It’s back to school time! For some kids this is an exciting time – seeing former school friends, getting new clothes and prepping for an exciting school year. But for special needs kids and their caregivers, transitions can be challenging. Kids with social issues may dread going back to a room full of people. Other special needs kids, as well as typical ones, may not be looking forward to ending...
Today I taught my nearly nine year-old daughter how to make herself some instant Cinnamon Swirl oatmeal. It’s a simple enough task, but for a special need child who was never supposed to walk or talk it is a big deal on many levels. Just think about the many skills involved with the preparation: Shaking the packet without dropping it Tearing the paper and keeping everything inside Pouring the contents...
So many parents and caregivers struggle with issues surrounding food, with special needs kids and typical kids as well. For some kids the issues are medical so they require a specific diet, or they have a condition than includes low muscle tone. For others it’s a sensory thing, so they will only eat crunchy foods, or white foods, or the rules may change daily. For other kids it may be a control issue,...
Maybe I am sensitized to the topic, but it seems like everywhere I turn these days people are talking about special needs kids. Sometimes it’s sad, like the Canadian boy who took his own life, and sometimes it’s joyful, like the radio DJ who asked, “What can we do better to help kids with special needs in our community?” Clearly kids with special needs is a hot topic. I hope...
THERAsurf takes special needs kids out onto the waves I have been struggling with the issue of labels. I have a special needs child, but I believe all children are special – and they all, in some way, have special needs, as I discussed in an early blog post. So, how special is “special”? Actually, my child doesn’t qualify for most programs – she isn’t “special” enough for them. But...
One night as I flopped down next my daughter in her bed, I kissed her and said goodnight. She wished me a goodnight back. There was a moment of silence during which I mentally listed all the household chores I still had waiting for me in the other room. Her sleepy voice interrupted my list. “You didn’t say it,” she objected. “Say what?” I was totally confused. I had...
