Enterprising Parent Gets "Autism Stamp of Approval"

Ever feel certain that your child could learn better if you could just find the right tool? Jene Aviram found a solution: Make your own.

"I knew my son would progress quickly if he enjoyed learning," recalls Aviram, pictured at right with her son, who was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at age two. "I needed materials he could relate to. I couldn’t find them on the market so I began making them. My son learned fast. I kept giving the materials away and making new ones. I soon had professionals and parents calling me with product requests and thus, Natural Learning Concepts was born. We’re committed to producing materials that inspire children with autism to learn."

To make sure the materials really are inspiring, Aviram gets what she calls the "'autism stamp of approval.' Prototypes of materials are tested for appeal and effectiveness with children on the autism spectrum. The items are revised multiple times using direct feedback. Only when each product receives enthusiastic results across the board does it go in production."

Natural Learning Concepts, Aviram's online business and resource site, is the subject of my latest profile of Enterprising Parents. Read more about her business, and think about how you might translate your own solutions to your kids' problems into an entrepreneurial opportunity.

Do you have an online business related to your child's special needs? Tell us about it in the comments.

_{Photo courtesy of Jene Aviram}