Resources 
31,740 views
No one likes to talk about it, but fecal smearing, also called scatolia in medical literature, is surprisingly common among children and adults. It occurs most frequently among individuals with developmental delays or post-traumatic stress, which means that the person may not be able to verbalize the reason for the behavior. Read more...
22,519 views
You just invested in the latest and greatest iPad Air 2 for your child with special needs. You are hoping that he or she will use it to help develop their communication/language/social/Life Skills. You download some great special needs apps and your child is ready to pinch, zoom and swipe away. Read more...
21,648 views
Siblings of children with special needs do not have it easy. Many are forced to grow up at a very young age. They learn about health and behavior issues, accompanying their families to endless medical and therapeutic appointments. Read more...
14,927 views
Staying indoors this season? Living where it’s too cold to go outside? Whether you’re a teacher or a parent, a few great tricks can make the difference between a productive and non-productive day or happy versus tearful kids. Read more...
13,084 views
Unemployment and underemployment are major issues for adults with autism. The United Nations estimates that over 80% of these adults are unemployed. A 2013 study at Drexel University found that in the first eight years after high school, only 53.4% of young adults on the autism spectrum had ever worked for pay outside the home, and 20.9% worked full-time at a current or most recent job. Read more...
12,763 views
Recreational therapy is based on the idea of increasing a person’s independence and ability to function through participation in creative arts, dance, sports, adventure programs and puzzles or logic games. It is a holistic approach to wellness. Read more...
12,534 views
Special needs parenting is a lifestyle. For many of us, it is not the lifestyle we chose. And even if we did choose to become a special needs family through adoption, there are still plenty of reasons to be cranky – and then joke about it later. Read more...
12,460 views
Many older children, teenagers, and young adults are challenged with how to maintain good hygiene and have a decreased awareness. These individuals often rely on the adults in their life to help remind and guide them to wash hands, shower every day, shampoo hair, etc. Read more...
11,577 views
When wife Sarah was 20 weeks pregnant, they had a routine ultrasound and the doctor said that it appeared the baby had Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (ACC). The Corpus Callosum is the main bridge of nerves in the brain that connect the right and left sides of the brain. Agenesis means it didn’t develop. Read more...
325,337 views
Reading and understanding social cues don’t come easy for children with special needs, so here are 12 activities that you can do with your child to help improve his or her social skills. Read more...
254,914 views
As a special education advocate and a parent of a child with special needs, there's a lot of involvement in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. While these meetings can bring out some wonderful, caring, knowledgeable, well meaning teachers and school personnel, attendees can also at times hear some of the most outrageous statements!!! These ridiculous comments fly in the face of everything the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) stands for. Read more...
250,829 views
You’ve heard of Downs syndrome and Fragile X syndrome, but what about Jacobsen syndrome? Or 22q11.2 deletion syndrome? In this post, we bring attention to some lesser known chromosomal disorders. If your child has one of these conditions please share your experiences with us. Read more...
224,920 views
The attrition, or “burn-out,” rate for special education teachers is extremely high compared to most other professions. 50% of special education teachers leave their jobs within 5 years. Half of those who make it past 5 years will leave within 10 years. This equates to a 75% turnover rate every 10 years (Dage, 2006). Read more...
163,571 views
“Just because a person can’t speak doesn’t mean they have nothing to say.” A very important reminder from a parent of a non-verbal child. Communication is a basic human need, allowing people to connect with others, make decisions that affect their lives, express feelings and feel part of the community they live in. People with little or no speech still have the same communication needs as the rest of us. We may just have to work a bit harder to find a communication strategy that works. Read more...
150,275 views
Have you ever wondered why parents of kids with special needs always seem to be so cranky? Or why we tend to make really inappropriate remarks so often? Or why other parents of kids with special needs laugh at those inappropriate remarks like it’s an inside joke? Read more...
139,576 views
Children with autism and sensory challenges have many enemies when it comes to clothing. Clothing tags, exposed elastic bands and itchy socks are just some of the challenges facing children with special needs. As more parents start requesting sensory friendly clothing more stores will start to carry these products. Read more...
136,910 views
A weighted blanket provides pressure and sensory input for individuals with autism and other disorders. A weighted blanket can be used as a calming tool or for sleep. The pressure of the blanket provides proprioceptive input to the brain and releases a hormone called serotonin which is a calming chemical in the body. Read more...
135,502 views
Parents of children with special needs often have unique financial concerns, and one way to ease those concerns is to reduce their tax burden. There are many tax deductions and credits available that parents may not be aware of. Parents of children with special needs should familiarize themselves with the deductions and credits and take care to document all expenses related to their children’s medical expenses, development and therapy. Read more...
130,951 views
Back when this author was in college and stumbled across the field of speech pathology, all she really knew was that I wanted to help kids communicate better. With no idea that day when she changed from Liberal Studies to Speech Pathology and Audiology just how AWESOME the field really is. After almost 9 years in, here are 10 things found that ROCK about this profession. Read more...
The Top 10 Special Needs Blog Posts of 2015
As 2015 comes to a close, we took at our blog posts written this year to see what interested our readers. Six authors contributed to these popular posts which generated over 190,000 collective views. We’ve shared the list of our top 10 from 2015 below as well as our top 10 posts of all time. Hope you enjoy!1. 5 Ways to Encourage Communication with a Non-Verbal Child Diagnosed with Autism
2. 6 Facts About Fecal Smearing That You Need To Know
31,740 views
No one likes to talk about it, but fecal smearing, also called scatolia in medical literature, is surprisingly common among children and adults. It occurs most frequently among individuals with developmental delays or post-traumatic stress, which means that the person may not be able to verbalize the reason for the behavior. Read more...
3. 13 Protective Cases That Will Keep Your Special Child’s iPad Air 2 Safe And Sound
22,519 views
You just invested in the latest and greatest iPad Air 2 for your child with special needs. You are hoping that he or she will use it to help develop their communication/language/social/Life Skills. You download some great special needs apps and your child is ready to pinch, zoom and swipe away. Read more...
4. 20 Perks Of Having A Sibling With Special Needs
21,648 views
Siblings of children with special needs do not have it easy. Many are forced to grow up at a very young age. They learn about health and behavior issues, accompanying their families to endless medical and therapeutic appointments. Read more...
5. 5 Indoor Sensory Break Activities That Are Sure to Improve Attention
14,927 views
Staying indoors this season? Living where it’s too cold to go outside? Whether you’re a teacher or a parent, a few great tricks can make the difference between a productive and non-productive day or happy versus tearful kids. Read more...
6. 5 Employment Sectors that are Perfect for Individuals With Autism
13,084 views
Unemployment and underemployment are major issues for adults with autism. The United Nations estimates that over 80% of these adults are unemployed. A 2013 study at Drexel University found that in the first eight years after high school, only 53.4% of young adults on the autism spectrum had ever worked for pay outside the home, and 20.9% worked full-time at a current or most recent job. Read more...
7. 10 Types of Recreational Therapy to Help Your Child with Special Needs
12,763 views
Recreational therapy is based on the idea of increasing a person’s independence and ability to function through participation in creative arts, dance, sports, adventure programs and puzzles or logic games. It is a holistic approach to wellness. Read more...
8. 13 Viral Special Needs Parenting Posts You Need to Read!
12,534 views
Special needs parenting is a lifestyle. For many of us, it is not the lifestyle we chose. And even if we did choose to become a special needs family through adoption, there are still plenty of reasons to be cranky – and then joke about it later. Read more...
9. 5 Ways to Teach an Older Child with Special Needs about Hygiene
12,460 views
Many older children, teenagers, and young adults are challenged with how to maintain good hygiene and have a decreased awareness. These individuals often rely on the adults in their life to help remind and guide them to wash hands, shower every day, shampoo hair, etc. Read more...
10. What you need to Know About Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum
11,577 views
When wife Sarah was 20 weeks pregnant, they had a routine ultrasound and the doctor said that it appeared the baby had Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (ACC). The Corpus Callosum is the main bridge of nerves in the brain that connect the right and left sides of the brain. Agenesis means it didn’t develop. Read more...
Top 10 Blog Posts of All Time
1. 12 Activities to Help Your Child with Social Skills
325,337 views
Reading and understanding social cues don’t come easy for children with special needs, so here are 12 activities that you can do with your child to help improve his or her social skills. Read more...
2. Top 10 Most Ridiculous Comments Heard at an IEP Meeting
254,914 views
As a special education advocate and a parent of a child with special needs, there's a lot of involvement in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. While these meetings can bring out some wonderful, caring, knowledgeable, well meaning teachers and school personnel, attendees can also at times hear some of the most outrageous statements!!! These ridiculous comments fly in the face of everything the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) stands for. Read more...
3. 13 Chromosomal Disorders You May Not Have Heard Of
250,829 views
You’ve heard of Downs syndrome and Fragile X syndrome, but what about Jacobsen syndrome? Or 22q11.2 deletion syndrome? In this post, we bring attention to some lesser known chromosomal disorders. If your child has one of these conditions please share your experiences with us. Read more...
4. The Top 10 Challenges of Special Education Teachers
224,920 views
The attrition, or “burn-out,” rate for special education teachers is extremely high compared to most other professions. 50% of special education teachers leave their jobs within 5 years. Half of those who make it past 5 years will leave within 10 years. This equates to a 75% turnover rate every 10 years (Dage, 2006). Read more...
5. 23 Ways To Communicate With A Non-Verbal Child
163,571 views
“Just because a person can’t speak doesn’t mean they have nothing to say.” A very important reminder from a parent of a non-verbal child. Communication is a basic human need, allowing people to connect with others, make decisions that affect their lives, express feelings and feel part of the community they live in. People with little or no speech still have the same communication needs as the rest of us. We may just have to work a bit harder to find a communication strategy that works. Read more...
6. 15 Reasons Why Its Hard To Get Along With Special Needs Parents
150,275 views
Have you ever wondered why parents of kids with special needs always seem to be so cranky? Or why we tend to make really inappropriate remarks so often? Or why other parents of kids with special needs laugh at those inappropriate remarks like it’s an inside joke? Read more...
7. 8 Online Stores To Purchase Sensory-Friendly Clothing
139,576 views
Children with autism and sensory challenges have many enemies when it comes to clothing. Clothing tags, exposed elastic bands and itchy socks are just some of the challenges facing children with special needs. As more parents start requesting sensory friendly clothing more stores will start to carry these products. Read more...
8. Weighted Blankets: 13 Stores to Choose From
136,910 views
A weighted blanket provides pressure and sensory input for individuals with autism and other disorders. A weighted blanket can be used as a calming tool or for sleep. The pressure of the blanket provides proprioceptive input to the brain and releases a hormone called serotonin which is a calming chemical in the body. Read more...
9. 5 Tax Deductions & Credits For Special Needs Families
135,502 views
Parents of children with special needs often have unique financial concerns, and one way to ease those concerns is to reduce their tax burden. There are many tax deductions and credits available that parents may not be aware of. Parents of children with special needs should familiarize themselves with the deductions and credits and take care to document all expenses related to their children’s medical expenses, development and therapy. Read more...
10. 10 Awesome Reasons Why Being a Speech Pathologist Rocks!
130,951 views
Back when this author was in college and stumbled across the field of speech pathology, all she really knew was that I wanted to help kids communicate better. With no idea that day when she changed from Liberal Studies to Speech Pathology and Audiology just how AWESOME the field really is. After almost 9 years in, here are 10 things found that ROCK about this profession. Read more... 
