Empowering the Special Needs Community
10 Tips from Real Moms!
You’ve done the work! Found a summer camp for your child with special needs – read the reviews, checked their references and researched like crazy! Next up? Preparing yourself – and your child – for the big day. And packing. There’s going to be packing!
There are many benefits to including animals in the life of children with special needs; research shows increased social interactions, empathy, lower blood pressure and heart rates, and lower anxiety. With such positive results, it’s easy to want to run out and get Pet Therapy into our child’s life!
Brett, a child with Autism, was found in the woods by using AngelSense to guide a police helicopter and a search and rescue team.
The search ended in less than 90 minutes in spite of the densely wooded terrain.
Although it still seems like just the other day that we rang in the New Year, summer is right around the corner and with it the challenges presented as we seek to maintain our special needs kids’ familiar routines while taking advantage of the seasonal activities available during summer.
Most families with a child who has special needs know full well the concept of it taking a village. From medical professionals to educators and deep into our communities, we create a team of people to help. But within our family is where the deepest well of support and care usually emerges.
When the Autism Society and AMC films partnered together for Sensory Friendly Films, they were filling an important need – the chance for children with special needs and their families to enjoy movies on the big screen, in a setting specially designed for their comfort and enjoyment.
As children with special needs grow up, parents and caregivers are called upon to examine what happens next. As kids age out of programs and the availability of assistance and opportunities begin to shrink, parents of special needs people must plan for the next phase of life.
TED Talks are a set of global conferences run by the private, non-profit Sapling Foundation. Their slogan is “Ideas Worth Spreading” and we couldn’t agree more. Here are our five favorite TED talks on Autism – they teach, uplift and encourage those with Autism and the people who love them.
In 2007, The General Assembly of the United Nations designated April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day. The 2015 World Autism Awareness Day theme chosen is “Employment: The Autism Advantage.” People with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), their families, employers and society as a whole benefits from employment inclusion of people with ASD.
California resident Deb Peralta didn’t set out to be an Autism activist parent. In fact, parenthood was thought to be off the table entirely until it suddenly wasn’t – Devin and Darius were a miraculous gift for Deb and her husband, Dean, changing their lives in ways they couldn’t possibly imagine.