We all feel connected through play. It starts when you are young, and with other children. It continues as we discover sports and extracurricular activities. Even gamers connect with others! It is only when we become adults that we might lose our sense of play, but wouldn’t you say that’s part of the reason we […]
Continue readingJohn Lennon once said “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” Planning for the future of our children begins long before they are born. Yet, when they finally show up, we learn what life has in store.An autism diagnosis will certainly challenge or complicate the future you envisioned for your child. You […]
Continue readingParents can’t stress enough how crucial pre-vocational skills must play a part in their child’s education. Their only wish is for their children to obtain the best skill set they can by being as independent as they can once they are adults. Our occupational therapy related services curriculum is mostly comprised of pre-vocational skills. They […]
Continue readingWe often don’t take enough time to appreciate just how complicated daily life is. Take grocery shopping, for example. Between the swarm of people, navigating the maze of aisles and making sure you don’t miss any items on your list, it can be an overwhelming experience. That is why grocery shopping is also a perfect […]
Continue readingThe struggle for a special needs child dealing with an Obsessive-compulsive disorder is not only a daily challenge for the child, but also for the parent(s) or guardian. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is classified as an anxiety disorder, yet there is a great deal of resistance to the notions of coping skills such as relaxation and […]
Continue readingObsessive-compulsive disorder is not synonymous with fastidiousness. In other words, the next time you feel pleased by how organized your house or desk is, try to avoid uttering the phrase “I am so OCD!” People who have OCD experience obsessions and compulsions that feed each other in re-occurring, hard-to-escape loops. These obsessions are always unpleasant […]
Continue readingDyslexia affects a child’s ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds in language. The relationship between sounds and written symbols is called phonics. Phonics instruction is therefore associated with print. This is not, however, the only sound-spelling relationship that dyslexic children suffer from. Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify and manipulate individual sounds […]
Continue readingIt’s not easy for some children to make friends. Even the most sociable children will eventually struggle to find meaningful relationships in life. Now, imagine what this is like for special needs children. If you are the parent of a child with special needs, finding friends for your son or daughter will present unique challenges. […]
Continue readingImagine a world where the neurological differences among people are recognized and respected. These differences are part of our genetics and our evolution as a species. This is the concept of neurodiversity. Autism is not an error. It is merely the result of variations in the human genome. In a more tolerant and accepting society, […]
Continue readingAn Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a plan. It may not be the best-laid plan, but it is a plan nonetheless. Essentially, it is a document that is developed for each public school child who needs special education. It is created through a team effort and reviewed periodically based upon specifics according to state requirements. The […]
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