What We Can And Can’t Learn From The Chilean Miners

Rescuers prepare the capsule that will free the 33 miners

The world has watched with fascination as 33 miners were pulled to safety yesterday. 1,500 journalists from 39 countries camped out in the desert to cover this story live.  Go to the internet news site of your choice and you could have watched it live.  Leaders the world over sent messages of congratulations. President Barack Obama held [...]

Five Benefits of Growing Up With an Autistic Sibling

siblings

By Dana Fialco Every sibling relationship is unique, but having an autistic child in a family can impact the entire family dynamic. While much attention is paid to the challenges and difficulties faced by parents and siblings of autistic children, growing up with an autistic sibling also offers many advantages and hidden treasures that can [...]

School & Anxiety: It’s not just for those with special needs

Progress Reports and IEPs

I homeschool one child. She is on the autism spectrum. Her neurotypically developing sibs go to a regular public school.” My son, a “regular school” goer, begins middle school next week. Today is middle school orientation. My homeschooler has a lot of anxiety. Anxiety can create the perfect storm for a melt down (what HANDLE calls [...]

“AA”ngles in the sky: Flying with Tourette Syndrome

American Airlines

There is no question that one of the most stressful experiences in my life is traveling.  Comically, that’s a big part of my job now. Obviously, one of the worst parts is when I have to sit next to someone on a plane who might be offended by something that I tic.  Even though some [...]

Born Deaf, 31 Ounces, and 11 inches tall: Overcoming the odds

If someone tells you can’t do something, don’t you believe it. This has been my mantra for many years. I was born three months premature, weighed only 31 ounces and was only 11 inches long – with tiny hands the size of a man’s fingernail. During the first 4 months of my life, I had [...]

Siblings of Children with Special Needs: Collateral Damage?

sibs

By Remy Nirschl During one heated moment with tears in her eyes, the look my neuro typical daughter gave me, said it all, “I’m here too, mom”. Nicole, my twelve year old daughter, is considered neurotypical compared to her brother.  Yet, having a younger brother with autism is not very typical at all.  One evening, [...]

Not Bad for a “Disabled” Goalkeeper

Tim Howard… Ever hear of him? Not many had at least on this side of the pond, at least until the World Cup. Tim Howard is the goalie for the U.S Soccer team. He reached star status in 2003 when he became the goalie for Manchester United, the worlds most famous soccer team. Howard has [...]

Turtle

Turtle Crossing

1992 When my daughter Chloe was born my father wrote two things in her baby book. The first read “different is good” the second one was “life is about the moments, I hope you have a few good ones” he then called her Turtle for a number of years because well, she moved slowly and carefully most of [...]

Adaptations for some but not for others

Jen Arnold

Reality shows are hot. Reality shows about families who are unique are really hot. Reality shows fascinate me. Matt and Amy crack me up sometimes. I often wonder how Jon and Kate or the Duggars would be different with a severely autistic child among their broods. But I don’t want to muse about that today. [...]

Raising a Child with Bipolar Disorder

bp

By Debbie Orkin When I was a child, there were three things that made me feel frightened: photographs and film footage from the early 1970′s (a whole story in itself), severe weather, and being around people that suffered from a mental illness. As I grew older, the first two “fears” dissipated, but the third one [...]