Special Needs

Since our second child was a baby, my husband and I noticed unique quirks about his personality. We chalked it up to idiosyncrasies that were part of his overall character, but as he grew along with our understanding, we began taking more serious notice of these character traits. He was always distracted. We affectionately referred to it as being "in La-La Land." Anytime we'd give instructions, particularly multi-step instructions, he'd get lost in his own thoughts. Sometimes he'd get lost in his own room. We evolved in our parenting to develop coping mechanisms on our end and his. One night, I eliminated as many distractions as I could before I made eye contact, told him to go brush his teeth, had...

My friend recently told me her daughter has been going home lately complaining about a girl in her class who has learning disabilities. Her daughter gets home and unleashes a vast amount of negative emotions due to all the pent up frustrations she has throughout the school day concerning her workload. But more specifically there's one girl in her class who seems to be getting frustrated every time she doesn’t understand the lesson. According to my friend, the child screams, yells, and acts out begging for immediate attention. Come to find out, she has learning disabilities. Now, why is a child with special needs in a regular classroom, you ask? Well, according to the teacher, they are trying to...

Disclosure :: this post is sponsored by Touchstone. Tips for Working with Pre-School Children with Autism Starting a new school can be scary for anyone — parents, teachers and kids are all adjusting to new routines and environments. If your child has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is starting in a pre-school setting, your transition may be slightly different. Stay calm, and keep in mind some things you can do to help your child acquire the skills and resources they need for their ongoing development. Facing this challenge head on now is key as your pre-school age child will be advancing into a higher-level school setting before you know it. It’s crucial for parents to convey to teachers and caretakers exactly what...

You know those clubs you always hear about that you don’t want to join? Well, I am in one. I am in the BA mom’s club - and it’s not the one you are thinking of. Three years ago, I never thought we would be here today, but I am so thankful we are and that I get to tell you my story. Three and a half years ago, I first heard the words Biliary Atresia (BA). I was quickly “initiated” into our group and learned Biliary Atresia is a rare liver disease that affects 1 in every 15,000 children born. The bile ducts are not formed correctly or are narrowed at birth. Some common symptoms are pale stools, dark...

Surely you've seen those articles floating around the internet that you just feel compelled to read. Somehow, this one is going to make your life better, tell you what you can be doing better, or things you should stop doing. One of those articles was shared recently in a Facebook group I'm a member of because of my daughter Salem's Infantile Scoliosis. Along with the post, this other member posed the question, "Have y'all seen this?" It had a title like "12 Deformities that Happen After Birth" and proceeded with suggesting that mothers cause certain deformities by what they do or don't do correctly. I read it immediately, and as I scrolled skimming, I came to number 8 - the curved spine. Apparently, by this...