I was in the chat forum this morning and there was some great discussion going on related to socialization and peers.  This couldn't be more timely as this issue has presented itself a few times over our holiday vacation.

I know that many of us already have an advanced and in-depth understanding of motor skills and how delayed skills can negatively impact everyday life.  When I consider the future independence my children will hopefully have, I begin to think of the many skills we still have to work on. 

If you've read any of my previous articles then you know how much I promote, use and enjoy products or services that accomplish many things, as opposed to only one.  I've been writing a lot about working on specific skills at home, because I know two things: how beneficial it is and how realistic it is.  Usually, it is the idea of 'realistic' that people wrestle with, so it is with much excitement that I'm talking again about TOOBEEZ.

There are obviously more then five skills we need to teach our children with special needs, but these lay the groundwork and begin to build advanced skills that will help our children throughout life.  Many of these concepts are overlooked and subsequently fall to the wayside.

Let’s get real.  While we appreciate and need the professionals that work with our children, a lot of teaching happens at home.  After a typical day of life however, setting aside time to ‘teach’ seems unrealistic and near impossible; at least for me.  When the weekend rolls around, I don’t have the desire to schedule a day of instruction – I want to relax, have fun and enjoy the time off. The good news is I’m able to do both and so can you, if you use my little trick...

Our 11 year old son Jacob has been diagnosed with medically intractable epilepsy. (Complex Partials) He has been having seizures for about three years and is now 11 years old. We have been on three different medications starting with Lamical, Trileptal and now a Keppra /Dilantin combo without sucess.

I’m always looking for new, fun and cool ways to incorporate working on my children’s special needs in everyday life.  I don’t have time for forty more hours of therapy per week and neither do they, so making the most out of every minute at home is my best, and preferred, method.

There is so much to consider when it comes to treating special needs and self stimulatory behaviors are high on the list of symptoms parents wish to eliminate.  There are simple things you can do at home to assess and treat your child’s stimulatory behaviors (stimming).  All it takes is a little know-how…

All children love letters from Santa and children with special needs enjoy the experience and wonder all the same.  Most children do not receive mail, including Christmas cards, so sending your child a letter from Santa is double the treat.  The best part is, it costs about five dollars!

Epilepsy.

It is a word that conjures up feelings of fear, dread, the unknown, and of complex and not-understood medical terms. But, armed with the right information, epilepsy sufferers and even parents of epileptic children can fight through these feelings, and in turn find they have a greater chance of successfully treating seizures. 

In this episode of the Epilepsymoms podcast, Arlene Martell engages guest Dr, Robert Mittan in a candid discussion about the fundamental basics of seizures.