More, Special Education

14 Must Read Special Needs Blog Posts

Every Sunday, we select the week's big special needs news stories and blog posts. This week, however, we bring you 14 great blog posts from the past two weeks.

Ams Vans: Traveling with Special-Needs Children Is Worth the Effort

Every child with autism reacts differently when their routine is disrupted by family traveling, but careful planning—starting small, preparing your child for the trip, and looking for attractions that offer programs for children with special needs—can ease a family’s traveling troubles.

Moms with ADD/ADHD: 7 Tips for Surviving the Holidays when your Nerves are Already Shot

Terry Matlen offers seven tips for surviving the stressful holiday season: purchase last-minute gifts online, have a plan in case of meltdowns, delegate tasks, try to laugh at the situation when you feel panicked, and more.

Reality Check: ADHD & Bullying

This post includes an interview between Peggy Dolan from the Edge Foundation and Dr. Michele Borba about the link between ADHD and bullying and what solutions exist for parents and educators of children with special needs.

Autism Speaks Official Blog: It’s Here! Announcing 2011’s Top Ten Advances Autism Research

Autism Speaks chose the 10 most important autism research achievements from 2011, including discoveries on how frequently autism recurs in families and the role non-genetic influences play in increasing the risk of autism.

Autisable: Jealousy Between Siblings

Just as jealousy exists between siblings and can cause conflict and stress for parents, this parent experiences jealousy toward other parents.

Tadpole Adaptive: 5 Ways to Get a Good Wheelchair Fit for Your Child

Tadpole Adaptive provides a checklist to help parents select a wheelchair for their child by addressing evaluation, trail, fitting, and final delivery of any type of wheelchair, not just specific brands or types.

Special Education Advisor: Top Ten Most Viewed Special Education Advisor Blogs for 2011

This post has a list of the most viewed educator advisor blogs from 2011, excluding guest articles, and includes special education Twitter feeds to follow and Facebook pages to like, a variety of IEP topics, disability categories under IDEA, and a response to Ron Clark’s “What Teachers Really Want To Tell Parents.”

Autism Unexpected: Holiday gift guide: Books about autism

Autism Unexpected’s post lists the staff’s 15 favorite books about autism. Including a coloring book, humorous books, memoirs, nonfiction, and cartoons, the list has options for both adults and children.

Sen. Bob Casey: Peace of Mind for Parents of Children With Disabilities

Sen. Bob Casey’s post explains the newly introduced Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which will expand the use of 529 education savings accounts to help cover disability-related expenses, allowing older individuals with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities to put money aside for anticipated long-term costs.

Love That Max: And I’m so proud of your child, too

As a parent of a child with special needs, Ellen knows how “even small achievements can seem like big-time wonders,” and she cheers on the other children’s achievements along with her own son’s at his holiday concert.

Stuart Duncan: That could apply to anyone

The phrase “that could happen to anyone” bothered Stuart Duncan, until he realized that what he writes about does apply to anyone; some topics he covers can apply to all parenting, all children, anyone in general. It can still bother him, but it reminds him that people with autism are part of the “everyone.”

Different Dream: 40 Must See YouTube Special Education Videos

Matt Holden compiled a list of 40 must see YouTube special education videos and emailed the list to Different Dream. The categories in the list sound educator-focused, but the videos offer valuable information to parents about IEP meetings, special ed lingo, and resources parents might want to suggest to their child’s teacher.

Different Dream: Teaching Kids with Special Needs to Self-Advocate

Different Dream’s post describes and links to an article by Robert Bernstein, which gives advice for encouraging self-advocacy and preparing teenagers with special needs for what lies after high school.

Mama Be Good: Shocking News: Autism Has Not Ruined My Life

This blogger said she lost a reader because her blog is too sad, but she has something to clarify: having a child with autism does not make her sad, it gives her love.