Comments on: Resources for Special-Needs Children

By: Kara Spencer

Kara Spencer — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:38:56 +0000

I am a Craniosacral Therapist and work with children with craniosacral therapy who have autism, ADHD, sensory, motor, and learning disabilities. The craniosacral therapy is very helpful for these children, and I work with kids at my office, and including in a therapeutic pool. I recommend looking into craniosacral for all children and adult with learning disabilities, special needs, and more. You can find out more about craniosacral at my website at http://www.maiahealingarts.com.

I recommend craniosacral therapy in conjunction with other therapies, including nutritional support, such as the GF/CF diet, and supplementation.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:12:39 +0000

http://www.childdevelopmentpartners.com

Fee resources for parents with children diagnosed with AD/HD, autism spectrum and learning disorders.

By: Fran McCloskey

Fran McCloskey — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:27:37 +0000

For Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome - Join COSAC the New Jersey Center for Outreach & Services for the Autism Community COSAC and go to the Conference every year in May in Atlantic City - It is wonderful and educational not to mention - it gives you “peace”
Also Read books written by Temple Grandin - a woman with autism that will inspire you and let you know everything is possible.

By: Mary Thweatt

Mary Thweatt — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:52:05 +0000

The Center for Autism & Asperger Resources, Inc. is a non profit organization created by parents of children on the spectrum or developmental delay.

We can advice you how to create your own resources.

By: Erin

Erin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:40:59 +0000

My daughter has a rare genetic disorder - Cri du Chat Syndrome. The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential has gotten AMAZING and UNBELIEVABLE results with children who have all sorts of neurological problems. From neurological birth defects, genetic disorders to head injuries, drowning accidents, toxin ingesition, autism, cerebral palsy, ADD, ADHD, seizures, learning/reading difficulties, etc. - if it affects your child’s brain, they deal with it. Their philosophy is very much in line with “raising small souls” and they have over 60 years of experience helphing thousands of children from all over the world in every range of ability. Their products and services are broad and fit every budget - from buying books to read on your own, to one time consultations, lecture series, DVDs, all the way up to their Intensive Treatment Program. No other resource I have encountered comes close to their value! Good luck and God bless your little souls!

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By: linda

linda — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:49:21 +0000

I like receiving the free e-newsletters from this ADHD site so here’s the address to join and sign up for the e-news:

http://www.additudemag.com/members/signup.html

Their top 10 articles each month have provided excellent solutions, kept me up on recent info, and prompted me to read up on ADHD developments once a month, which I wouldn’t get around to doing without the email link.

Linda

By: Jenny M

Jenny M — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 02:03:17 +0000

I found this website several years ago, as I tried everything I possibly could to help my son speak. I searched, and searched for a sign language video that would help us communicate with one another. When I came upon “Signing Time”, I was amazed at how well it was put together, and how much fun, and engaging it was for my son and I. I know that for us it helped. He was interested in it, and began signing with me, and later his speech came. At three years old he started his first few words, and now, at six, he is as fluent as can be. This collection of videos are really great, and have had a great impact on my son’s ability to speak, in addition to speech therapy. Great collection for deaf children which is what it is directed to.

By: learnmusic

learnmusic — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:40:29 +0000

New Page 1 http://research.aboutkidshealth.ca/teachadhd/about TOPIC: ADHD, Teaching kids in your classroom with ADHD Description: This website is primarily geared towards teachers, to help them understand what ADHD is, what it looks like, and different ways to effectively teach students who have ADHD. There is a section that describes the behavioral characteristics in a classroom setting, there's a section that describes the truths and the myths that surround ADHD, there are descriptions of common cognitive difficulties in his students with ADHD and teachers can get information in regards to both instructional and behavioral management plans. This website originates from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. The information provided on this site is backed up by both past and present studies, and comes from a trusted source, the world-renowned Hospital for Sick Children. As stated in the above description, this site is geared primarily towards teachers although information on here would be helpful to parents trying to understand their child. The information presented here is thorough for teachers but the format is easy to read, the site is easy to navigate, and in regards to the amount of information there is not so much that a teacher can get lost and overloaded with information. There is also information here in regard to the teacher's role in the assessment and referral process. There are both basic and detailed ideas for teaching the child who has ADHD in the classroom. There are also many resources cited which include books, studies and websites, as well as reports in free downloadable format. A teacher can also order the TeachADHD Teacher's Resource Manual and supportive DVD through a link on its website. http://www.chadd.org/ TOPIC: children and adults with ADD/ADHD Description: This website is for and about children and adults with ADD/ADHD. This website is about the organization CHADD that endeavors to provide education, advocacy, and supports for those people who have ADHD as well as the people who live with, and work with them. “The National Resource Center on AD/HD (NRC): A Program of CHADD, was established in 2002 to be the national clearinghouse for the latest evidence-based information on AD/HD. The NRC provides comprehensive information and support to individuals with AD/HD, their families and friends, and the professionals involved in their lives.” CHADD is a nonprofit organization and seems to have an unlimited supply of information. At first glance, it seems each in navigate but because there is so much information within this site it might be best to focus on one area of information at a time. The depth of information contained in this website is incredible. You can start at the beginning by clicking on the link " understanding ADD/HD, and navigate your way through finding supports, membership, finding out about conferences and training, going all the way to taking action at the federal level (although specifically geared to the USA). One could easily get lost within this website, however if there is something that you would like to know about ADHD you are almost certain to find it within this website, including innumerable links to related sites and articles. This website is worthwhile to anyone who is interested in finding out more about ADHD including teachers, parents, children and youth, those in the mental health field and more. I suspect that those that would benefit the most from this information however, would be both adults who have ADHD and parents of children who have ADHD, as much of the information seems to focus on understanding this disorder and advocating for those who have it. http://www.idaontario.com/index.html TOPIC: Dyslexia (IDA = International Dyslexia Association) Description: “The IDA Ontario Branch is committed to informing, educating and supporting individuals with dyslexia, their families and the communities that support them.” According to the home page on this website, it is dedicated to: "Providing information on dyslexia Supporting parents of children with dyslexia Listing resources for parents, adults with dyslexia and professionals Encouraging financial support to provide services to the dyslexia community “ The accuracy of information on this website can and is backed up by cited research. This is an international organization, yet this is specifically the Ontario branch of the organization. In this respect the reader gets the benefits and best of both worlds in terms of both worldwide research, and information relevant to those who live in Ontario. The navigation through this site is simple and the information is both thorough and concise at the same time. One can find out what dyslexia is, and what it is not. The links to other sites and information is organized in a clear an orderly fashion. There are many links to Ontario organizations and resources, followed by Canadian websites and then International websites. There are also several books listed as suggested reading. This site is useful to both parents and teachers who are trying to both understand and help those who have dyslexia as there are suggestions for both modification and accommodation for students, as well as ideas on how to support the student at home. Also listed are common signs and things to look out for as both the parent and the teacher as well as what tests and evaluations should include in diagnosing dyslexia. http://www.dyslexiaassociation.ca/english/mandate.shtml Topic: Dyslexia Description: According to this website, “The mandate of the Canadian Dyslexia Association is to promote awareness of dyslexia in order to improve the quality of life of the estimated five million Canadians who have dyslexia.” At first glance this website does not appear to have much in the way of content and information. The information contained in this website however, is concise, easy to understand and does not tend to overload one with too much information. Here we find that there are three basic types of dyslexia with short and easy-to-understand examples. There are characteristics listed for one to look out for as well as listed myths in regards to dyslexia. Although teachers could find useful information here, I feel that this website is geared primarily towards students and parents. There are large amounts of information on the method of teaching those with dyslexia that has been tried and tested, and found very successful called SMT, which stands for Simultaneous Multisensory Teaching. There are many links with information from characteristics and diagnosis all the way to those with dyslexia at the university level. One area of this website that may be extremely useful to students, are celebrities from many walks of life who had dyslexia and yet were very successful in their life and what they did. Some of these people include authors and writers, artists, politicians and those in the military, scientists and inventors, business people and actors. I feel that this could be an excellent motivator for students to help them understand that dyslexia could be looked at as a gift rather than a disability. One further note – there is a link which will convert the entire website into French. http://www.ldonline.org/ Topic: Learning Disabilities Description: If you are looking for virtually any kind of information on pretty much any kind of learning disability at all you can find it here. You can learn about the basics of Learning Disabilities, or you can go to the section for “Learning Disabilities in Depth”, and everything in between. If there is a learning disability that has been identified, it is almost certain to be listed somewhere within this website. On the home page of this website, there is a statement that says" the world's leading website on learning disabilities and ADHD" - and based on what I see here I can certainly believe that that might be true. The depth that this website goes into is incredible. With so much information on one website, one might think that it would be easy to get lost-but this site is so well organized that it's easy to navigate. LD Online, offers hundreds of expert reviewed articles, along with many other resources, links, newsletters, and expert advice. This website would be an incredible resource for anyone who has an interest in any kind of learning disability. This includes, but is not limited to parents, teachers, younger students, college preparation and college students, those who are transitioning from school to work, and those whose first language is not English. For teachers there are instructional strategies and other issues such as inclusion in behavior and social skills. For parents there is information identifying Learning Disabilities, supporting your child, and working with the school. For kids there is a special section which includes an art gallery, personal stories, books and e-cards. This website along with all of the links and resources that gives people, could easily keep one busy for weeks.

By: how to get a six pack

how to get a six pack — Sat, 17 May 2008 01:08:10 +0000

how to get a six pack

thanks so much. Good writing

By: Pam Ferro

Pam Ferro — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:51:49 +0000

The Gottschall Autism Center will provide early treatment for children with autism and adult employment opportunities for adults with autism.

By: Dina

Dina — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:40:38 +0000

My son attended a wonderful school called The Greenwood School in Putney Vermont. It is for boys with language based learning differences. It is very small(42 boys) and very unique. It gave my son so much self confidence, and the ability to be a self advocate for all his needs. He graduated last year and is now attending a private high school for kids with learning differences,that are headed for college. He is an honor student now and is well prepared for all that life brings on. http://www.greenwood.org

By: Tamara

Tamara — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:11:09 +0000

My grandson was diagnosed with SOD (Septo-Optic Dysplasia when he was 4 months old is now 4 years old and a second diagnosis of SOD/ONH (Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, needless to say we are overwhelmed. He is developmentally delayed and he has speech impairment. He also struggles in school but he likes school a lot. His vision has improved I believe however he now shows signs of behavioral problems. Because this is so rare we find it very difficult to connect him with good doctors. I want to take him to the Mayo Clinic but cannot afford it. In addition, he has been denied SSI to help provide him with the care he needs. We will reapply soon. My daughter has Ja’den when she was 20 years old and there is no cure for SOD/ONH. My daughter needs a strong advocate to help her move forward in Minnesota.

By: Jack Leonard

Jack Leonard — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:58:58 +0000

I just interviewed with a company locally (I don’t work for them, yet), Tobii-ATI, that makes some impressive assistive communication devices. Link to one product that really impressed me: http://www.assistivetech.com/p-mytobiip10.htm - it enables speech, e-mail, web-surfing, etc. by tracking where you’re looking.

By: Monika

Monika — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:18:51 +0000

Earncow? What does this have to do with Special Needs??

By: earncow

earncow — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:16:31 +0000

Great Article love it http://www.earncow.com

By: Autism Treatment

Autism Treatment — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:55:21 +0000

Treatment for children ages 5 and up who have autism, aspergers or autistic symptoms. The treatment is non drug and is in California. They use neurofeedback combined with therapy and social skills training. All that combined really makes a difference.

By: crohns disease

crohns disease — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:55:34 +0000

crohns disease

No immediate cure for crohns yet exists. The symtoms can of course be alleviated by altering the diet and with the use of nature. Crohns can be controlled without drugs, which just bury the symptoms under a cloud of drowsiness.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 03:03:28 +0000

I would be interested in helping answer questions for parents about special education school related issues. I have been in the field of special education for 15 years and have been a director of special education for over five years. I also have a degree in early childhood education and have had a lot of training in the area of autism.

By: Attached Mama

Attached Mama — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:52:18 +0000

This site:

http://www.naturemoms.com/blog

has good info all the time on ADHD, ADD, and Autism - diets ideas and natural remedies.

By: M & M's Mom

M & M's Mom — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:34:15 +0000

My son is 4 years old, and has no official diagnosis. He struggles socially, mild language delays, mild fine motor delays, and although a year or so ago he technically fit the autism diagnosis we held off on the label and he no longer qualifies. Point being he is one of those borderline kids that is hard to put in any category! Yet he struggles behaviorally, socially and in school a lot, and has the allergy/digestive/asthma/ear infection/yeast thing so many of the autism/adhd kids do. We have had great luck consulting a naturopath on how to heal his digestive system and rebalance his physical system.

Recently sonmeone mentioned the possibility that he might be an indigo child. I still don’t know much about the term, but looking into it I learned that he is picking up on nonverbal cues and the emotions and thoughts behind the words as much if not more so than the words people say! I noticed it with myself first, and now that I have adjusted my communication with him to the best of my ability we have seen amazing changes! He is calmer, happier, and we aren’t clashing anymore - a big change from the constant butting of heads thing we had been into only 2 weeks ago! I wish I understood it more or had a great site to offer, but I am just learning myself so all I can recommend is to google the term “indigo child” and if this sounds like your child you may be able to benefit from varying your approach to communication!

Best of luck to all of you!

By: Vivian Chau

Vivian Chau — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 17:05:17 +0000

The book “Fidget to Focus: Outwit Your Boredom: Sensory Strategies for Living with ADD” by Roland Rotz has been recommended to me by a number of people.

By: steve

steve — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:30:57 +0000

Tourette’s and Tics can be easily managed through diet. It is suprising that more people don’t subscribe to this way of thinking, especially since the diet also has been shown to help autistic children. Just my two cents.

By: Tricia

Tricia — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:21:01 +0000

I have found this site: http://www.cec.sped.org to have an endless supply of information on all special needs areas. You do NOT need to be a member to access it!

By: Megan Schepers

Megan Schepers — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 14:34:40 +0000

Ellen,

I came to your sight by way of your animal movie. I have a 5year old son whom had a stroke in womb-he has cerebal palsy as a result. I have been to all kinds of thearapists but I found my greatest success with Easter Seals. I just want to say I was having a very difficult time with my son’s school when a friend emailed me the movie-I think I have watched it 15 times! I too beleive each child should be celebrated for who they are not what they can or can not do! Thank you.

By: Rich Lash

Rich Lash — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:48:23 +0000

OOps from above

Tourette Syndrome Information Site

By: Rich Lash

Rich Lash — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 20:46:32 +0000

Great site check it out.

By: Sibyl

Sibyl — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:35:55 +0000

Hi, through our journey against ADHD and/or Sensory Processing Disorder, I have found four resources that have changes our lives for the best:

Two books: Transforming the Difficult Child, by Alan Glasser and Sensational Kids, by Lucy Jane Miller

A website that has helped find the treatments my son needed: http://www.inpp.org.uk
and an online community: adhdnews.com/forum. My favorite forum is the one about Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

By: Sharon K

Sharon K — Tue, 15 May 2007 01:50:47 +0000

If you live in Northern California UC Davis MIND Institute is probably one of the best places for issues related to Aspergers and Autism as well as other neurological concerns. They have trainings and a lot of information and support. Kaiser in Rancho Cordova also recently opened an Autism building. even if you don’t live in California you may want to Contact the Mind Institute at UC Davis for other suggestions or assistance. good luck

By: LA

LA — Tue, 08 May 2007 17:32:02 +0000

I was having alot of difficulty with my 11 year old son. They gave him the title ODD. Which was not of much help to me as to how to help him. He was put on a very mild sedative, which helped some. But still lost as what to do for him or with him. He is seeing a pychologist, and he recommended that I read the book ” Parenting The Explosive Child”, that book was a God send to me, it gave me some answers on why his behavior was like that and what I could do to help. It has some info on Tourettes also, a bit of an explaination instead of just bandaiding the problems with meds and things that really don’t solve anything. My son and I are on the road to much better communication and behaviors. Still have some rough spots, but nothing like before. His teachers and principal have even read the book so they have some idea on what they can do to help.

By: Janet Lipsey

Janet Lipsey — Mon, 07 May 2007 03:07:08 +0000

For San Francisco Bay Area families - I recently witnessed a most amazing demonstration of a gentle method used for young children with developmental, physical and/or genetic disabilities that helps them to gain mobility and focus. It is based on the Feldenkrais method. You HAVE to see this to believe it!

By: Jill L-F

Jill L-F — Sun, 06 May 2007 02:58:48 +0000

This is a website I created to help other families like mine who are faced with raising a child with special needs and their typical developing sibling. SpecialNeedsAwareness.org was created so that anyone could share information they found helpful with other families faced with similar struggles. Lots of resources and community calendar of events. If you have something to share just click on “contact us” Together we can accomplish anything.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 01:40:51 +0000

Sorry the website for the parent support group for any spec needs child is…www.parentsupportgrouponline.com

By: Julia

Julia — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 16:39:58 +0000

This site has easy to use visual supports for children and adults with communication disorders. The images are high quality and the schedules and boards can be customized. There is a forum and the information page has background information on viusal supports for communication.
http://www.languageimages.com

By: Julia

Julia — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 16:37:37 +0000

This site has wasy to use visual supports for children and adults with communication disorders. The images are high quality and the schedules and boards can be customized. There is a forum and the information page has background information on viusal supports for communication.
http://www.languageimages.com

By: Nicole

Nicole — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 10:06:49 +0000

I created a message board supporting parents with special needs. Please register today.

By: Christina Ginter

Christina Ginter — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 21:22:53 +0000

Sorry the website didn’t come out on the first try. http://www.disabilityisnatural.com

Thanks Christina

By: Christina Ginter

Christina Ginter — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 21:20:57 +0000

I am an occuapational therapist working with young children and their families. I’d like to recommend a great website that has a fresh perspective when looking at individuals with disabilties. This website is produced by Kathie Snow who is a great advocate for individuals with disabilties and their families and communities.

By: Kim Herning

Kim Herning — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 17:23:27 +0000

I have a child that has been diagnosed with ADHD and Bipolar disorder. I have learned a lot and received much support from these websites.

By: Gail

Gail — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 00:12:22 +0000

Check out http://www.mbhorsecenter.com - the horse facility mentioned above.

By: Gail Wright

Gail Wright — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 00:10:27 +0000

We operate a fully inclusive, community based, horse facility offering classes, camps, and clubs for all children. We have many spring and summer camps. We are a Regional Center vendor (specifically SARC) but all Regional Center clients can use our services by assigning some or all of their Respite hours to us! Check us out!

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 21:10:05 +0000

My 3 yr. old son was diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome. I found the National FragileX Foundation to be a GREAT resource along with various support groups in the Southeastern Wisconsin area (Wisconsin First Steps, Special Needs Family Center at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, United Cerebral Palsy of Southeastern Wisconsin to name a few). Individuals diagnosed with Autism should check this site out as well. Many Autistic individuals have Fragile X and probably don’t even know it.

God Bless.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 14:18:38 +0000

For Autism Spectrum Disorders check out

http://www.rdiconnect.com

By: Karmen Boone

Karmen Boone — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 03:02:20 +0000

I have found http://www.babycenter.com website to be a lifesaver for me(parents of autistic children board can be found by going to bulletin boards, then parenting children 1-8 yrs. old, from there going to the development section). For specialty items, I have ordered many things from workbooks to CD’s from http://www.superduperinc.com (free shipping too). Both have been invaluable to me.

By: Craig

Craig — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 17:17:07 +0000

The Asperger's Store carries a comprehensive line of assistive products and special dietary products for children with Autism-Spectrum Disorders. This site may be of help to parents of children with these conditions.

By: Craig Cecil

Craig Cecil — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 16:33:25 +0000

We just launched The Asperger’s Store at http://www.aspergerstore.com

As parents of an autistic child with Asperger Syndrome, we designed this site as an online informational and product site designed to enhance the lives of individuals with this condition. We showcase thousands of products. Check us out.

We welcome feedback

By: Steffany Lohn

Steffany Lohn — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 19:26:12 +0000

I am the mother of a two year old son with autism. While there certainly are a number of resources for special needs kids available, there can never be too many. That is why I have started a non-profit organization, Find a Way Foundation, to bring more resources to my own community in Northern California.

The foundation is just starting out, but you can read about our plans at:

http://www.antiochpress.com/article.cfm?articleID=1663

and:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_km4465/is_200608/ai_n16683519

I would love to hear from other parents what they would find most helpful in their communities—from therapies to advocacy to social interaction opportunities and more. Please feel free to email me at steffanylohn@findawayfoundation.org

Thank you for your input!

By: Melissa S.

Melissa S. — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 23:00:27 +0000

The following essay is widely published on the Internet and is very relevant to raising children with disabilities. It really moved me…

- Mom of Kyla, age 9 - ADD and possibly nonverbal learning disorder (? we’re still trying to isolate what her difficulties are), and Jack age 5 - sensory processing disorder

A Trip To Holland
By Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability — to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this…

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make your wonderful plans… the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel, Gondolas. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting. After several months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland!” “Holland?” you say. “What do you mean, Holland? I signed up for Italy. I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.” But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place full of pestilence, famine, and disease. It’s just a different place. So, you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It’s just a different place. It’s slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around. You begin to notice that Holland has windmills. Holland has tulips. And Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy, and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life you will say, ” Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.” And the pain of that experience will never, ever, ever, go away. The loss of that dream is a very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.

By: Maureen

Maureen — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 16:34:00 +0000

For Tourette's Syndrome and MUCH MORE... I'm delighted to see Valerie (#161 above) has discovered this site as well: http://www.tourettesyndrome.net/ I have found this to be one of the most useful sites related to Tourette's but also EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION, ADD/ADHD and more. I also recommend http://www.tsa-usa.org/ For Tourette's families and educators I highly recommend the DVD "I Have Tourette's but Tourette's Doesn't Have Me." This film helped my son's Special Ed team and others to understand the syndrome, dispel the myths and see him as a child, not a label. TIP FOR EVERYONE: Get an email address at gmail and there you can have Google send "web alerts" for news items related to any topic you choose. I am able to keep up on the latest news regarding Tourette's or medications that our family uses (since those are constantly being re-evaluated).

By: Barb Klein

Barb Klein — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 20:17:11 +0000

http://www.schwablearning.org is the master site for http://www.sparktop.org mentioned above.

By: Barb Klein

Barb Klein — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 20:15:48 +0000

http://www.nldontheweb.org/ is the original website - thought it would come up in the post automatically - sorry about that!

By: Barb Klein

Barb Klein — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 20:13:58 +0000

For learning more about Nonverbal Learning Disabilities, this website has been very helpful. It has articles for parents and educators at various levels of complexity.

By: Barb Klein

Barb Klein — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 20:12:20 +0000

Schwab Learning is a wonderful site for parents and kids with learning disabilities or developmental disabilities, including ADHD. http://www.sparktop.org is their site for kids with disabilities and it’s wonderful too!

By: Jennifer Edwards

Jennifer Edwards — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:02:20 +0000

I have 2 yr old who has Sensory Processing Disorder.
and this site and http://www.kidfoundation.org/index.html
has been really helpful to me

By: Shannon

Shannon — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 22:56:20 +0000

I am the mother of three special needs children. Two of my children are deaf and use a cochlear implant to hear. Any questions about hearing loss, scholarships for children with deafness or deafness in general. Check out www.agbell.org or www.oraldeaf.org. My middle child has epilepsy and is speech/language delayed. A good website for children with epilepsy is www.paceusa.org. Also let me stress the importance of sign language, when it is difficult to communicate with your child. I used it with all three of my children and it has helped them connect to spoken language. If you would like information about sign language, please visit www.handspeak.com. It is a wonderful website that can teach baby sign for those who just wish to communicate with their child, or you could teach yourself American sign language (ASL). Hope this helps!!

By: Elsie Yurchuk

Elsie Yurchuk — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 22:48:52 +0000

http://www.NAMI.org

http://www.CHADD.org

Two helpful and informative websites for those interested or concerned with mental illness (mood and brain disorders) and ADD/ADHD.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 13:56:05 +0000

a few years ago (when i was struggling with my autistic son’s bowel issues) i found this website. having posted a message with my concerns about his “leaky gut” (which led to a variety of nutrient deficiencies), i received advice on the GFCF diet.
well, i decided to inquire further about this diet and asked for names of GFCF foods and what stores they could be found in… the response that i got was overwhelming as hundreds of e-mails with information showed up… which made it possible for me to break down the list into the four basic food groups and begin following this diet with the assistance of a dietician. much thanks and gratitude is owed to everyone on that website who helped because my son’s issues have improved drastically.

By: Valerie

Valerie — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 00:35:29 +0000

Although this website is called Tourette Syndrome, it has great information on a variety of other special needs such as Asperger’s, Executive Functioning disorder, non-verbal learning disorder, ADHD and more. It is highly recommended by a neuropsychologist who works with several children from the school where I teach and is a very valuable resource. It also lists other websites that might be of help.

By: Stacy

Stacy — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 16:49:38 +0000

A wonderful support “family” for parents of children with Down syndrome. Once there you can find links to many of our favorite sites.

By: Brenda H

Brenda H — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 21:03:59 +0000

I have found http://www.kidfoundation.org very helpful for my child with sensory disorder it has links to several links as well. I also recommend the book “1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.” by Ellen Notbohm and Veronica Zysk. I also recommend the book Sensational Kids.

By: Katrina

Katrina — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:37:48 +0000

I am the proud mother to the Amazing Brant who is 3 1/2 years old and has Down syndrome. One great site that I LOVE for any person with a disability is http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/ It gives very positive inclusion information as well as some wonderful info on "People First Wording" which values the person before their disability(instead of saying "Special Needs Children" you say "Children with Special Needs", instead of "Down syndrome person" you say "Person who has Down syndrome") As for information specific to Down syndrome I really like these sites: www.trisomy21online.com www.cdss.ca www.dsrf.org www.ds-health.com And for children with delays in learning to speak and the parents would like to use Sign Language as a communication tool I HIGHLY recommend the DVD's from www.signingtime.com ... makes learning sign language so easy for kids and parents! Our son knows over 200 signs from this series alone. Katrina

By: Nicole Maher

Nicole Maher — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:19:45 +0000

My daughter has Down syndrome, and my favorite online support community is:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/244888/

As well as Dr. Len Leshin’s site:
http://www.ds-health.com/ds_sites.htm

By: Susan Blumberg

Susan Blumberg — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 21:14:57 +0000

I'm a child clinical psychologist, family advocate and mom to a child with special needs. I recommend these: www.wrightslaw.com for info on IDEA and 504 issues www.spdnetwork.org on sensory processing disorder www.beachcenter.org to find parent to parent support in your community and the latest research on disability issues www.thearc.org for the ARC of the United States for parent advocacy support - local chapters exist in every state www.ldonline.com schwablearning.org has been mentioned by several other posts - LDonline is another fabulous learning disabilities resource www.ndline.com for Nonverbal Learning Disability take care, Susan

By: Katherine

Katherine — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:52:49 +0000

Donna:

My son was kind of like this. He’s 11 now and doing well. I too thought I should take him to a psychologist. However, I found that his problem was a language delay. He was diagnosed with Receptive and Expressive Language Delay and has been in speech therapy since the age of 4. Belive it or not, this delay can cause horrible outbursts because of the frustration the child feels over not being able to understand or be understood. If you’re interested in finding out more, email me at: ekcfrench@comcast.net. By the way, I homeschool also.

By: Monika

Monika — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:02:25 +0000

Hi Donna;

I don’t know for SURE of course, but the two things that come to mind instantly are Bi Polar Disorder or Sensory Processing Disorder.

Look them both up on the web to get more info and see what you think.

I have lots of experience with Sensory stuff because my son was diagnosed with it at age 3. We had nightmares with potty training too. It took until AFTER age 4!!

I have a blog that you can get info on our journey and tonnes of resources about S.P.D. if you are interested.

Check out http://www.hypersensitivekids.blogspot.com

I don’t have as MUCH experience with Bi Polar but I have 4 adult friends with it and have read about it and it is characterized by severe mood swings.

Best of luck! Feel free to email if you want.

Monika (lifeontherun@gmail.com)

By: Donna

Donna — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 14:36:19 +0000

I need help…

Does anyone have experience with a child at 4 1/2 that seems to have a flip flop personality? One second they’re sweet as pie the next they shake with anger at the least little thing going into a rage, then somehow suddenly back to being that sweet little child again. Potty training is ongoing, though we seem to have breakthroughs that don’t last. The doctor say she is in good health and to work with her on potty training. I haven’t made my concerns known thinking I can handle this. Now I’m not so sure. She can’t join any groups like AWANA’s or art class unless I’m right there but then that seems to discourage independence. I homeschool her and her 9 year old sister. Am I just over-reacting to something she’ll grow out of or should I take her to a child psychologist?

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 11:53:37 +0000

I have an online autism information and support group - we have members from around the world, and share and discuss autism issues on a daily basis.
http://groups.msn.com/AutismSpectrumDisorderSupport

I have a daughter who was initially dx with severe sensory integration dysfunction at 2 and then with autism at 3. She is now almost 7 and in a mainstream 1st grade class with an aide and doing very well!

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 18:10:12 +0000

http://www.tell-us-your-story.com/
I dare you to read the stuff on this site and not have your eyes opened.

National Dissemination
Center for Children
with Disabilities:
http://www.nichcy.org/index.html
(Exellent source for basic information!)
On pdd-nos:
http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs20txt.htm
Aticle on my particular disability.

By: Emma Holliday

Emma Holliday — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:55:43 +0000

I’m an educator and have done some testing on Irlen Syndrome and Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome. If your child plays up in class or refuses to read - even on on the computer - you might find my results interesting. http://eaholliday.squarespace.com/

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 23:15:32 +0000

This site is for families raising children with FASD. I have found the site very informative. They also have a support group which I belong to and I love. It is so wonderful to be able to talk with people who are in the same situation as you and can understand.

By: Marija

Marija — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:53:31 +0000

This website is for Relationship Development Intervention. It has a lot of information for parents of children with autism or asperger’s. It is a specific type of intervention, but there are also a lot of resources and information about what autism is.

By: Denise Chasin

Denise Chasin — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 10:40:00 +0000

Personal Ponies Ltd provides a small UK shetland pony for children that are differently able. Ponies are available to visit throughout the country or are available to live with you and your child.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 02:41:25 +0000

It looks like you have covered about every website that I have been too,plus I have found several more to check out. However, I have a book that I am reading is “Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs Raising The Bar of Expectations” By Judy Winters. I have just started it, but this seems to be a great book.

The other thing that I can recommend is getting your kids involved with special olympics. I did this for my daughter a year ago. I am just thrilled with the changes in her. It has been such a positive setting for her. So if anyone has kids with cognitive impairments I would highly recommend this too. I also recommend parents getting involved, either chaperoning or coaching. I have been coaching since our 2nd sport she joined, it has been just as important to my growth dealing with her diagnososes as it has been for her socially.

By: Christina

Christina — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 01:19:32 +0000

Thanks so much to all who voiced helpful opinions, I am looking forward to trying some of these new-to-me websites soon…
There are many books on the subject(s) of Special Needs children, however, these were of particular help to our family and have their associated websites…
1. It’s So Much Work to Be Your Friend, by Richard Lavoie
2. The Explosive Child, by Dr.Ross W. Greene
3. Bipolar-The Elements of Bipolar Disorder by Dr. Jay Carter

“We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Joseph Campbell

By: Robin

Robin — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:32:45 +0000

I must be having an ADD moment. The website is additude.com Sorry about that!

By: Robin

Robin — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:31:57 +0000

These website and magazine are a wealth of knowledge for anybody involved in the wacky world of ADD.

By: Susan Bradley

Susan Bradley — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 03:23:19 +0000

The link: http://www.hsmjs.org/products.htm is my school cooperations’s website that is full of links, videos, pictures, and great resources for parents or individuals interested in the topic of Autism. It covers a vast amount of information. I hope it proves to be useful.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:21:17 +0000

I’m sorry, the agency is Mosaic and their website is: http://www.mosaicinfo.org

By: Tammy

Tammy — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:20:14 +0000

Non-profit Lutheran based agency that provides services to children and adults with developmental disabilities. They are located in many cities across the United States and can be a good resource if you need to actually speak to someone in your area.

By: Debbie Mumm

Debbie Mumm — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 20:32:11 +0000

I am a mother with 5 children, 2 of which were adopted from Russia when they were 5 & 10. I created this website so parents could get support from other adoptive parents & professionals with knowledge of adoptive children and adoption issues. It is loaded with helpful links and offers a FREE newsletter plus teleseminars.
http://www.everythingforadoption.com

By: Sybil Reisch

Sybil Reisch — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 14:46:10 +0000

http://www.luther95.com/UNYSWE-ANY/ Click on Resources and scroll down to “Journey With Jeff”

By: Sybil Reisch

Sybil Reisch — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 14:42:56 +0000

As a mother of a Down Syndrome child, and a special education teacher, I have gathered the years of notes from my journaling to tell Jeff’s story. “Journey With Jeff; Inspirations for Caregivers of People with Special Needs,” is available in a package of 5 CDs. Four exerpts can be found on this website. I also hope soon to have the book published.

By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 12:25:46 +0000

http://www.ldonline.org

By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 12:23:44 +0000

This is a wonderful site combining practical guidance, scientific news and more. You can sign up for monthly email updates. LD OnLine.org is the world’s leading web site on learning disabilities and ADHD, serving more than 250,000 parents, teachers, and other professionals each month.

By: Linda Huff

Linda Huff — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 17:19:38 +0000

It is interesting to note that “Bootcamp for Kids” is sold out. Are there Canadian bootcamps for kids?

By: Shawn

Shawn — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 23:32:10 +0000

Hi. I am a member of Feingold, is a special diet that eliminates artificials, which has helped many special needs children. You can go to their website for great info at http://www.feingold.org

By: John

John — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 21:11:43 +0000

http://www.nimh.nih.gov

By: John

John — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 21:10:29 +0000

This is simple and easy information.
Great site to begin searches for information.

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 21:57:50 +0000

Selective mutism is an social communication axiety disorder in which a person is unable to speak in social situations where it is expected, such as school, but speak normally in situations they are comfortable in such as at home.

http://selectivemutism.org/
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Selectivemutismsupportgroup/

By: Mike Abramovitz

Mike Abramovitz — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:24:48 +0000

http://www.nldontheweb.org/ is a great site for nonverbal learning disorder that will also take you to many other sites. This is where we started our journey. Also a great “plain english” explanation of NLD that we’ve given to family, friends and eductators is in the article at this link http://urj.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=6374&pge_prg_id=38945&pge_id=3905. While this is from a faith based website, it is a good laymans explanation

By: Shannon Carter

Shannon Carter — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 03:59:12 +0000

My son was 2 years old when I finally figured out that he has intolerances to gluten and dairy that were causing him developmental delays in addition to the physical symptoms (eczema, digestive problems, cranky all the time, etc.). A website I have found particularly helpful is http://www.betterhealthusa.com/. There, you can complete an online questionnaire that will help you figure out what kinds of tests to ask your doctor to run to determine whether you have food allergies, Candida overgrowth, etc. You can also find recipes there, and the site allows you to specify foods to avoid, and it will only come up with recipes that do not contain those foods. You might also check out Dr. Doris Rapp's website, http://www.drrapp.com/. Her book, "Is This Your Child?", has been invaluable to me in learning about food allergies. BTW, I have read many times that a GFCF diet helps those with Autism/PDD/ADD/ADHD/SID. Hope this helps! Shan :)

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 15:43:44 +0000

not sure why my site link did not show up…but here is the URL

http://groups.msn.com/AutismSpectrumDisorderSupport

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 15:42:15 +0000

This is an online autism information and support site for parents, family, friends, professionals and even those on the autistic spectrum themselves. We have members from around the globe. Our focus is on autism and autism spectrum disorders (aspergers syndrome, PDD-NOS, ADHD)

By: Leslie

Leslie — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 16:39:12 +0000

Sometimes Asperger’s children - particularly adolescents - need supports that parents cannot provide. Starr Commonwealth’s Montcalm School has developed a residential program that is particularly effective with Asperger’s children who are experiencing oppositional, defiant and other disruptive behaviors. Starr’s website has more information. http://www.starr.org or you can visit the Montcalm School website.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 18:56:51 +0000

The State University of New York at Buffalo has an exceptional treatment program for kids with ADD/ADHD. My son attended their summer treatment program. The parent training and a lot of other information is available on their website…. http://wings.buffalo.edu/adhd/

By: Laurie Trapp

Laurie Trapp — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:57:14 +0000

For a child with sensory integration dysfunction, I found the book “The out of Sync Child” and the followup book “The out of sync child has fun” very helpful for both me and my husband. It is written with assistance of an occupational therapist. Our son is doing much better with OT services and with us being able to understand that his needs are just a bit different. We have adjusted the way we do things and we can definitely see the benefits. He has made alot of progress. I appreciate the other websites and I will check them out for more information.

By: Karen F. Greenberg

Karen F. Greenberg — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 00:14:12 +0000

Prosperity Life Planning teaches families of Special Needs Kids how to plan for the child’s (or adult child’s) future while protecting eligibility for public benefits. Founded in 1994 by Karen Greenberg, mother of a child with Autism and Certified Financial Planner with a Masters Degree in Taxation, Karen has helped thousands of families learn what to do and not to do, and works to design and implement financial, legal and social solutions for the benefit of the whole family, as well as the special needs situation. PLP is based in South Florida, and periodically visits the Long Island, NY area through the year. Visit http://www.prosperitylifeplanning.org for more information

By: Karen F. Greenberg

Karen F. Greenberg — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 00:07:58 +0000

By: Pam

Pam — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 22:44:14 +0000

My son has been enrolled in a program with Crossroads Institute since March of this year. (www.crossroadsinstitute.org) He was diagnosed through the Amen Clinic as having ADHD over 2 years ago. However, the Amen Clinic treated only with behavior-altering medication and I saw very little improvement. The Crossroads Institute has a “whole body” approach which includes brain mapping, metabolic testing, allergy testing, etc. The program is very time consuming and can be costly, but I’ve seen about a 75% improvement in my son, who is 10 years old. It has been worth every penny. Crossroads claims that the fix is a permanent one unless there is subsequent head trauma, alcohol or drug abuse, or the patient begins eating the foods that they’re allergic to.