The Benefits of Scratching an Itch
Thursday January 31, 2008
You know you should keep your hands off that dry skin/sunburn/bug bite, but you just can't. Nor can you convince your child to stop fingering that rash/scab/chicken pock. It just ... Read More
Fighting Head Lice, and Fighting Over Them
Thursday January 31, 2008
Where do you stand on head lice? (Well, standing on them is an inefficient way to kill them, 'cause they're pretty tiny. And if they're off someone's head, they're gonna ... Read More
Site of the Day: Eli Stone: It's Not About Autism
Thursday January 31, 2008
Two days ago, my Site of the Day was the American Academy of Pediatrics' protest of the pilot of ABC's new fantasy legal drama Eli Stone. The AAP, reacting to ... Read More
Are You Sure You're Getting the Proper Pills?
Wednesday January 30, 2008
We've been reading a lot recently about drug mix-ups involving the wrong doses of blood thinner being given to babies, including actor Dennis Quaid's twins. In that case, the fact ... Read More
In the Forum: Venting
Wednesday January 30, 2008
I've made it through the IEP Meeting gauntlet for this year, with both my children's meetings done and amicably arranged, mostly to my satisfaction. But not everybody is so lucky. ... Read More
Site of the Day: Project Spectrum
Wednesday January 30, 2008
When Google released a free 3-D modeling program, SketchUp, the developers heard from a lot of parents that children with autism were particularly enjoying the software. So Project Spectrum was ... Read More
New "Enterprising Parents" Indexes Make Shopping Easier
Tuesday January 29, 2008
Looking for a special something for your little Valentine -- maybe a pretty medical ID bracelet, a shirt with an allergy-alert message, a weighted lap pad, an educational toy? A ... Read More
Good Reading from the Carnival of Family Life
Tuesday January 29, 2008
I participated in the Carnival of Family Life again this week, hosted by Confessions of a Novice. In addition to my entry on an Enterprising Parent, here are some more ... Read More
Site of the Day: AAP Takes on Eli Stone
Tuesday January 29, 2008
Before You Go to an IEP Meeting
Monday January 28, 2008
Is it ever possible to be ready for that annual meeting in which your child's Individualized Educational Program is formalized?
Maybe not. Maybe there's always going to be that fear that ... Read More
Inclusion, Seclusion, and More of Your Comments
Monday January 28, 2008
Readers are sounding off in the comments all over this Parenting Special Needs blog, but it can be hard to find and respond to those opinions when they're on posts ... Read More
Site of the Day: CampResource.com
Monday January 28, 2008
I am so not ready to be thinking about summer camps -- I'm still recovering from Christmas break -- but it's a sad fact that the time has already come ... Read More
Weekly Quiz: Spot the Fake Special-Needs Story
Sunday January 27, 2008
How well do you know this Parenting Special Needs blog? Take this week's quiz and show off your skills. You'll find a list of five different stories; four of them ... Read More
Around About: January 27
Sunday January 27, 2008
A Sunday "Site of the Day" special: Just as Saturday's "Five Fun Things to Do" points you toward amusing and informative places to visit around the Internet, every Sunday morning ... Read More
Saturday Catch-Up: What You Missed Since January 19
Saturday January 26, 2008
It's the weekend! Stretch! Take a deep breath! And catch up with all that stuff you meant to read on this site over the past week! Here are the new ... Read More
Games, Words, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday January 26, 2008
A Saturday "Site of the Day" special: Most days, a single Site of the Day is plenty to keep you occupied. But on Saturday morning, with kids underfoot and a ... Read More
Friday Book Club: Dyslogic Syndrome
Friday January 25, 2008
Every Friday is book review day for the Harried Parent's Book Club, and today's selection, Dyslogic Syndrome, is a posthumously published work by autism expert Bernard Rimland, who died in ... Read More
Enterprising Parent Shares Allergy Facts Fast
Friday January 25, 2008
Have you ever passed information about your child's disability on to a teacher or care provider, only to wonder whether that individual will bother to read everything you've assembled?
Dina Clifford ... Read More
Site of the Day: Pros and Cons of Virtual Schooling
Friday January 25, 2008
If you've been considering online schooling as an option for your child with special needs -- and there are days, goodness me, there are days when that seems awfully tempting ... Read More
Future Is Bright for NOAH Cuties on YouTube
Thursday January 24, 2008
Watch Other Users' Videos
Submit Your Own Video
The collection of inspirational videos on this Parenting Special Needs site is always open to YouTube submissions from readers, and one that arrived recently, ... Read More
In the Forum: Grandparent Seeks Advice
Thursday January 24, 2008
Often, parents with special needs feel that extended family members don't want to learn about disabilities, and don't want to get involved. So it's nice to see a post on ... Read More
Site of the Day: A Guide to the Individualized Education Program
Thursday January 24, 2008
What exactly goes into an Individualized Education Program (IEP), and how is it properly put together? There are plenty of resources on the Web to tell you about that (including ... Read More
Midseason TV Drama Debuts With Vaccine Debate
Wednesday January 23, 2008
The contentious debate over whether the mercury in vaccines could be a cause of autism is going to be getting another, um, shot with the debut next week of Eli ... Read More
In the Forum: Friend With RAD
Wednesday January 23, 2008
In the "RAD Adults" section of the Parenting Special Needs RAD Forum, the friend of an adult with RAD and PTSD is seeking some advice on dealing with the difficult ... Read More
Site of the Day: FunSlides
Wednesday January 23, 2008
FunSlides are flat strips of plastic that you can strap on over your child's sneakers to do some carpet skating. My son and his friends tried them out at a ... Read More
Finding Unexpected Solutions to Medical Mysteries
Tuesday January 22, 2008
I've always been a pretty strict music monitor for my kids, but my issues have mostly been with negative language in the lyrics. Don't need to have my son perseverating ... Read More
Good Reading from the Carnival of Family Life
Tuesday January 22, 2008
I participated in the Carnival of Family Life again this week, hosted by Diary of 1. In addition to my entry on Emotional Rescue, here are some more posts from ... Read More
Site of the Day: Health Care Transitions
Tuesday January 22, 2008
You may be mindful of the educational transitions that take place as your child approaches and passes into adulthood, and the issues of living spaces and workplaces that loom large. ... Read More
Matt Roloff Acquitted of DUI Charge
Monday January 21, 2008
Blame, Botox, and More of Your Comments
Monday January 21, 2008
Readers are sounding off in the comments all over this Parenting Special Needs blog, but it can be hard to find and respond to those opinions when they're on posts ... Read More
Site of the Day: North American Riding for the Handicapped Association
Monday January 21, 2008
If you caught Extreme Makeover: Home Edition last night -- and I didn't, because we were an all-football zone -- you saw a new house and riding facility built for ... Read More
Weekly Quiz: Spot the Fake Special-Needs Story
Sunday January 20, 2008
How well do you know this Parenting Special Needs blog? Take this week's quiz and show off your skills. You'll find a list of five different stories; four of them ... Read More
Around About: January 20
Sunday January 20, 2008
A Sunday "Site of the Day" special: Just as Saturday's "Five Fun Things to Do" points you toward amusing and informative places to visit around the Internet, every Sunday morning ... Read More
Saturday Catch-Up: What You Missed Since January 12
Saturday January 19, 2008
It's the weekend! Stretch! Take a deep breath! And catch up with all that stuff you meant to read on this site over the past week! Here are the new ... Read More
Castles, Puzzles, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday January 19, 2008
A Saturday "Site of the Day" special: Most days, a single Site of the Day is plenty to keep you occupied. But on Saturday morning, with kids underfoot and a ... Read More
Friday Book Club Special: Your Child's Health & Wellness Record
Friday January 18, 2008
Every Friday is book review day for the Harried Parent's Book Club, but today's special selection is really a book that you write: a health and wellness record-keeping set full ... Read More
It Came ... From the Blood!
Friday January 18, 2008
It's a Friday, with a new monster movie opening and holdovers like Sweeney Todd keeping things bloody at the multiplex, and so this story seems appropriate: Scientists have found a ... Read More
Site of the Day: Joys and Sorrows of Living With Adult Autism
Friday January 18, 2008
There are many sites sharing parents' experiences of raising their children with autism, and an increasing number sharing autistic adults' own views and perceptions. Joys and Sorrows of Living With ... Read More
Adkins Plays for Allergy Awareness on Celebrity Apprentice
Thursday January 17, 2008
Yesterday, I mentioned an American Idol contestant who's also the mom of a child with special needs. A post on the blog Allergy Moms this morning alerted me to another ... Read More
Why Doesn't Inclusion Run Both Ways, Huh?
Thursday January 17, 2008
Alright, I'm a little testy this week. I got the results of my son's three-year evaluations, and the IQ score isn't the sort of thing the moms brag about at ... Read More
Site of the Day: Howard Glasser Book Deal
Thursday January 17, 2008
If you're a fan of Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach -- and if you've read my review, you'll know that I'm a big one -- news of ... Read More
Mom of a Girl With Rett's Syndrome Aces Idol Audition
Wednesday January 16, 2008
Last year, we were worried about American Idol being cruel to people with disabilities. This year, it looks like we may have the parent of a child with disabilities as ... Read More
In the Forum: Oxygen Dependent Children
Wednesday January 16, 2008
A lengthy forum topic on oxygen-dependent children got a new entry this week, from a mom who has some concerns over how her son's medical needs will be handled once ... Read More
Site of the Day: Access Firefox
Wednesday January 16, 2008
Computers promise so much to children with special needs in terms of easier communication, broader access to information, and increased exposure to others who share their experience. Sometimes, though, getting ... Read More
Another Disorder Blamed on Moms
Tuesday January 15, 2008
Get this headline from Reuters health news today: "Kids with stressed moms more prone to asthma."
Are our kids doomed, or what?
The article goes on to discuss a Canadian study suggesting ... Read More
Good Reading from the Carnival of Family Life
Tuesday January 15, 2008
I participated in the Carnival of Family Life again this week, hosted by Write from Karen. In addition to my entry on Behavior Management ABCs, here are some more posts ... Read More
Site of the Day: GetHuman 500 Database
Tuesday January 15, 2008
It's frustrating enough calling my insurance company to debate payment on some bill for my kids. What gets my blood boiling before I even have that discussion is the need ... Read More
Is In-Class OT the Answer?
Monday January 14, 2008
Apologies, Placebos, and More of Your Comments
Monday January 14, 2008
Readers are sounding off in the comments all over this Parenting Special Needs blog, but it can be hard to find and respond to those opinions when they're on posts ... Read More
Site of the Day: Travelers With Disabilities and Medical Conditions
Monday January 14, 2008
Air travel with children is hard enough. When your child has special needs, the degree of difficulty rises sharply. This page from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration should help in ... Read More
Weekly Quiz: Spot the Fake Special-Needs Story
Sunday January 13, 2008
How well do you know this Parenting Special Needs blog? Take this week's quiz and show off your skills. You'll find a list of five different stories; four of them ... Read More
Around About: January 13
Sunday January 13, 2008
A Sunday "Site of the Day" special: Just as Saturday's "Five Fun Things to Do" points you toward amusing and informative places to visit around the Internet, every Sunday morning ... Read More
Saturday Catch-Up: What You Missed Since January 5
Saturday January 12, 2008
It's the weekend! Stretch! Take a deep breath! And catch up with all that stuff you meant to read on this site over the past week! Here are the new ... Read More
Crafts, Curious Monkeys, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday January 12, 2008
A Saturday "Site of the Day" special: Most days, a single Site of the Day is plenty to keep you occupied. But on Saturday morning, with kids underfoot and a ... Read More
Extreme Makeover to Help Child Who Feels No Pain
Friday January 11, 2008
Many TV shows have moved into re-runs now due to the writer's strike, but ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is still out there building elaborate houses for deserving families. And ... Read More
Friday Book Club Special: New Excerpt Indexes
Friday January 11, 2008
Did you know that there are twenty-two book excerpts on this Parenting Special Needs site? They're drawn from books that have been reviewed for the Harried Parent's Book Club, and ... Read More
Site of the Day: Caregiving Across the States
Friday January 11, 2008
Do you provide in-home care for an adult child with special needs? Do you expect that you will one day? The Family Caregiver Alliance offers lots of information on resources ... Read More
Enterprising Parent Gets "Autism Stamp of Approval"
Thursday January 10, 2008
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 ... Read More
Quaid Twins' Overdose Double What Hospital Claimed
Thursday January 10, 2008
A month or so ago, when Dennis Quaid and his wife, Kimberly, announced that they were suing the manufacturer of the blood thinner that was incorrectly administered to their infant ... Read More
Site of the Day: SillyBooks.net
Thursday January 10, 2008
Does your child have what it takes to be a published author? It doesn't take much at SillyBooks.net. Any kid can submit a story to be published as text on ... Read More
Fear of Escalators
Wednesday January 9, 2008
It's funny how your child can be doing well, and then ability gaps will pop up in the strangest places. My daughter has been having a great year, learning to ... Read More
In the Forum: First Five Things to Do
Wednesday January 9, 2008
What did you do first after your child was diagnosed? What do you wish you'd done? At the end of my suggestions of First Five Things to Do After Your ... Read More
Site of the Day: Teaching Learners With Multiple Special Needs
Wednesday January 9, 2008
This blog, with the subhead "Resources and ideas for teachers of learners with severe, profound, intensive, significant, complex or multiple special needs," is overflowing with ideas of products, Web sites, ... Read More
Just What Did That Thimerosal-Autism Study Say, Anyway?
Tuesday January 8, 2008
I was rightly chided a couple of weeks ago by a commenter for believing the headlines of medical news reports. The subject of the post in question was how honey ... Read More
Doctors Admit to Administering Pretend Pills
Tuesday January 8, 2008
Did you see that news story about physicians pushing placebos?
According to a Reuters report, half of the doctors participating in a survey confessed to secretly prescribing pretend pills to their ... Read More
Site of the Day: HYH Radio
Tuesday January 8, 2008
HYH (Have Ya Heard) Radio is an online radio show and podcast designed to provide inspiration to women and to parents of children with special needs. Recent guests on the ... Read More
2007: The Year in Your Comments
Monday January 7, 2008
Instead of writing a "Year in Review" piece this year, as I did for 2005 and 2006, I'm going to let you, the readers, do it for me.
Looking over the ... Read More
Site of the Day: About.com Drug Finder
Monday January 7, 2008
Whether you're trying to find information about a drug your doctor has prescribed, wondering which over-the-counter remedy to pick, worrying over possible interactions between different medications your child is taking, ... Read More
Weekly Quiz: Spot the Fake Special-Needs Story
Sunday January 6, 2008
How well do you know this Parenting Special Needs blog? Take this week's quiz and show off your skills. You'll find a list of five different stories; four of them ... Read More
Around About: January 6
Sunday January 6, 2008
A Sunday "Site of the Day" special: Just as Saturday's "Five Fun Things to Do" points you toward amusing and informative places to visit around the Internet, every Sunday morning ... Read More
Saturday Catch-Up: What You Missed Since December 29
Saturday January 5, 2008
It's the weekend! Stretch! Take a deep breath! And catch up with all that stuff you meant to read on this site over the past week! Here are the new ... Read More
Shaving Cream, Sesame Street, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday January 5, 2008
A Saturday "Site of the Day" special: Most days, a single Site of the Day is plenty to keep you occupied. But on Saturday morning, with kids underfoot and a ... Read More
Friday Book Club Special: 2007 in Reviews
Friday January 4, 2008
"Every Friday is book review day for the Harried Parent's Book Club."
I've written a post starting with those words on most Fridays this year. Sure, sometimes, I used the Friday ... Read More
Site of the Day: Funding Sources
Friday January 4, 2008
Looking for funding for your special-needs group? There's plenty of information on the Web about corporations that invest in communities and causes, but finding it can consume more time than ... Read More
Learn Your Behavior Management ABCs
Thursday January 3, 2008
The New Year seems like a good time to think about our children's behavior, maybe because we're in a resolutional frame of mind, maybe because we've just been cooped up ... Read More
Site of the Day: Set to Go Bags
Thursday January 3, 2008
If you're like me and love browsing through sensory integration catalogs looking for things that will distract and comfort and captivate kids, Set to Go Bags offers a tempting idea: ... Read More
Emotional Rescue
Wednesday January 2, 2008
Do you ever have days when you feel solely responsible for your family's emotional equilibrium, and fear that you'll overturn that apple cart any minute? I had one of those ... Read More
In the Forum: Raspberry Blowing
Wednesday January 2, 2008
When most parents worry about their teenagers' bad habits, they may think about smoking, drinking, partying, or running up huge cell-phone bills. With my 14-year-old, it would be more like, ... Read More
Site of the Day: Realistic Resolutions
Wednesday January 2, 2008
Okay, so it's January 2, and we should have done this yesterday. But unless your resolution of choice is "I Will Not Procrastinate," it's not too late to think about ... Read More
Looking Ahead to Transitions Big and Small
Tuesday January 1, 2008
Another holiday season survived! My kids go back to school tomorrow, and although we've had a pretty peaceful week or so off, it will be nice to be able to ... Read More
Good Reading from the Carnival of Family Life
Tuesday January 1, 2008
I participated in the Carnival of Family Life again this week, hosted by Mixed Metaphor.net. In addition to my entry on what we did right this Christmas, here are some ... Read More
Site of the Day: Tournament of Roses
Tuesday January 1, 2008
Watching the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's morning is a tradition for many families. But if your child is vision-impaired, watching a stream of highly detailed and flower-laden ... Read More
Happy New Year!
Tuesday January 1, 2008