Students of all abilities have the right to a solid education to get ready for adult life. Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) have a right to participate in IEP meetings to make sure the program is a good set-up for higher education, vocational training, work—whatever comes next after graduation. Schools are required to invite Read More
Category: Your Young Persons Disability
Information on different disabilities to better inform you.
Students: Get Ready to Participate in Your IEP Meeting with a Handout for the Team
I want the kind with the people and the pictures
By John O’Brien After a Difficult Start… Institutionalized from age three to twenty-three in a place where “they treated us like animals”– Mike has composed a good life, taking many valued roles: husband, father, worker, home owner, friend, organizer, advocate, mentor, teacher, neighbor.[1] Anticipating the changes that come with aging, Mike requested funding for a person-centered Read More
Bullying at School: Resources and the Rights of Students with Special Needs
Students with disabilities are bullied at a higher rate than their typical peers. October is National Bullying Prevention Month, providing a good opportunity to review information about available resources and actions families can take. According to Disability Scoop magazine, about half of individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities, speech impairments and learning disabilities are bullied at Read More
A Mother Shares her Personal Journey of Welcoming a Baby with Down Syndrome
By Elizabeth Paschich The news that my son had Down syndrome came at a bad time. I was pregnant with our 6th child, and my husband and I were not on the same page about my pregnancy. Age 37, I qualified for extensive genetic testing that could identify the gender of my child at 11 Read More
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Stay Cool when Summer Heats Up
Summertime brings special challenges for families whose children have special needs. Some medical conditions and medications make individuals particularly susceptible to the heat. Be sure to check with your doctor about which medications might increase heat sensitivity. Keep in mind that extreme heat combined with humidity can make a person even more vulnerable. It’s harder Read More
Things I Wish I Knew on Folic Acid
As a mom of a child with Spina Bifida there are a lot of things I wish I knew. Like I wish I knew I was going to have such a sweet little GoGo (that’s the name for her wheelchair) user before I bought a house with 15 stairs straight up. I wish I knew that it was Read More
What Will Happen When We’re Gone? Planning for the Future for Your Child with Disabilities
Decide What You Want Thinking about what will happen to your child once you die, or are too ill to care for him or her, can be scary and raise your anxiety level. One technique is to think about what you don’t want for your child – for example, “I don’t want my son to Read More