Special Parents Confidential

Formed Families Forward – SPC Episode 72. Formed Families Forward is a support organization located in Fairfax, Virginia. They help families in Northern Virginia who have adopted, are fostering, or are kinship families for special needs children. They provide supports, counseling, training, and education. Adoptive Families, Foster Families, Kinship Families. Being a parent of a […] The post Special Parents Confidential Episode 72 Formed Families Forward appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Special Parents Confidential 71 Patrick Parkes Part 1. Patrick Parkes shares his life story. All parents worry about their kids and how their futures will turn out. But for parents of special needs kids, those worries can be much more immediate. It’s not just ‘will my kid make it through school’ – but will my […] The post Special Parents Confidential 71 Patrick Parkes Part 1 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Autism Goggles. Part 2. We’d like to introduce you to Autism Goggles, a website and blog dedicated to helping people understand what it’s like to have Autism. Created by Maxine Share, and her son Daniel Share-Strom, this site is an outgrowth of Maxine’s work as a special education advocate. She began this career while trying […] The post Special Parents Confidential 70 Autism Goggles Part 2 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Autism Goggles. Part 1 We’d like to introduce you to Autism Goggles, a website and blog dedicated to helping people understand what it’s like to have Autism. Created by Maxine Share, and her son Daniel Share-Strom, this site is an outgrowth of Maxine’s work as a special education advocate. She began this career while trying […] The post Special Parents Confidential 69 Autism Goggles Part 1 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

The Pushy Lawyer. Meet Kelley Simoneaux, aka, The Pushy Lawyer. Some people go into disability advocacy and disability law because they feel compelled to help serve in a community that has many areas that need representation. Then there’s Kelley Simoneaux, who’s known as The Pushy Lawyer. Kelley suffered a spinal injury in a car accident […] The post Special Parents Confidential 68 The Pushy Lawyer appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

When the Nightmare Happens. This episode could probably be called Parent Story number four, but I’ve chosen to call it When The Nightmare Happens. Because this is the kind of parent story that you don’t want to happen. Meet Kiri Salazar. Kiri Salazar is a person that my wife Sarah and I met here in […] The post Special Parents Confidential 67 When the Nightmare Happens appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Mental Health America. Mental Health is a subject that has taken center stage in large areas of our conversation. Everywhere you look in the media, people are talking about mental health. Certainly within the special needs community, the awareness of mental health for both people with special needs, and their caregivers, has become a major […] The post Special Parents Confidential 66 Mental Health America appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Growing Roots. Growing Roots is a new program in West Michigan that’s introducing therapeutic farming. We al know that getting your hands in the soil can help you relax. You get a feeling of accomplishment and it helps to relieve stress.  The same thing holds true with caring for animals, whether it’s a pet or […] The post Special Parents Confidential 65 Growing Roots appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

5p Syndrome aka Cri du Chat. Cri du Chat, aka 5p Syndrome is a chromosomal deletion disorder resulting in a wide spectrum of intellectual and developmental abilities. Each year in the United States, approximately 50 to 60 children are born with Cri du Chat, or 5p Syndrome. These individuals will likely need a lifetime of support. […] The post Special Parents Confidential 64 5p Syndrome aka Cri du Chat appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Inclusive Education Project. The Inclusive Education Project is a non-profit charity, founded by two special education lawyers, Amanda Selogie and Vickie Brett. It’s also the name of the podcast they both host that deals with subjects on special education law and advice. Special Education Lawyers. Amanda and Vickie started the Inclusive Education Project to, in […] The post Special Parents Confidential 63 Inclusive Education Project appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Lori’s Voice. We’re introducing you to Lori and Dave Hastings, and their organization, Lori’s Voice. As any parent of a special needs child can tell you, money is one of the biggest challenges. It seems that everything involving your child requires large amounts of money. Medical treatments, therapies, additional equipment, travel expenses, the list can […] The post Special Parents Confidential Episode 62 Lori’s Voice appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes. “The Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, or EDS is a group of connective tissue disorders characterized by joint hypermobility (joints that stretch further than normal), skin hyperextensibility (skin that can be stretched further than normal), and tissue fragility.”  The above is from the ‘What is EDS’ webpage of the Ehlers-Danlos Society. EDS is a genetic disorder that, for […] The post Special Parents Confidential 61 Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Military Families. This episode of Special Parents Confidential is devoted to Military Families with special needs kids. Parents of children with special needs know first hand how challenging any situation can be from starting school, to getting the kinds of medical and therapeutic help their kids need, to just social life in general. Now add to […] The post Special Parents Confidential 60 Military Families appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Parent Stories 03 We continue our new series of episodes dedicated to Parent Stories – real life experiences raising a child with special needs. When I first started doing these podcast episodes, my goal was to provide two things – answers and advice from experts on many subjects of concern to parents of special needs […] The post Special Parents Confidential 59 Parent Stories 03 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Children’s Healing Center Every so often you run across an idea that is so perfect, you find yourself wondering why it hadn’t been done before. Such is the case with The Children’s Healing Center, a new play facility in Grand Rapids, MI. All Kids Want To Play We all know the importance that play time […] The post Special Parents Confidential Episode 58 Children’s Healing Center appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Special Parents Confidential 57 Parent Stories 02 We continue our new series of episodes dedicated to Parent Stories – real life experiences raising a child with special needs. When I first started doing these podcast episodes, my goal was to provide two things – answers and advice from experts on many subjects of concern to […] The post Special Parents Confidential Episode 57 Parent Stories 02 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Special Parents Confidential 56 Parent Stories 01 We begin a new series of episodes dedicated to Parent Stories – real life experiences raising a child with special needs. When I first started doing these podcast episodes, my goal was to provide two things – answers and advice from experts on many subjects of concern to […] The post Special Parents Confidential 56 Parent Stories 01 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Collaborative & Proactive Solutions. In this episode we’re taking a look at Collaborative & Proactive Solutions, which was developed by Dr. Ross Greene and his Foundation, Lives In The Balance. Child behavior problems are always a concern for parents, and sometimes it can seem for parents of special needs kids that the behavior concern is […] The post Special Parents Confidential Episode 55 Collaborative & Proactive Solutions appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Down Syndrome. Recently Gerber Foods announced their first ever “Gerber Baby” who has Down Syndrome. In honor of this great milestone, we are taking a look back at Special Parents Confidential Episode 34.  Down Syndrome. Myths and Facts. Down Syndrome is one of the most well known of all disorders and disabilities. The common facial […] The post Down Syndrome – Revisiting Special Parents Confidential Episode 34 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Vaccine Safety. In recent months there’s been a resurgence of concerns about vaccine safety. Claims about this year’s flu shot being ‘not as effective’, has given the anti-vax movement new attention. But, as we noted in 2015 when we posted this episode, those claims are nonsense. So here’s a revisit of  SPC episode 22, in […] The post Vaccine Safety – Revisiting Special Parents Confidential 22 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Bullying and social problems in school are a continuing problem. While improvements have been made in how some school districts handle these issues, the problem is still unaddressed in many cities, towns, and states. So we’re reposting SPC Episode 53, in which we learned about the ‘be nice’ campaign. be nice.  A new program called […] The post be nice campaign – Revisiting Special Parents Confidential 53 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein We’ve decided to start off the new year by reposting what I think is one of the most inspiring interviews I’ve done. Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein. Blind Justice In November of 2014 Richard Bernstein became the first blind attorney to be elected as a Justice to the […] The post Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein – SPC Episode 30 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Deafness and Hearing Impairment. Deafness and Hearing Impairment are now very well understood, and once diagnosed, can be successfully managed. Everyone at some point in their lives experiences some form of hearing loss, either from their environment or due to advanced age. However many children are born every year with deafness or hearing impairment. Technology […] The post Deafness and Hearing Impairment – Revisiting SPC Episode 09 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Social Issues In School. When we talk about issues that can cause anxiety for parents of special needs kids,  dealing with social situations in school and elsewhere is probably right at the top of the list.  Will our children be accepted or will they be teased or shunned? Will our kids be able to handle […] The post Social Issues In School – Revisiting SPC Episode 08 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Death And Grief. Death and grief are subjects that are often overlooked at the holidays. Celebrations can be difficult for families who have recently experienced a loss. Adults and children experience grief in different ways, especially children with special needs. The important thing to remember is there is no time-frame for ‘getting over it’ or […] The post Death And Grief – Revisiting SPC Episode 32 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

A Sibling’s Perspective. The Holidays always mean family visits, and with that in mind, we thought our episode on a sibling’s perspective would be a good one to repost. This episode is from October of 2015, when we interviewed Aubrey Boerma, who grew up with an older brother who has Autism. What’s it like growing […] The post A Sibling’s Perspective – Revisiting SPC Episode 31 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Sibling Support The Holidays always mean family visits, and with that in mind, we thought the subject of Sibling Support would be a good one to repost. This is the first of two episodes on Sibling Support we did, back in July of 2015. Being a parent of a special needs child requires a great […] The post Sibling Support – Revisiting SPC Episode 29 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Learn The Signs – Act Early Last spring we talked to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention about their Learn The Signs, Act Early, program to help parents better understand if their child has Autism.  Autism is a growing concern for parents across the United States and around the world. It’s estimated that 1 […] The post Learn The Signs – Act Early – Revisiting SPC Episode 37 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Colds and the Flu – Revisiting SPC Episode 48 It seems like every year the season for colds and the flu gets longer. Whether you’re a parent of a special needs child or not, our kids are coming down with colds and the flu all year round – for that matter, so are we parents. […] The post Colds and the Flu – Revisiting SPC Episode 48 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Applied Behavior Analysis. ABA. In January of 2014 we posted episode 15 of Special Parents Confidential, in which we learned about Applied Behavior Analysis ABA. Our guest was Conny Raaymakers, who is a board certified behavior analyst. Her interview has become our most downloaded and listened to episode, with nearly double the listens of any […] The post Applied Behavior Analysis ABA – Revisiting SPC Episode 15 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Education Funding Every year it seems the news is full of stories with politicians calling either for cuts in education funding, or increases in education funding. This year, however, cuts were attempted in special education funding. Thankfully, the Congress was able to work out a bill that increased funding for special education. Never the less, […] The post Education Funding – Revisiting SPC Episode 27 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Neurocore and the Education Secretary The new Eduction Secretary of the United States has caused some controversy in the past months since her appointment over her views on special education, and her financial ties to a company called Neurocore. Specifically, she seems to have no interest in special education at all. Indeed, one of the […] The post Special Parents Confidential 54 Neurocore and the Education Secretary appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

be nice.  A new program called the ‘be nice’ campaign has been started in West Michigan to help end bullying. One of the hardest issues to deal with for parents of special needs kids – as well as parents of any child – is bullying in schools and online. What do you do if your […] The post Special Parents Confidential 53 be nice campaign. appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Ponseti Method of Clubfoot Treatment Clubfoot, or talipes equinovarus, is a treatable birth defect that affects approximately 150,000-200,000 children each year. When clubfoot occurs the foot is twisted inward and down. For decades the standard treatment for clubfoot consisted of performing radical surgery on the tendons and bones of an infant’s feet. In the mid […] The post Special Parents Confidential 52 Ponseti Method of Clubfoot Treatment appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Michigan Alliance For Families. Find out how the Michigan Alliance For Families, and other similar organizations around the United States can help you negotiate special education services for free. What Is The Michigan Alliance For Families? Trying to get help with the special education process can be very difficult, and potentially expensive. There are dozens […] The post Special Parents Confidential 51 Michigan Alliance For Families appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Early Intervention – Revisiting Special Parents Confidential Episode 25. It’s IEP Season and we’re looking back on older episodes that deal with Individualized Education Plans. Early Intervention is one of the first terms that parents hear when they are trying to find help for their children. We talk to an early intervention coordinator to learn […] The post Early Intervention – Revisiting Special Parents Confidential Episode 25 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Revisiting Special Parents Confidential Episode 06 Special Education Advocacy. It’s IEP Season and we’re revisiting older episodes that offered information to help with the IEP process. Today we’re Revisiting Special Parents Confidential 06 Special Education Advocacy. Learn about the role of the Special Education Advocate and how they help parents negotiate the Individualized Education Plan, […] The post Revisiting Special Parents Confidential Episode 06 Special Education Advocacy appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Revisiting Special Parents Confidential Episode 10 Special Education. It’s IEP Season, and we’re revisiting some of our older episodes that have information that will help you with the process. In this episode, we find out what Special Education is all about. Special Education. In this episode we take a look at the world of Special […] The post Revisiting Special Parents Confidential Episode 10 Special Education appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Revisiting Episode 17 When Schools Say ‘No’. It’s IEP Season and we’re revisiting past episodes on the Individualized Education Plan. Find out what you can do when schools say ‘no’. Special Parents Confidential Episode 17 When Schools Say ‘No’. In 1990 Congress passed IDEA, or Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which entitles each student with a […] The post Revisiting Special Parents Confidential Episode 17 When Schools Say ‘No’. appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Revisiting Episode 21 Special Parents Confidential IEP And The Law. It’s IEP Season and we are Revisiting Episode 21 Special Parents Confidential IEPS And The Law. Individualized Education Plans. IEPs for short. Possibly one of the most stressful times for parents of special needs children. IEP meetings are those annual events when parents meet with […] The post Revisiting Episode 21 Special Parents Confidential IEP And The Law appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

ADHD Nation Author Alan Schwarz. ADHD Nation, Children, Doctors, Big Pharma, and the making of an American Epidemic, is a new book by New York Times correspondent Alan Schwarz, that is putting a lot of focus on ADHD and the way it’s diagnosed and treated in the United States. Alan Schwarz is the Pulitzer Prize nominated investigative reporter […] The post Special Parents Confidential 50 ADHD Nation Alan Schwarz appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Parenting Concerns. Having a special needs child always causes tremendous parenting concerns and a lot of work. Many moments can be incredible, exhilarating, and full of amazing wonder. But it can also be extremely stressful. Dealing with schools, social situations, family situations… it can seem like everywhere you turn is another opportunity for more parenting concerns […] The post Special Parents Confidential 49 Parenting Concerns appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Colds And The Flu. It seems like every year the season for colds and the flu gets longer. Whether you’re a parent of a special needs child or not, our kids are coming down with colds and the flu all year round – for that matter, so are we parents. But what exactly are colds […] The post Special Parents Confidential 48 Colds And The Flu appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Nurtured Heart Approach. What is the Nurtured Heart Approach and how can it help? For many kids with special needs the ability to concentrate, even to sit still in class, is challenging. We’ve given lots of names to these issues: Attention Deficit Disorder. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Difficult Kid, […] The post Special Parents Confidential 47 Nurtured Heart Approach appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Sensory Processing Disorder. Virtually everyone has heard of sensory overload, and sensory issues. People who have problems with loud noises, large crowded areas, tastes, textures, strong smells, bright lights, the list goes on. Not A Symptom of Something Else. For decades sensory issues were simply considered a side-effect of whatever the more prevalent disorder was inhibiting […] The post Special Parents Confidential 46 Sensory Processing Disorder appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Soledad O’Brien Interview. A few months ago, while in a doctor’s office for a checkup, reading the usual magazines, my wife happened to see an article about Soledad O’Brien. She talked about her son Jackson, who was having issues in school with behavior and not understanding instructions from the teacher. Finally, Jackson was diagnosed with […] The post Special Parents Confidential 45 Soledad O’Brien appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Alix Generous. In 2015, a young woman named Alix Generous gave a Ted Talk speech that has subsequently had over 14 million views. The speech was entitled, “How I learned to communicate my inner life with Aspberger’s”, and in it Alix talks about her amazing life and how she has achieved so much. Living With […] The post Special Parents Confidential 44 Alix Generous appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Special Education Rights. For many parents of special needs kids, special education rights continue to be the main cause of concern and worry. Are our kids being given the right accommodations in school? Are the schools being held accountable for special education services, and who is supposed to be checking to see if they are?  […] The post Special Parents Confidential 43 Special Education Rights appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Understanding Learning Disorders Part 2. ADD. ADHD. Dyslexia. Dysgraphia. Dyscalculia. Understanding learning disorders might be one of the most difficult challenges any parent can face. We’ve known about these disorders for centuries, and the medical names for them have been in place for decades. But there’s still a lot of misinformation and incorrect beliefs when it […] The post Special Parents Confidential 42 Understanding Learning Disorders Part 2 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Understanding Learning Disorders Part 1. ADD. ADHD. Dyslexia. Dysgraphia. Dyscalculia. Understanding learning disorders might be one of the most difficult challenges any parent can face. We’ve known about these disorders for centuries, and the medical names for them have been in place for decades. But there’s still a lot of misinformation and incorrect beliefs when it […] The post Special Parents Confidential 41 Understanding Learning Disorders Part 1 appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.

Child Medication Errors. Have you ever checked your child’s medications to see if you’re giving them the right medicine? Of course you have. Have you ever checked your own ability to measure out the correct dose of medicine? Are you certain your measuring ability and the tools you’re using to measure the medications are accurate? […] The post Special Parents Confidential Episode 40 Child Medication Errors. appeared first on Special Parents Confidential.