There are 13 categories that guide how disability is defined under the federal special education law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In order to be eligible for special education and related services as a “child with a disability,” a child’s educational performance must be adversely affected due to the disability. Read more ›
Born in 1992 in Japan, Naoki Higashida was diagnosed with autism at the age of 5. Higashida communicates today by using a letter board and by typing on a computer.
An author of more than twenty works, which include the national bestelling The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism, in an interview with Time he describes what it’s like to be a person with nonverbal autism. Read more ›
One big concern with many children with autism is safety. Not just for themselves but for others around them as well. As a parent of a child with autism, your home more often becomes your fortress. And carefree trips to the zoo or the park? They’re not going to happen — not without major planning and precautions, anyhow. But the biggest issue is getting from Point A to Point B.
So how do you keep you keep yourself and yours child safe in the car? There are a few basic steps that can done to ensure the driver is not distracted or the child tries to escape while the car is in motion. Read more ›
Students on the autism spectrum often find transitioning to new situations challenging. Parents and teachers can minimize the stress with some joint prep before school starts.
Many children have difficulty with reading, writing, or other learning-related tasks at some point, but this does not mean they have learning disabilities. A child with a learning disability often has several related signs, and these persist over time.
Each learning disability has its own signs. Also, not every person with a particular disability will have all of the signs of that disability. Read more ›
Teenagers are known for being moody, irritable and stressed out. Just watch any old episode of Gossip Girl, Gilmore Girls or Glee. Trying to get through to your teen can feel about as productive as trying to get your houseplant to empty the dishwasher. The teen-parent relationship is often a power struggle: a seemingly perpetual game of tug-o-war. Read more ›
Written by Dr. Glen Elliott, former CHC Chief Psychiatrist and Medical DirectorSummer checklist: Sunblock…check. Beach towels…check. Medication…uncheck? Read more ›
Amy Valentine is the director of the Foundation for Blended and Online Learning (now Future of School), and she previously served as executive director of three virtual schools in Colorado. In early 2016, Valentine’s son was diagnosed with dysgraphia, a learning disability similar to dyslexia.
This is a difficult situation for a school, especially pre-diagnosis. As Valentine explains, “Post-diagnosis, though, there is support available for students who struggle to overcome a learning disability, from individual education plans to resource teachers and and technology assists. For my son, however, these tools did not materialize.” Read more ›
How your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age.
Check these milestones —published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—that children typically reach by the end of 18 months. Read more ›
The following are signs of common speech and language disorders in children between birth to 4 years of age, an important stage in early detection of communication disorders. Read more ›
