The Gut-Brain Connection and Children with Special Needs
Gut-Brain Connection The gut-brain connection may have a direct impact on children with special needs. Deep in the walls of the digestive system is the body’s “second brain”. This enteric...
Parenting
Organizing Your Child’s Brain Through Crawling and Creeping
Crawling and Creeping When I first met Benjamin Thompson, he was struggling with echolalia (unsolicited repetition of vocalizations), extreme hyperactivity, self-biting, and poor eating and sleep habits. He had been...
What Are Those Procedural Safeguards
You receive your IEP meeting notice and included are 20 pages of Procedural Safeguards. At the meeting, you are also asked if you want another copy of the Procedural Safeguards....
Did Someone Say Snack Time? Tips for Getting Kids to Look Forward to Snack Time Again
Most adults think that we should eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day, but kids focus only on what they want right now. Many adults fall into food ruts,...
Starting Small to Make Big Changes
Starting Small to Make Big Changes As parents of kids with special needs we need to be our child’s voice sometimes (or, all the time). When we look at our...
Encourage Your Children to Move with Joy
Move with Joy When I see children giggling with joy in our Lekotek playrooms, they are almost always moving – chasing a bubble, swinging from a swing, jumping on a...
Did You Know? Your Child’s IEP Case Manager Plays a Vital Role in Your Child’s Success
IEP Case Manager Aside from their unique brilliance, a primary key to your child’s success may be their case manager. The goal of a case manager is to make sure...
What Is Autism? ASA Guide to Diagnosing & Treating Autism
To help Raise awareness on the various disorders, Parenting Special Needs magazine will be highlighting one disorder per issue. In this issue we are highlighting Autism
Ever Wonder What It’s Like to Experience Sensory Overload?
Check out this simulation video of Sensory Overload. Sensory Overload (Interacting with Autism Project) from Miguel Jiron on Vimeo © 2012. Some people with autism have difficulty processing intense, multiple sensory...
Novel Distraction Toys for Children from Everyday Things
One of the major tricks of parenting is the art of distraction. It’s a cinch when babies are small and they reach for something you don’t want them to have....