Back to School Sucks! Anyone that has a child or children with disabilities completely understands that statement. Most parents tell me that they cannot wait to get the kids back to school. Kids are excited, new clothes, new supplies and for parents it means more free time. Not me, I dread it with all of my being. Back to school with children like ours that have disability is one of the most difficult time of the year. Our children thrive on…
10 Things that Will Help Special Needs Kids Adjust to School Let’s face it, our kids with ADHD, Asperger etc all thrive on structure. When the structure changes the world turns upside down for them. The transition from summer to school is one of the worst! Below are ideas that I have tried and have been successful with making it a little easier on everyone Start the new routine early Do not wait until the week before school to get…
Can you believe we are already buying back to school supplies? Summer is going way to fast! As a parent of special needs children though your “supply and to do lists” for back to school should be different than others. Our kids need more than just rulers and binders. Here is what I recommend you should be doing now to make sure your children have everything they really need for school: In addition to school supplies buy fidgets and other…
I talk about teams a lot here because it always takes a village to help our children. I have spent some time trying to find the best way to organize everyone who works with our kids and have not found a lot that fits. I have tried to find a good mobile app because then it is always with you and one that could share would be even better. I have found great apps for certain things but not one…
You have read it all. Put your child on a gluten free diet. Take away coloring or sugar or carbs. All of these are well intended options but there is no medical evidence behind them. The real thing we as parents of autistic children that realize is our child normally are picky eaters. This, in my mind means how do we get them to eat – not what they cannot eat. We need to work with their pediatricians. First find…
Some of you know that I have been struggling with Arika recently. She has always been a straight A student and outside of her ADHD, attachment disorder and just not showing respect (I love tweens) she has been the one that I did not have to worry about or not like I have been. Robbie was the one with the alphabet soup of disorders but now it is Arika’s turn. So I have gone a little black here and I…
Your Food Impacts What you Do We all recognize that the food we eat impacts how our bodies behave. I wrote about coloring impacts on ADHD and how it can make children more hyper. From the beginning one thing my blog has talked about the relationship of food to common disorders that are prevalent today like ADHD, Autism, and Allergies and how we spend more than $80 billion each year to treat neuro-developmental disorders. Diagnoses of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)…
Making an IEP binder is a great way to keep information organized and at the ready when you need it. An IEP binder can help you prepare for IEP meetings and stay up to date on your child’s progress. This powerful tool can also help you communicate and collaborate with teachers and your child’s IEP team. Label the Tabbed Section Dividers Label the tabbed dividers for each of the sections: Communication- any communication you recieve about the IEP Evaluations – any…
If your child cannot sit still for an hour in a classroom without fidgeting how in the world are they going to sit still and behave for a 4+ airplane ride or long car trip? That is a lot to ask for any kid, not just a special needs child. Actually, as an adult it hard, but I digress. Here are some things we have done throughout the years. I hope some of them may help you and your family:…
Our therapist tried to tell us for years to get a dog it will help your kids. The problem is neither my husband and I were really dog people plus both my husband and my son were highly allergic. So we put it off for years but Christmas 2017 we introduced Ash into our lives and we all fell in love. What was even more amazing than that is my son was the huge dog lover but Ash actually bonded…