Often times parents believe that if their child needs help the school system will bring it to their attention or guide them on what to do for their child. Sadly, this is not the case in most school systems. As parents we have to be advocates for our child with special needs. So the school year is ending so why am I blogging about this now? As you may or may not know, the public school systems tend to move slower than molasses on a cold winters day when it comes to getting the IEP process rolling! If you child needs to be evaluated for an IEP you had better get the ball rolling with your letting writing campaign as soon as the administrators return to school in late August. Get all your ducks line up; including visiting the pediatrician and getting his/her recommendations for a FULL evaluation (in writing) BEFORE school is in session!
Recently, Heather Forbes, LCSW ( Beyond Consequences ) interviewed Claudia Roberts, Esquire and child advocate about the inner workings of and IEP (Individual Educational Plan). I recommend listing to this audio file and checking out the Wrights Law website mentioned below. To be an advocate for your child EDUCATING yourself on the process will be time well spent and allow you to be a better advocate for your child. Listening if FREE and the advice is PRICELESS!
With school out and summer here you may be considering taking your family to Disneyworld. Wondering "IF" you could take your ADHD or special needs child to such a crowded and fast moving place. I worried and wondered about the same thing for some time. Then I took a great big leap of faith and held my breath. Since I was about to turn blue I decided to breath.... and yes, I kept taking long calming breaths until I found my two feet planted in the world of Disney. I was traveling alone with my 4 year old wild child for out first trip to the world. This past april my son and I have completed our 6th trip together. Trust me you can do this!
~Fear of characters you say? Yes, my child too. The Easter Bunny was never a good thing at Easter Brunch. ~Fear of loud noises. Oh boy and Oh yes! We have never seen fireworks or made it past the first 60 seconds without screaming and running for shelter. ~Fear of large crowds, lots of commotion, to excited to have good behavior at a party. YES, YES and YES! This was my child.
Then one day, actually it was Christmas time. I, against my better judgement, boarded a airplane with my son to go to Disneyworld. Mind you this was with a 4 year old who could out run me! Out run me he did right to the first character he saw! Pinocchio! I was in a state of shock.
YES, YOU CAN! Do I sound like I am campaigning for Obama? Well, I am an advocate for children facing challenges and believe me you can do it! What many people do not know is that if your child has challenges such as ADHD, Autism or be it some other challenge physically limiting or mentally, you may receive accomodations at Disneyworld. Once you enter the parks you must visit their guest services office located at the front of each park. In this office you would speak with a "CM" letting them know your childs challenges. They will at their discretion give you a pass or handicap placard (for a stroller for example) which will give you accomdations for your child.
My son and I have visited Disneyworld twice a year now since he was 4 years old. This year we went at spring break which is the busiest time of year. I am a single mother and if I can do this alone so can you! Disneyworld is my son's favorite thing in the whole world. He is already counting down our next vacation there (Christmas 2009). Let me tell you, talk about being able to re-enforce positive behavior. When he misbehaves I remind him that Disneyworld is his reward for good behavior all year long! It works!
My favorite spot for information about everything Disney: If you take a trip to the "World" please come back and let us know how it went! Also please do not attempt to go to Disney World without a plan. I suggest reading one of these books to help you prepare for your trip.
I hope your family can find the magic too! We LOVE Disneyworld!
If your child has ADHD, ADD, learning disabilities or is a high functioning child on the autism spectrum this book is for you. As you probably are aware by now that these children do not recognizing social nuances, they lack of proper etiquette and have poor hygiene. This book will help them understand how others perceive their appearance and the social implications of neglecting personal hygiene. My son has curly hair and bad breath in the morning. It sure makes it easier to explain why we need to fix his unruly bed head and brush away the dragon breath!
While the author recommends this book for 9 - 12 years. I think she means if they were to read this book on their own. I have been reading this book with my son since he was 6 years old and he gets it! Of course, there are some chapters at this point which do not apply to him yet. However, we do from time to time read the chapter on puberty and funny smells. This was it will not be a shock to him one day, but also so he does not insult a child who may have body odors. I give this book my thumbs up and think you will too!
