts provided while supply last. For more information please call: 772-266-3211

your life bookshelf essentials

Special Education & Parenting Classics Parenting classics that are informative, inspiring and will surely help expand your parenting skills 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12 by Thomas W. Phelan

Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition by Pam Wright & Pete Wright Originally published in 2002, this second edition will teach you how to plan, prepare, organize and get quality special education services. You will learn your child’s disability and educational needs, how to create a simple method for organizing your child’s ﬁle and devising a master plan for your child’s special education. Whether you are new to special education or not, this book will provide a clear roadmap.

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

SEPT/OCT 2014

This revised edition addresses the difﬁcult task of child discipline with humor, keen insight, and proven experience. The technique offers a foolproof method of disciplining children ages two through 12 without arguing, yelling, or spanking. By means of three easy-to-follow steps, parents learn to manage troublesome behavior, encourage good behavior, and strengthen the parent-child relationship. Ten strategies for building a child’s self-esteem and the six types of testing and manipulation a parent can expect from the child are discussed.

How to Talk so Your Kids Will Listen and Listen so Your Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish You Can Stop Fighting With Your Chidren! Here is the bestselling book (originally published in 1999) that will give you the “know–how” you need to be more effective with your children and more supportive of yourself. Praised by parents and professionals around the world, the down–to–earth, respectful approach makes relationships with children of all ages less stressful and more rewarding. Their methods of communication, illustrated with cartoons, offer innovative ways to solve common problems.

The Out of Sync Child

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by Carol Kranowitz

Views from Our Shoes: Growing Up with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs:

This book broke new ground by identifying Sensory Processing Disorder, a common, but frequently misdiagnosed, problem in which the central nervous system misinterprets messages from the senses. This newly revised edition features additional information from recent research on vision and hearing deﬁcits, motor skill problems, nutrition and picky eaters, ADHA, autism, and other related disorders.

special

resources

Edited by Donald Joseph Meyerh Published in 1997, 45 siblings share their experiences as the brother or sister of someone with a disability. The children range from four to eighteen and are the siblings of youngsters with a variety of special needs, including autism, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, ADD and hydrocephalus, among others. Their personal tales introduce young siblings to others like them and allow them to compare experiences. A glossary of disabilities provides easy-tounderstand deﬁnitions of many of the conditions mentioned.

Holiday Gifts, Online Parents and Professionals Partnering for Children With Disabilities: A Dance That Matters by Janice M. Fialka, Arlene K. Feldman, Karen C. Mikus Cultivate effective partnerships between parents and professionals. Originally published in 1999 as “Do you hear what I hear?” this revised edition is written from both the parents’ and the professionals’ point of view. This book draws upon the metaphor of dance to highlight the essential partnership between teachers, administrators, support staff and parents of children with disabilities. Rich with humor and heart, the book offers helpful steps for self-reﬂection, personnel preparation, and parent-professional training.

SEPT/OCT 2014

Specialty Stores, 1RQ SURÀWV Charitable Giving

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TIPS

to Keep on Top of Your Child’s IEP by Amanda Morin

nce your child’s IEP is written, you may feel like you can breathe a sigh of relief, especially if it’s been a difﬁcult process to get an Individualized Education Program put into place. And you should breathe—you’ve successfully navigated a big hurdle. For many parents, new worries replace that initial wave of relief. Is the school following the plan? Is your child getting the services she needs? Is she making progress? It’s not always easy to get answers to these questions. Luckily, there are some ways to monitor the situation without making it your full-time job. Here are some ways to keep on top of your child’s IEP

1. KNOW IEP TIMELINES. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) outlines a number of deadlines when it comes to the IEP process. After your child’s IEP is written, the school has 10 calendar days in which to put services into place. If your child’s IEP is rolling over from last school year, the program should be in place the ﬁrst day of school. Mark the deadline on your calendar. A few days prior to that date, check in with the team leader to make sure all the pieces of your child’s program are ready to go.

2. KNOW YOUR CHILD’S PROGRAM. You went to the meeting and have read the IEP, but do you know what your child’s program is going to look like in practice? Learn your child’s schedule and ask for the names of the people who will be working with her. It gives you the opportunity to check in with your child (“Did you spend some time working with Mr. Smith today?”) and provides you with more than one point of contact if you have questions.

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PARENTING SPECIAL SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG NEEDS.ORG PARENTING

NOV?DEC2014 2012 SEP/OCT

3. MAKE A POINT TO MEET YOUR CHILD’S SPECIAL EDUCATORS. Although there’s a case manager to oversee your child’s IEP, the people who work directly with her have a better sense of her progress. Try to take a little time to connect with the paraprofessional or specialists working with your child. It doesn’t have to be in person—busy schedules may not allow for that. But if you make a phone call or send an email to introduce yourself, it shows the specialists that you’re interested and involved. Once you’ve made that connection, ask what the best way to keep in touch is. Let specialists know that you’d like to be informed of both difﬁculties and triumphs, no matter how big or small. It’s also a good idea to set a goal of how often you will check in and to share that. Saying something as simple as “I’ll email or call you every two weeks so we can compare notes on how things are going, what day is good for you?” indicates that you’re not asking permission to be in touch, but that you want to work in a way that’s convenient for everybody.

Photo courtesy ©woodleywonderworks/flickr.com

Goal

4. WATCH AND READ BETWEEN THE LINES. Keep an eye on whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming home from school and what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing in your child. Does the homework look appropriate for the goals and accommodations in her IEP? Is your child having behavioral backslides or showing signs of stress? Is she saying things that sound as if the plan isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t being followed? Are you seeing visible progress?

5. KEEP A GOAL CHART TO TRACK PROGRESS.

Benchmarks

Notes/Observations

Questions for School

Will increase reading s -AKES THE CORRECT Why is she able s /N 4UESDAY SHE TOLD readiness skills sound when shown to recognize the me that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mâ&#x20AC;? makes the in terms of letter a letter sound a letter â&#x20AC;&#x153;mmmâ&#x20AC;? sound. knowledge, decoding s )DENTIlES THE CORRECT s /N 4HURSDAY SHE WASN T makes, but not and word recognition letter when given a able to say â&#x20AC;&#x153;mmmâ&#x20AC;? when I tell me the sound to kindergarten level sound when she sees showed her an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mâ&#x20AC;? by the end of second s #AN IDENTIFY THE lRST s )N THE PAST TWO WEEKS the letter? What semester as measured middle and last letters sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s started recognizing should I do to words like â&#x20AC;&#x153;cat, rat, bat, hat.â&#x20AC;? work on that? by grade-level reading in a 3-letter word. tests.

Goal

Benchmarks

Notes/Observations

Questions for School

Will increase ability to manage toileting skills independently 3 out of 5 times by June as measured by teachercollected data.

s 'ETS SELF TO BATHROOM safely. s -ANAGES CLOTHING independently. s 0OSITIONS SELF ON TOILET s &LUSHES s 7ASHES AND DRIES hands by self.

s (AVING TROUBLE UNBUTTONing pants, but not getting to the bathroom. s .EEDS REMINDERS TO CLOSE the door. s )S WASHING HANDS MORE consistently.

Are you noticing trouble with certain types of clothing more than others?

Your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IEP includes measurable annual goals. They outline the skills your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team agreed she needs to acquire. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re based on where her skill level is now and where those skills will be by the end of the IEP year. If you think of your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education as being a road trip, the goals tell you where sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going, the route sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to take and when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expected to arrive. Special education law no longer requires that those year-long goals be broken down into smaller steps that help you see progress (known as benchmarks). The benchmarks are the landmarks sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll stop at along the way on her educational road trip. Those landmarks are a great way to keep track of how your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey is going. Making a goal chart can help you see when sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made it to the landmarks. A goal chart doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be complicated. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy enough to make one. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a quick rundown: Y Look at the goals on your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IEP. Y Break down each goal into smaller steps. Those benchmarks arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always obvious, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good idea to check in with the IEP team leader if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not sure. You can ask,â&#x20AC;&#x153;What are the skills I should be looking for along the way to see if my child is making progress?â&#x20AC;? Y Write down each step. For example, if your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal is to increase reading readiness skills in terms of letter knowledge, decoding and word recognition, the steps might include:

s )S ABLE TO MAKE THE CORRECT SOUND WHEN SHOWN A letter s )S ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CORRECT LETTER WHEN GIVEN A sound s #AN IDENTIFY THE lRST MIDDLE AND LAST LETTERS IN A 3-letter word Y Make a chart with four columns headed: Goal, Benchmarks, Notes/Observations, and Questions for School. Add as many rows as you need to put in all of your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goals and benchmarks. Y In the ďŹ rst column, write one of the IEP goals. Add the benchmarks in the next column. Y Use last two columns to make notes about what you see your child doing and to note questions you have for your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teachers. That way theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already written down for the next time you check in. Keep in mind you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to implement all of these ideas to make sure your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IEP is being followed. Even doing one or two of them can ensure that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on top of things before an educational crisis arises. Most of all trust your instincts. If something doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel right, get in touch with the IEP team leader to schedule a team meeting to discuss your concerns. Y Amanda Morin, is an early intervention specialist, education writer, special education advocate and mother of two children with special needs. Her latest book, The Everything Parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide to Special Education, aims to demystify the special education process and empower parents.

SEP/OCT 2014

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

BEST PRIVATE

SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES by Laura Kilmartin

very student has individual learning abilities. While in many cases, one of the goals of a comprehensive education is inclusion of all students of a particular age or grade level into the same classroom, at times some students’ needs are better served in a more focused setting. From early intervention through high school, teachers and parents may decide that a student would beneﬁt from a learning experience that combines smaller classrooms and purposeful activities with trained faculty who are educated to understand a student’s particular abilities.

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

SEPT/OCT 2014

Our website acknowledges that it is not always productive, or accurate, to combine a range of learning styles and needs under a single category. A child with a hearing loss does not have the same needs as a student who has been diagnosed with autism. In the future, we would like to compile separate lists to evaluate the myriad schools that exist for specific needs. But, with the acknowledgment of the imperfect terms, the editors hope to begin with this list entitled 50 Best Private Special Needs Schools in the United States. The umbrella term is used basically to designate any student who has difficulty with success in an academic environment, whether because of the need for a physical accommodation, a cognitive challenge, or an emotional obstacle. Schools for students with special needs address academic, physical, social, and/or emotional issues. In this list, specific services provided by each ranked school are outlined. The editors considered both boarding and day schools for this list, and when a ranked boarding school offers day school options, it is noted. Selections were made based on the following: 1. The school has a rich curriculum based on variety of offerings/tools to service its students. 2. The school has a low student-teacher ratio, which is important to schools which serve all types of learning abilities, but when students struggle in more than one area, the student’s learning experience is enhanced by specialized attention from a trained teacher. Many of the schools chosen have a faculty of whom over 50% possess Master’s degrees or above. 3. The school has won awards for teaching, excellence, or architecture. 4. The school offers unique programs which transcend the basic academic curricula, like animal therapy, links to colleges, online learning options, sports, or art. N.B. The language in this article takes its cue from the individual school’s designation. For example, if a school refers to its students as having special needs, learning disabilities (LD), learning (dis) abilities, or learning differences, our editors followed suit in that school’s write up. The editors have attempted to create as geographically diverse a selection as possible while representing the schools which best fall under the methodology. All stated tuition prices are subject to change; stated pricing may be approximate, and does not include additional fees such as entry or incidental fees, costs for books, meals, technology, or medical care.

BEST PRIVATE

SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES

1 2. Little Keswick School, Keswick, VA The Devereux Glenholme School, Washington, CT The Glenholme School is a therapeutic boarding school for young people with Asperger’s, attention deﬁcit disorder, depression, anxiety, and other social and emotional learning differences. Its goal is to meet its students’ individual needs and prepare them for college and post-graduation employment through customized tutoring, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and individual and family positive behavior therapy. Glenholme students enjoy the school’s acclaimed equestrian and theatre arts programs and have the opportunity to take part in school-wide community service. Profile: co-ed therapeutic boarding school for ages 10-21 Student-Faculty Ratio: 4:1 Tuition: $119,720/year www.theglenholmeschool.org

Boys come to Little Keswick School with moderately severe emotional and social challenges, as well as academic learning disabilities. Through focused assessment and creation of individualized learning plans, the school prepares students to successfully navigate social situations and future academic endeavors. Trained teachers and clinical specialists work with each student to set academic and behavioral goals, and the school provides individual, group, and family therapy to reinforce positive management of emotions and behavior. In addition to instruction in academic subjects, students have the opportunity to participate in art, woodworking, sports, and the equestrian program. Profile: all-boys therapeutic boarding school for ages 9-15 Student-Faculty Ratio: 7:1 Awards: Partlow Insurance Best Practice Award (2011) Tuition: $106,294/year www.littlekeswickschool.net

This article contains the ﬁrst10 schools on the list. To view the entire list of schools, please click here.

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PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

BEST PRIVATE

SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES

3. Brehm Preparatory School, Carbondale, IL Brehm self-describes as a boarding school which holistically addresses the academic, social, and emotional needs of students with complex learning disabilities and learning differences. The 90-student school employs 150 faculty/ staff who work with each student on a multi-tiered schedule, in which beginning students benefit from intensive, one-on-one instruction and then progress, as their needs and desires dictate, to more general classes of 8 or 9 students taught at grade level. Brehm employs five full-time speech language pathologists and its program is known for significant offerings in educational technology, including digitized textbooks and Kurzweil literary software. Profile: co-ed boarding school for grades 6-12 with day school options Student-Faculty Ratio: 5.7:1 Awards: named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Department of Education Tuition: $66,900/year boarding; $41,400/year day www.brehm.org

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

4. Triad Academy at Summit School, Winston-Salem, NC Triad Academy, a division of Summit School, provides the extra attention required by students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences. As a school, Summit’s goal is to inspire its students to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively. By making available specially trained teachers and individualized classes, Triad Academy permits students to learn the techniques and gain the help they need in order to succeed in a traditional classroom environment. Students at Triad concentrate on developing their unique talents in all subjects, and daily partake in two hours of language development, with step-by-step reinforcement of knowledge gained in all subjects. With this knowledge ﬁrmly in place, students may then transition to a different division of Summit School, aware of how their learning styles work, and knowing that the teachers and methods they gained at Triad Academy are still here to support them. Profile: co-ed day school for grades 1-9 Student-Faculty Ratio: 3:1 (remediation classes); 8:1 (content classes) Awards: nominated for Best Private School by Triad Moms on Main (blog) (2011); one of Ask.com’s Top Eleven Private Learning Disabilities School in the United States and Canada Tuition: $27,800/year www.summitschool.com

5. The Vanguard School, Lake Wales, FL After The Vanguard School was directly hit by three hurricanes in 2004, the entire campus was renovated or rebuilt, and the school, started in 1960, re-opened with new dormitories, classrooms, administrative buildings, clinic, and a Visual and Performing Arts Center. With both boarding and day school options, Vanguard serves students aged 10 through high school, and also offers a unique post-graduate program to help students prepare for the transition between high school and either college, vocational school, or the working world. The school serves students whose struggles with Asperger’s Syndrome, dyslexia, dyscalculia, or an attention deficit affect academic progress, but it does not provide therapy to students with signiﬁcant behavioral needs. Vanguard is known particularly for its competitive sports teams— students have the opportunity to play myriad sports with area schools—and for its emphasis on life preparation. Graduating students are awarded either an academic diploma if they plan to go on to college, or a practical arts diploma if their goal is to pursue a vocation or career. Profile: all-boys therapeutic boarding school for ages 9-15 Student-Faculty Ratio: 7:1 Awards: Partlow Insurance Best Practice Award (2011) Tuition: $106,294/year www.vanguardschool.org

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6.The Hill Center, Durham, NC The Hill Center helps students with learning differences and attention deficit disorders understand and accommodate their educational needs. Each student attends the Hill Center for part of his/her school day, and returns to his/her own private or public school for the rest of the day, allowing him/ her to effectively transition to traditional school full time after individualized instruction is completed (usually in 3-4 years). The Hill Center provides specialists who acknowledge academic difficulties, such as spelling and math comprehension, and social struggles, such as immature behavior and trouble standing still, who teach students to understand their learning differences. While graduates of The Hill Center learn the skills to successfully integrate in a mainstream school, they have not suppressed their personalities or unique ways. Rather, they leave with a keen understanding of their own learning styles and the tools they will need to succeed in a world that doesn’t always embrace learning differences. After participating in The Hill Center’s individualized, multisensory instruction, students gain the self-confidence, motivation, and knowledge they will need to successfully negotiate their future education. Profile: co-ed day school for grades K-12 Student-Faculty Ratio: 4:1 Awards: Social Impact Exchange National Business Plan Competition (2013) Tuition: $17,300/year (3 hours daily instruction) www.hillcenter.org

private schools in focus 10. Chartwell School, Seaside, CA

8. Ann Arbor Academy, Ann Arbor, MI

7. New Leaf Academy, Bend, OR New Leaf Academy offers therapeutic services for pre-adolescent and adolescent girls who grapple with behavioral issues which prevent them from succeeding academically and adjusting socially. The school is designed to help girls learn to make healthy choices; from making friends and following school rules to eating well and studying, New Leaf Academy attends to each student’s needs and aims to assist in the personal growth required for each girl to become a successful, positive woman. Nestled in the heart of mountainous Bend, the program features equine studies, team sports, dance classes, and various electives including artistic expression, modern history, and gardening. Profile: all-girls therapeutic boarding school for ages 10-15 Student-Faculty Ratio: 6:1 Tuition: $87,000/year (includes summer program) www.newleafacademy.com

Ann Arbor Academy’s middle and high school programs work with students of average to above-average intelligence whose learning needs—autism, languagebased disabilities, or attention disorders—require particular attention to certain academic subjects or personal management. While the school serves the needs of students within a particular age range, it does not assume that one’s age or grade corresponds to one’s skill set. Rather than unceremoniously distributing grades, Ann Arbor Academy analyzes students’ performance based on individual progress, and each student’s strengths and weaknesses are assessed, worked on, and discussed with parents/guardians throughout the school year. Among its many offerings, the school supports an “experiential learning” trip to Europe for upper level students, and emphasizes self-advocacy and personal organization techniques for all learners. Profile: co-ed day school for grades 4-12 Student-Faculty Ratio: 5:1 Tuition: $16,000/year www.annarboracademy.org

This article contains the first 10 schools on the list. To view the entire list of schools, please click here.

9. Oakland School, Keswick, VA Located in Keswick, Virginia, notable for its preRevolutionary past, Oakland School is both established and cutting-edge. The historic grounds provide a peaceful setting for students with learning differences and communication needs to focus on academic subjects and personal progress. As a supportive educational community, Oakland School addresses its students’ needs by creating small classes which focus on reading and math skills, including its unique Upward Lift program, an intense summer school for reading education. In addition to its superior academic curriculum, the school emphasizes the importance of character development and encourages its students to demonstrate traits such as respect, trustworthiness, and citizenship. After participating in a rich curriculum supplemented by art education, literature appreciation, and life skills modeling, students leave Oakland School ready to transition into their next educational step. Profile: co-ed boarding school with day school options for ages 6-14 Student-Faculty Ratio: 5:1 Tuition: $46,500/year (boarding); $27,500/year (day) www.oaklandschool.net

Situated in California’s spectacular Monterey Bay, Chartwell School accepts students from elementary and middle school, and also offers The New High School Project, a separate high school program. Due to difficulty with reading, writing, memorization, and other academic tasks, students at Chartwell generally require the benefit of smaller classes with specially trained faculty who help teach alternative learning methods and preparation for transition to future education or employment. As evidenced by its copious architectural and environmental awards, Chartwell School is designed to minimize the use of electricity and provide natural light as a stimulant for classroom learning. The school makes the most of its surroundings by offering an academic curriculum which incorporates gardening, art appreciation, and even water sports. Profile: co-ed day school for ages 5-18 Student-Faculty Ratio: 5:1 Awards (selected): Top 10 Buildings in the World Award by American Institute of Architects (2009); Livable Buildings Award by Center for the Built Environment at U.C. Berkeley (2009); LEED platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council (2007); Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, California CPA (2007) Tuition: $21,480/year grades K-3; $31,880/year grades 4-8 www.chartwell.org

Reprinted with permission from Masters-in-Special-Education.com SEPT/OCT 2014

Parenting SPecial needS.org

IS IT WORKING? MONITORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENTS by Natalie Parks & Meme Hieneman

ave you ever wondered if a therapy, treatment, or intervention your child was receiving was really working? Have you ever questioned a professional who said something was working when you didn’t see any changes for your child? Families of children with special needs (especially autism) often spend considerable resources, time, and energy on treatments for their children in hopes of providing them with a better life. As parents, we would do anything for our children, but we also want to make sure the treatments are worthwhile. We cannot tell if children are experiencing internal changes (e.g., feeling better, understanding), but we can evaluate changes in behavior that are observable. Using simple strategies to monitor behavioral outcomes will help parents decide whether treatments are everything they are ‘cracked up to be.’ Without an objective way to track progress, parents are left to operate on gut instinct or rely completely on professionals providing services to report outcomes. Parents are therefore encouraged to work with professionals providing

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services to adopt or design monitoring systems that are both understandable and meaningful to everyone involved. If professionals are unwilling to do so (which would be unusual), parents can still gather their own data to guide treatment decisions and evaluate interventions. The following steps may be used to establish a plan for monitoring outcomes of your child’s treatment: Consider what behavioral changes are most important to you. For example, you might want your child to communicate his/her needs with words, complete particular skills more independently, sleep through the night, or eat a wider array of foods. Ask the therapist or service provider if those are the behaviors you should expect to see change through the treatment? If there is a mismatch in your desired changes and those related to the treatment, other services may be more appropriate for your child. Identify no more than 5 behaviors to track, making recording doable. Design a system that captures the behaviors you hope to see change on a schedule that is reasonable and will clearly show you if changes are occurring. These changes should occur during day-to-day life, not just during treatment sessions. Monitoring can be as simple as recording the number or hours your child

Example CHART A: Skills Checklist TASKS

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Made Bed Got Dressed Brushed Teeth Brushed Hair Ate Breakfast Put Shoes On

Smiley Face = Independent

Sad Face = Refused

sleeps each night, keeping a list of foods your child consumes, or tallying behavior problems (e.g., hitting) daily. There are ”apps” for recording behavior; in fact, a parent with whom we worked noted each time her child used words (instead of pointing, leading, or grunting) to ask for activities or items, tracking her communication development over time. You can also create a checklist of skills or behaviors you want your child to perform each day, rating his/her level of cooperation or proﬁciency. See Example Chart A Finally, rating scales – although not perfectly accurate – may be helpful when tracking changes over time. See Example Chart B Begin gathering data before starting treatments and avoid changing more than one treatment at the same time whenever possible so you can see the change that is a result of the intervention. Set a schedule to review the data,

Straight Face = Prompted (Reminded or Helped)

hopefully with the professional(s) providing services. This may be weekly, monthly, or quarterly – depending on how fast you anticipate changes occurring. Compare your child’s progress to previous reviews. If he is sleeping or eating more, using a wider array of words, and/ or getting more smiley faces than sad faces, the treatments are working. Celebrate improvements and make necessary changes. Seeing the results of treatments that require energy and resources is energizing. Recognizing that treatments are not working as anticipated is just as empowering. Objective data allow you to make good decisions and work more collaboratively with the professionals providing services.Y Meme Hieneman, has a Ph.D. in Special Education and is nationally certified as a behavior analyst. She has published a variety of articles, chapters, and books including “Parenting with Positive Behavior Support: A Practical Guide to Resolving Your Child’s Difficult Behavior.” In her professional career, Meme has worked with children with severe behavior problems for more than 20 years.

Example CHART B: Weekly Rating Scale BEHAVIOR GOAL

Requesting attention with words Taking deep breaths when upset Leaving activities upon request (<5 seconds) Initiating toileting on her own

NEVER

A FEW TIMES

ALMOST EVERY DAY

MORE THAN ONCE PER DAY

MANY TIMES PER DAY

ALMOST EVERY HOUR

MANY TIMES PER HOUR

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PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

health & ﬁtness Nutrition

by Christina Bartlett, RD, LD

acking your child’s lunch doesn’t always turn out as you imagine. Your child has food preferences and sometimes arguments occur regarding what you think they should and should not be eating or drinking. Having your child purchase the school lunch may not be the solution. Compromising is something that has to be done between you and your child. Of course, we can look to Choose My Plate (www. choosemyplate.org) for guidance concerning what our meals should look like, but it doesn’t always turn out this way. If you can’t ﬁt every food group into a meal, aim to have a minimum of three food groups present. Continue to work on portion control, variety and balance. At the same time, try to limit the sugary beverages and high calorie, high sugar snacks. The minimum recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, needed on a daily basis for children, are 5 servings a day. Many adults are not consuming this, so can you imagine how much (or how little) our children are eating? Get your child involved in meal selections and preparation. Encourage them to pick a new fruit or vegetable to try and a new recipe to prepare.

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Examples: - Tuna salad made with celery and light mayo + 1 bag baked chips or popped popcorn + 1 sliced orange + water - Cheese stick + 6 whole grain crackers + 15 grapes + 5-10 baby carrots + 1 tbsp. reduced fat ranch dressing - Lettuce wraps + chicken salad made with pecans and grapes + 1 c watermelon + lowfat yogurt - Peanut butter and banana wrap/roll-up + sliced apple + low-fat yogurt + water - Homemade soup + _ turkey sandwich on white wheat bread + graham crackers + low-fat milk Allow your child to be creative when trying new foods and recipes. New cooking and preparation methods allow them to be more interested and involved in the meal planning process. Meal time should not be about arguments. Your child’s taste of certain foods will change over time. Keep introducing new foods. It takes a minimum of 15 tastes of one new food to know if you like it or not. Think of different ways to prepare and present them into your meals. Starting the new school year is somewhat stressful. Don’t add more stress when it comes to packing lunches. Keep it simple and things will fall into place. Y Christina Bartlett RD, LD is a Registered Dietitian and the owner of Everything In Moderation. Dedicated to providing nutrition information that is tailored to the individual. Visit: www.eimnutrition.com

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Star Jones, Heart Disease Survivor and National Volunteer for the American Heart Association

Uncover the truth about heart disease and how you can help at GoRedForWomen.org.

AUTISM FITNESS IN MY CLASSROOM This is a PSN EXCLUSIVE excerpt from Eric Chessen’s forthcoming E-book; Autism Fitness In My Classroom

by Eric Chessen, M.S., YCS

hen we enjoy performing a particular activity, it is likely that we will do it often. Finding ways to create reinforcing active environments provides a positive experience for students. The primary advantage of movement/Active Play-based programs over sports-based is the ability to get very creative and develop individualized goals, even in a group/class setting. Eventually, we want students to have a lot of autonomy over their movement activities; this can lead to self-initiated physical activity, also known as “play.” Play was once thought of as something frivolous, to be done when other “more important” tasks (work or education-based) were fulfilled. This compartmentalized approach is, in part, responsible for the dwindling of recess, the de-emphasis on general physical education, and the restricted access to local parks and outdoor areas for play. We note that the autism population often has a deficit in creative play. Restricted or hyper-focused interests and stereotypical movement patterns (flapping ,rocking, wandering in circles) are not robust in the way exploratory movement can be. These deficits, as any other educational concern, can be met with good planning, programming, and goal-setting. Creative play seems like a good thing, but why is it important? Consider abstract thinking, problem solving, motor planning, and short-term memory, all areas in which individuals with ASD often struggle. Developing active play programs that enhance these skills can lead to generalization beyond the PE setting, meaning that the new abilities are not just limited to the classroom or gym. I wrote this E-book for special educators who may or may not

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have access to a gymnasium or PE facility. I’ve spent a good amount of time working with my athletes on the spectrum in less-than-ideal fitness environments, often with little space. Innovation and planning are always going to overcome other limitations. In the Autism Fitness PAC Profile, Physical, Adaptive, and Cognitive abilities can be assessed and individual programs developed for each student. This allows the instructor to set goals not only for physical fitness, but the motivation to engage in physical activities and increased ability to follow directions in a fitness/PE setting. In a classroom, it may be enough just to get a group moving let alone develop individual programs. I would agree that the most important aspect of programming is to begin teaching exercise activities. There are two, and only two

ways of doing this successfully:

1) exercise courses 2) exercise stations Exercise Courses are great for groups of students who have similar levels of ability. With exercise courses, several movement activities are performed in order, from ﬁrst to last. Each student completes all (depending, of course, on his/her level of motivation and cooperation) the activities and then comes back to the beginning area. Exercise Stations may have a similar set-up as Courses,

fun fitness health & ﬁtness except 1-2 students perform the activity at each station for a speciﬁc amount of time (usually 30 sec-2 minutes). Stations allow each participant more time with the particular exercise activity than Courses. The exercise at each Station can also be regressed (made simpler) or progressed (made more challenging) based on the needs of the individual student. For example, if Chris can squat with the Sandbell, raise it overhead, and then slam it independently, he can perform that activity (squat, press, slam) at the Sandbell station. If Lisa cannot yet perform the overhead press, she may do the squat with the Sandbell without the press and slam, or have an instructor provide hands-on prompting to help her learn the skill Courses are great for activities that all students have already mastered, or can perform independently. Because they will be moving fairly quickly through each exercise, it is helpful that they already know how to perform the movement correctly to the best of their ability.

to sum it all up Use Circuits When:

Station 1- Low hurdle or cone Stepovers/ High hurdle Step-Overs/ Step-over with arms up Station 2- Med ball wall or partner push throw/Push throw with short hop/Squat and push throw Station 3- Sandbell overhead push with two hands/Sandbell single arm overhead push/Sandbell overhead push and walk Station 4- short hops on spot markers/ Lateral hops/4-corner (forward, back, right/left) hops

Sample Courses Remember that courses go from one exercise activity to another in a continuous loop. When one student is ﬁnished with the activity (or at least halfway through), the next student begins. Courses work best with groups of higher functioning students, as the wait time between activities can be an opportunity to wander.

Course A:

Cognitive abilities within the group s Introducing new exercise activities s Incorporating socialization into the ﬁtness session (2-3 students at each station)

Course B:

Start at cones or spot markers Bear walk to Sandbell Slam Sandbell 3x Short hop to med ball Push throw med ball to instructor 2x Hops back to starting place

T-rex walk to hurdles Hurdle step-overs Bear walk to Sandbell Sandbell walking overhead push Run back to starting place

s Enough staff is available to be at each station and/or

Circuit A:

s There is a wide range of Physical, Adaptive, and

Use Courses when:

students per station for 30 seconds up to 2 minutes. Students can take breaks as needed at each station and while transitioning to the next activity. Go through the entire circuit (all stations) anywhere from 1 to 5 times. Below are samples with exercise progressions for ach activity from easiest to most challenging:

when working with a higher functioning (Adaptive and Cognitive) group s The course includes mastered or familiar exercise activities (those the students are already good at and have done before) You s have a larger space to use for the program

Sample Circuits Remember, circuits are 3+ activity stations with 1 or 2

Eric Chessen’s Autism Fitness in My Classroom will be available soon on AutismFitness.com!Y Eric Chessen, M.S., YCS Eric Chessen, M.S. is the creator of the PAC Profile Assessment Toolbox (www.PACProfile.com), PAC Profile Workshop series, and consults with special needs programs around the world. Available on www.Autismfitness.com.

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PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

SPECIAL DIETS

at School

by Barrie Silberberg

hile some pre-school through 12th grade schools might be accommodating to students with special diets, others might not be. Do not count on them to be accommodating. It could be very risky if the kitchen staff is not highly informed about cross contamination of foods. If your child attends a school that pre-packages their food in a safe environment, you might be lucky. Otherwise, it is safest to pack your child’s lunch each day. There are plenty of ideas beyond the ever-popular “sandwich” to put into your child’s lunch box or bag. Depending on the diet they are following, here are some ideas that can be altered to fit their needs. There are substitutions for most items, if your child cannot tolerate a certain ingredient. Tortillas filled with meat, T Crackers and cheese, c cheese, nut butters, spreads Crackers spread with nut and a eggs butter, cream cheese, or S Spreads, meats or a fried other cheese spreads e between waffles, egg Bagels with a spread and rice cakes p Hummus and chips/crackers pancakes H Hardboiled eggs. Sushi, Egg rolls Salads, Pizza, Yogurt, Nuts S Deviled eggs If you want to pack warm foods, ods use a thermos. Heat the inside first by pouring boiling water into the empty thermos and let it sit for a few minutes. Empty the water and add your hot food of choice. Here are some ideas: Casseroles, Beans C Pasta with sauce, meat or L Lentils, Soups vegetables Macaroni M and cheese Ground meat added to a Pieces of hot dogs or P tortilla, taco shell, etc. s sausages Cut up meats in sauce Chili, Stew, Fish C Left over meals nic choices that can make For variety, think of many ethnic great lunches: Curry or Tandoori chicken C Rice Bowl: protein, rice, w sauce and rice with vegetables, sauce K Kabobs with vegetables Italian pasta dishes Burritos, B Falafels Stir Fry, Taquitos Children love food that looks ks ccute and fun. Think of all the money that companies make by putting faces of celebrities (and characters that people relate to) on their products. Arrange your child’s food to look decorative, without using artificial

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hi special i l in i ingredients. Add a sweet note or put something their lunch. Make their lunch the envy of all the other children. Many classrooms have parties and other events where food will be present. Make sure your child’s IEP, or 504, states their food allergies or intolerances. Be sure to provide snacks that can be kept at school so that your child will not be left out if you are not notiﬁed ahead of time.

College Life Some children are all grown up and going away to college. For some of these kids, this is the ﬁrst time away and there will be new experiences regarding food. If your child has extreme and serious allergies, or anaphylaxis reactions, contact the center for students with special needs. All schools have different names for this location. You should be able to get a single, private room with cooking facilities for your child, as this is life threatening. If your child will be living in the dorms and eating at the dorm food areas/cafeteria, they need to know what to eat and how they can be sure not to get cross contaminated. A lot of preparation before they start school will be necessary. Again, check with the center for students with special needs to see how the needs of your child can be met. You might also want to talk to the head of food services to get a list of the foods that they offer and how they can assist your child. There are some colleges and universities that are well investigated for offering assistance with special dietary restrictions. Here are some schools that are known for accommodating special diets: University of Notre Dame, Indiana Georgetown University, Washington D.C. Southern Methodist University, Texas University of New Hampshire Iowa State University University of Arizona Emory University, Georgia University of Connecticut U Ca Ithaca College, N.Y. Carleton College, Minnesota Yale University, Connecticut Bard Ba College, N.Y. Clark University, Massachusetts Co Columbia University, N.Y. Baylor University, Texas SU SUNY Potsdam Oregon State University Te Texas A&M Tufts University, Massachusetts University U of Tennessee University of Colorado, Boulder U Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison

special diets health & ﬁtness Dairy Free: http://www.godairyfree.org/eating-out Lactose Intolerant: http://dine-lactose-free.tumblr. com/ Soy S Free: http://diningwithoutsoy.com/category/ restaurants/ Vegan/Vegetarian: http://www.happycow.net/ Peanut Allergy: http://www.peanutallergykid. com/2008/07/safe-places-to-eat-with-peanutallergy.html A variety of allergies (You can check off more than one allergen on these sites): http://www. allergyeats.com/ http://www.specialgourmets.com/, http://www. canieathere.com/ http://foodallergies.about.com/od/livingwithfoodallergies/a/ chainguides.htm http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/08/02/ultimate-guideto-allergy-friendly-dining/ Eating out can be risky. Always be prepared in the event something should occur. Be safe, be careful and be clear to your server!Y Barrie Silberberg is the author of The Autism & ADHD Diet : A Step-byStep Guide To Hope and Healing by Living Gluten Free and Casein Free (GFCF) And Others Interventions. Her web site is: www.puttingyourkidsfirst.com

If the school that your child will be attending is not on this list. and even if it is, still investigate everything prior to accepting admissions to be sure that they can indeed accommodate you. Perhaps certain dining halls are better than others, or maybe certain times are better to dine at the facility. Maybe you need to talk to the chef, dietician, dining hall supervisor, etc. to be sure everything is handled correctly. Also have your child keep staples in their dorm room. Some suggestions: snack bars, nut butters, crackers, chips, pretzels, 100% fruit strips, dried fruit, nuts, cereal, etc. That way, they can always have some foods and protein, if they are near one of the dining areas that do not carry their special foods. They just have to toss the foods into their backpack. If the student goes off campus to eat in some of the town’s eateries, have them keep a list of places that offer foods that fit their special dietary needs. Here is a list that can help locate special menus in different towns. You just do a search for the city that they live in or are visiting. It is best to call first, as the restaurant may have moved or closed. You might also find that they are willing to accommodate you even though they do not actually have a special menu. There are many apps out there these days that one can download to assist you. Gluten Free: http://glutenfreeregistry.com/ http://www. findmeglutenfree.com/

Now we get Mondays off!

One day a week, cut out meat.

ABOUT ME by Julie Jones

ommunication and choice making skills are something most of us take for granted. If you think about how you interact with friends, family and work colleagues, much of it revolves around talking. Throughout the day we share snippets of our life including information about our friends, family, weekend activities and our likes and dislikes. For a child or person who is non-verbal this dialogue needs to happen in an alternative way. My son, BJ, has Cerebral Palsy and is non-verbal and I have struggled to ﬁnd ways to ensure people interact with him and allow him the opportunity to share his life with them. Something that has worked well for BJ across all settings including preschool, school and vacation care is an “about me” book. This is a home-made book which gives a general overview of BJ. It provides a quick reference to information about his likes and dislikes, people who are important in his life and a brief explanation of how he communicates. It stays with his wheelchair giving easy access for anyone with him. Along with the information it contains photos to ensure it is engaging to those sharing it. I was slow to make a new “about me” book this year and what happened as a result emphasized how invaluable this book can be. I discovered BJ was receiving a “treat” of a chocolate milkshake occasionally. This was being ordered by his carers at his new day program. It is of course lovely that he was getting a treat except BJ doesn’t like chocolate milkshakes; he is passionate about strawberry ones. I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be not getting your favorite ﬂavour when going out for a treat. It is my fault for not making the book earlier in the year and this situation highlighted the need for me to provide this kind of information. The “about me” book doesn’t take long to make and

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once it is saved on the computer it is quick and easy to update over the years simply by changing the details and photos as needed. We print out BJ’s book at home in A5 size which makes it portable and easy to use. We have our own laminator which we use to laminate the pages making the book more durable.

“About me” books are individualized but here is a guide to get you started. Page one should include a short introduction with your child’s name and photo. I also add information about how people should share the book with BJ. It is amazing how many people take the book and have it at adult height where he cannot see or share it with them. BJ’s introduction has a reminder included, “I really like sharing my book with people and showing it to you at my pace. I like it when you are at my level so we can share my book. If I want to skip ahead a few pages that is because there is something important that I want to show you” I think it is vital that people understand it is your child’s book and that their role as a communication partner is to facilitate its use, not take over.

Page two we dedicate to BJ’s immediate family. We include a family photo and information about what BJ enjoys doing with each of us. For example - I love going to the park with my Dad and swinging on the wheelchair swing. Dad pushes it really high which I think is fantastic. I like cooking with my Mom. Cooking chocolate cake is my favorite. My sister, AJ, has pillow fights with me every night at bedtime. I laugh a lot when she does it. Adding details about each family member gives a communication partner something to “chat” about with the child. In an educational setting it also provides a bank of information which can be drawn upon in class time. If a teacher is getting the class to do a story on their family and a child is unable to provide this information the “about me” book allows the teacher to make suggestions and include the child. Page three in BJ’s book is used to share more details about other important people in his life. BJ has grandparents who live next door so this page is about their relationship and the things he likes to do with them, for example: he loves going to the cafe to get a donut as a special treat with his Grandpa. Page four is all about BJ’s preferences. When BJ is out with people that don’t know him this page offers a quick reference of what he may like if they are ordering food or drinks on his behalf. If a child is non-verbal people often assume what they may like based on what is generally popular or their own personal preferences. For this reason we include the food and drinks he likes in the book. It is important to be specific with the details. Instead of saying BJ likes donuts we say, “I like all donuts but my absolute favorite is a cinnamon donut.” We also include the current movies he likes to watch. The fact that he likes Mr Bean immediately gives the staff an idea of BJ’s great sense of humor. Pages five-seven in BJ’s book are devoted to more information on activities he likes to do.

Page eight – This page is probably the most important in the book. We use this page to share how BJ communicates. It is important to let people know the various ways your child may communicate and also to let them know if this is something new or well established. BJ has a new iPad program and although I would like staff to use it with him I don’t want them to think he is an expert. We also use this page to explain that communication partners need to allow BJ time to organize his body before he can respond to their questions using a device or low tech communication board. We ﬁnd that people often repeat the same question over and over thinking BJ doesn’t understand but it is actually that he needs time to respond. I also like to emphasize a few messages here using short sentences like “I do have preferences and I love to have a choice” I believe that low tech systems play an important role in the life of children who are non-verbal. Although BJ has an iPad with communication programs we have found that there are barriers to this being used in particular situations. Casual staff may not know how to operate a program or device, glare outdoors and the inability to pass it around with peers can all mean that a device isn’t used. A staff member recently commented that in a group situation BJ’s “about me” book was used to share information with his peers and she found it easier for everyone to access and more social than the iPad. We have found people are naturally curious so they are drawn to BJ’s “about me” book. This provides a ‘conversation starter’ with caregivers, peers and family while educating them on BJ as a person. Keep it simple and an “about me” book is a valuable tool.Y Julie Jones is the creator of Have Wheelchair Will Travel (www.havewheelchairwilltravel.net) where she combines her skills as an ex travel consultant with her life and experiences as a Mom to her son BJ who has Cerebral Palsy.

Photos courtesy Julie Jones SEP/OCT 2014

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

by Cristen Reat

ack to school means new clothes to address that summer growth spurt, changing seasons, and a fresh start. It also means easing into a new routine, academics and yes, that dreaded word: homework. For students with special needs, transitioning back into a school routine can be challenging. To help you and your child have a successful school year, we have put together a list of school tool apps that we hope will make this year the best yet! App suggestions include having fun planning school lunches (yes, picky eaters we mean YOU), working conﬁdently in a no pressure, self-paced math curriculum, and supporting struggling readers. With the exception of the last two, all of these apps are FREE!

b Penelope Vanderplank by TThis is a unique way to introduce everyday objects to individuals with Autism through o a spelling game. It is an innovative resource targeted at the parents and teachers of children with special needs, particularly those with Autism who are non-verbal. Its principal focus is to assist children to recognize words and spell them correctly in an environment that can be customized to suit each child’s individual needs. It has three distinct stages of spelling development, and as a parent, you can monitor your child’s progress through the stages to help ensure that your child is learning to spell, rather than simply picture and word matching. Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorders are visual learners and rely heavily on visual cues to aid their learning. This app makes the learning experience personal to your child as it allows you to upload your own personal pictures and record your own voice, ensuring that your child can make those literal connections between the words they are trying to learn and the real life object. Price: $9.99 IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/senspeller-autismspelling/id855158520?mt=8

Full review: http://bridgingapps.org/app/?id=855158520

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Kindle K b AMZN Mobile LLC by TThe Kindle app provides many learning oopportunities for students with special needs iincluding visual formatting, text-to-speech, oorganization and a dictionary feature. The Kindle iOS app has recently been enhanced for the blind and visually impaired. Users can now hear many books read aloud and use features like Zoom and AssistiveTouch to more easily see and navigate text. Kindle’s text-to-speech audio function can help address the challenges of ELL students as well as those who struggle with reading fluency. A helpful suggestion for these students is to allow them to choose a font size and color to meet their needs. For students who have difficulty flipping pages or holding open books, the Kindle provides a convenient alternative of pushing a button to flip through pages and chapters. Price: FREE IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kindle-read-booksebooks-magazines/id302584613?mt=8

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.amazon.kindle

Full review: http://bridgingapps.org/app/?id=302584613

Images courtesy Facebook Friends

S SENspeller – The Autism Spelling App S

Dyslexia Quest D b Nessy Learning Limited by Dyslexia Quest was developed to support D llearners with learning disabilities and dyslexia. TThe easy to use app will take your child on a jjourney that helps pinpoint their skill levels in visual memory, phonological awareness, auditory and sequential memory, visual sequential memory, processing speed and working memory in order to determine areas which may need additional intervention and build reading levels. It can be used as an ongoing progress monitoring tool to assess areas of improvement in reading skills and has been used with special education students with reading disabilities/Dyslexia, at-risk students in reading and Section 504 Dyslexia students. Price: $1.99 IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dyslexia-quest/ id448166369?mt=8

Full review: http://bridgingapps.org/app/?id=448166369

L LaLa Lunchbox – Fun lunch planning for parents and kids p b LaLa Lunchbox, LLC by LLaLa Lunchbox LLC is a fun meal-planning aapp that can be helpful for families, especially tthose with picky eaters…sound familiar? LaLa Lunchbox is ideal for children ages preschool and up, has multi-user functionality, and allows each family member to create his or her own account and “monster” avatar. Children who are picky eaters will especially enjoy being involved in the meal-planning process and are more likely to eat foods that they have selected themselves. All foods in this app are represented pictorially, which is helpful for early-readers and non-readers. Additionally, LaLa Lunchbox can help those families with nonverbal members who may have difﬁculty communicating their meal preferences. Price: FREE IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lala-lunchboxfun-lunch-planning/id519037961?mt=8

T Todo Math – Complete Curriculum for Kindergarten and C B Beyond

Full review:

b Locomotive Labs by TTodo Math offers 18 multi-level engaging games and curriculum-based activities to help g your child practice and master foundational math skills. It is designed for kindergarten through 2nd grade and engages different types of learners with multi-sensory options for learning math concepts. It also has settings for left-handed kids and those with dyslexia and has amazing data tracking built in to help parents monitor where kids are struggling and doing well. Price: FREE IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/todo-math-

MyScript Calculator M

complete-curriculum/id666465255?mt=8

Full review: http://bridgingapps.org/app/?id=666465255

http://bridgingapps.org/app/?id=519037961

b MyScript by MyScript Calculator is a powerful tool for M h helping students who struggle with functional m math concepts,such as the four basic operations tto more sophisticated concepts like square roots and exponents. Users write a number on the clear slate with their ﬁnger or stylus and the number instantly appears in digital format. This app works like a calculator, but encourages students to write either numbers and/or calculations by hand and then the answer is given. If your child has been identiﬁed with Dyscalculia, this is a great way for them to work independently. The app comes with a tutorial, the option for automatic calculation, decimal places, approximation, palm rejection and lefthanded. Price: FREE IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myscriptcalculator-handwriting/id578979413?mt=8

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com. visionobjects.calculator

Full review: http://bridgingapps.org/app/?id=578979413

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PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

myHomework Student Planner m b Rodrigo Neri by myHomework Student Planner is a tool m ffor helping students organize their classes, h homework and daily routine. This app is great ffor students with dyslexia, auditory processing problems, ADD and dyscalculia. Customizing the app is easy. Users simply enter their class details into the calendar. Adding homework descriptions is quick and simple with the tap of a button. Users set the due dates, time and identify high, medium or low priority.When you sign up for a myHomework account it syncs your data across all devices making it easy to login from anywhere and access assignments. Price: FREE IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myhomeworkstudent-planner/id303490844?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.myhomeowork&hl=en

Full review: http://bridgingapps.org/app/?id=303490844

About My Day by University of Victoria About My Day is a free app designed for tracking the daily events of individuals with intellectual disabilities or developmental delays. The app is customized to the individual, with a daily calendar, notes of the day (i.e. John ﬁnished all of his lunch independently” or “Beth was feeling a bit sad today”), the ability to upload a picture of the author within the notes section, location upload, and note saving. The app also includes mood tracking within the notes, which can be helpful for behavior and social skills tracking. Price: FREE IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/about-my-day/ id769044077?mt=8

Full review: http://bridgingapps.org/app/?id=769044077

If you are interested in searching for more apps, creating your own list of apps and sharing them, please go to BridgingApps.org. BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston, is a community of parents, therapists, doctors, and teachers who share information about using mobile devices (iPad, iPhone, and Android) with people who have special needs.Y Cristen Reat is co-founder of BridgingApps and a mother who found success when using a mobile device with her children who have special needs.

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by Barbara Sher

eaching children how to manage time does not sound like a fun activity, but there is an enjoyable way to learn this skill—think backwards! Because getting where you need to be in a timely manner is a vital skill, your child will learn how to organize her time in an enjoyable way by thinking backwards and making a reverse-time chart. The reverse-time chart helps her get the hang of considering all aspects of scheduling; a time management habit that will serve her forever. All you need is a pen and paper or if you want to get fancy, a digital camera and printer Start with a large sheet of paper or poster board. Have your child write “Get to school” and her school’s start time at the top of the page. Together, ﬁgure out how long it takes to get to school and what time she should leave home in order to arrive on time. Have her write that event and time down next. Then she ﬁgures how long she would like to spend eating breakfast, subtracting that time from the time by which she needs to leave, and writing that time next on the list. Have her keep working backwards until she gets to her wake-up time. To make the chart more cheerful, take photos of her eating, brushing her teeth, and so on and have her paste each printed picture beside the appropriate time on the chart.

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

SEP/OCT 2014

Or, just as fun, s/he gets to draw appropriate pictures beside each time such as a sleepy face beside “wake up!”. Or, use emoticons or paste objects by each time such as a cereal box top by “eat breakfast” and a Lego piece by the “mess around” time. Anything that is fun to do will empower your child to use the chart with the times of his/ her choosing!Y

Barbara Sher M.A.,O.T.R, an occupational therapist and author of nine books on childrens games. This game is adapted from Barbara’s new book THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF MOTOR, SOCIAL AND SENSORY GAMES: Using Children’s Natural Love Of Play To Enhance Key Skills And Promote Inclusion. Check out Barbara’s other game books at any on-line bookstore or get a free game designed for your child at her web site: www.gameslady.com

learning to sign fun & functional

ASK Angie ASL - Classroom Tips by Angie Craft HandCraftEdASL

School Starts

HandCraftEdASL

Resources: www.ASLPro.com - a dictionary format website with video clips of thousands of signs. www.FEHI.org - statewide organization for Deaf Educators and Parents. www.HandsandVoices.com - statewide parenting support group www.RuletheSchool.com deaf ed products

WATCH VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: Encouraging reading and writing with deaf students by creating visual connections to the written word. When reading to a deaf child, make sure to include methods of showing the story in a more conceptual manner. ASL is a visual, not written, language and as such a story is understood more effectively in a conceptual / visual way. Y

www.adco.com - deaf ed products www.harriscommunications - equipment for Deaf / Hard of Hearing Individuals www.handcraftedasl.com deaf education products / ASL products

Angie Craft author and teacherbrings over 26 years of experience in deaf education and is committed to serving the deaf community. Keenly aware of the isolation that deaf students often experience, Angie developed and wrote HandCraftEdASL to bridge the communication gap between deaf children who primarily use American Sign Language and their parents, peers or educators. www.handcraftedasl.com

For more information: follow us on FaceBook @ HandCraftEdASL SEPT/OCT 2013

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

“Chocolate Caramel Apple”Cookies Encouraging Speech & Creating Yum!

by PSN Team & Becca Eisenberg

Ingredients 1 apple 2 tablespoons Healthy Caramel Spread (made from dates) Coconut shreds Chocolate chips or Cacao nibs Pecans or any nuts you desire. (optional of course)

all is in the air and that means apple season… or Chocolate Caramel Apple Season.

Who doesn’t like Chocolate Caramel apples, but who has time to make them? And who wants their children eating all that processed sugar? Well we’ve created a No Cooking Easy-Semi Healthy Chocolate Caramel Apple Cookie that can be made easily and quickly, even as an after school treat. The secret is our pre-made “Healthy Caramel Spread” made from dates and will keep in the fridge for up to 2-4 weeks. Yum for all!

Chocolate chip drizzle

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

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Language Time:

Instructions/Preparation Parent/Kiddo: Chop Nuts Parent/Kiddo: Core apple parent may

need to help. Tip: turn apple upside down to find the best angle to insert apple corer.

Parent/Kiddo: Slice apple into thin rings. Kiddo: Spread pre-made healthy caramel sauce made from dates (see recipe)

Kiddo:Top with pecans, coconut shreds,

and chocolate chips.

Parent/Kiddo: Melt Chocolate chips

for drizzle across apples. Rinse out a microwave safe glass ramekin. Leave ramekin wet add about 1 tablespoon chocolate chips. Microwave at two separate 10 seconds intervals (no more) it will burn. After removing from microwave chocolate chips will not be completely melted stir with spoon, add drops of water to thin for a drizzle consistency. Using the same spoon drizzle over top of Chocolate Carmel Apple cookies. Super Easy, Semi-healthy and… Super Fun!

Eat! Talk! Enjoy!

Cooking and baking can not only be a special bonding time, but also a time to help facilitate language and communication while having fun! These chocolate caramel cookies are easy to make which makes it even easier to work on some basic language skills. Before beginning the recipe, review the recipe. Discuss the different ingredients and the kitchen tools you will need to use (e.g. knife, corer, bowl). You can work on categories by asking your child to categorize each ingredient into a different food group. In addition, work on function of objects by asking your child to tell you what each kitchen tool does. Work on improving literacy by writing the ingredients down on a piece of paper and asking your child to identify and name the ingredients. You can also build on following directions by asking your child to follow simple directives (e.g. wash the apple, slice the apple, etc.). For a child who can follow multi-step directives, add several steps at a time with intermittent prompts (e.g. wash the apple and then core it). If your child needs help coring the apple, encourage them to ask for help in the appropriate way (e.g. saying “Can you please help me?” versus “I can’t do this!”). As you are going through each step, take some snapshots with your phone or camera so that you can review the recipe with your child after the cookies are done. Give choices and let your child take the lead, if appropriate. This will help increase independence which can help overall life skills. Encourage the use of descriptive terms and make it a sensory experience by letting your child smell, taste and feel the ingredients. Ask your child “What does it taste like. Is it sweet or salty”? Play a game by closing your eyes and then have your child try to guess what the ingredient is based on touch and smell alone. To learn more about making cooking a sensory experience, check out my article here. When you are done with the cookies, sit down together and discuss how you made them using your photos as visual cues, if necessary. Read a picture book about cooking and/or apples such as Bad Apple: A Tale of Friendship, or The Duckling Gets a Cookie?! and Apples for Everyone. Becca Eisenberg is a mother of two young children and a speech language pathologist, author and instructor. Her website, www.gravitybread.com encourages learning time during mealtime. On her website, she writes children’s book recommendations, app recommendations, as well as child friendly recipes with language tips their family.

Inspired and Adapted from Amy Layne at DamyHealth.com and Rachel Schultz.com

parentingspec rentingspe c ia iialne a lne ne e ed eds dss .org d .or g

Temple Grandin, PhD Doctor of Animal Science

Image Cour Courte urrte tessy yE Eus u taci ustaci tacia a Cutler u

As a doctor of Animal Science, Temple has been instrumental in the way we treat animals. She is a Professor, Inventor, Author, and Consultant. She is the basis for the eponymous, award-winning HBO movie. Temple was diagnosed with Autism in 1950 at age 2.

no limits!

Support Different-Ability Awareness

proud moments® enjoy your life

Sharing“I CAN!”attitudes Brotherly Love These pictures are so very special to me. These are my twins. They both have autism. My little guy, Dominick, has severe adhd, asd, visual processing delays, mod-severe hearing loss anxiety and Hypohidrosis (he can’t sweat). The older twin, Vincent, has Aspergers, ODD, OCD and ﬂuctuating hearing loss. On this particular day, this was the ﬁrst time Vincent said to Dominick, “here, let me help you”. He held out his hand so Dominick could climb to the top of the dam and not be afraid. Vincent showed empathy which is very hard for him!! I almost cried right there.

Vincent & Dominick exhibiting an “I CAN” attitude Photo courteousy Dawn Marie Sinatra-Nasi

This really is a proud moment for me. Vincent does not really let too many people into his world, or react when others are sad or happy. ~ Proud Mom Dawn Marie Sinatra-Nasi

Next Issue! Share a Proud Moment with us Proud Moments can be any time that you have been extremely proud of your child with special needs. It can be when they are giving it their all or reaching a milestone. Please make sure to include photos. submit@parentingspecialneeds.org

SEPT/OCT 2014

PARENTING SPECIAL NEEDS.ORG

Here’s to you! TO ALL OUR PARTNERS, HELPING US TO UNITE THE SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY To inquire about becoming a PSN Partner for PSN Parents, email: info@parentingspecialneeds.org