Children with disabilities are two to five times more likely to be killed in pedestrian accidents than their peers. This article goes over strategies to instill street safety skills for children with a disability, including role modeling, the use of simulation games like red light/green light, and media resources.
While in middle school, your student with a disability has been working on many of the skills he or she will need to function in high school. Your student has met new people, changed classes every period, navigated the hallways, worked with multiple teachers, and used a locker. In high school, your child may encounter additional new situations, such as: choosing elective classes, meeting graduation requirements, developing self-advocacy skills, dating, becoming a legal adult, and planning for employment or continued education after graduation. Some families may be concerned about their child’…
Every parent has hopes and dreams for their child, even if those dreams aren’t always openly expressed. When parents have a child with a disability, goals might need to be modified. This doesn’t mean expecting less of your child, but it may mean expecting something different than what you had envisioned. It’s important to understand the critical influence of having “high expectations” for your child. You need to instill those expectations in your youth and advocate for those expectations throughout the public school elementary and secondary transition process. (Author Abstract)
Many youth with disabilities have difficulty understanding social situations or navigating interpersonal events such as speaking in front of a class or doing job interviews. They may benefit from building and practicing social skills. These skills allow a person to interact appropriately with other people and handle difficult situations. It is important that youth have the opportunity to identify and practice these skills because they can significantly impact employment, relationships, and how well they are connected in the community as adults. Families, educators, and youth themselves can…
It is important to identify, discuss, and include accommodations and modifications necessary to meet the specific needs of a student in an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Students who receive services under a 504 Plan also need the same kind of individual attention to their plans for accommodations and modifications. The following checklist might be a good starting point for you and your child to think about his or her individual needs to include in the IEP or 504 Plan. Check the ones you believe would be most helpful. (Author abstract)
When the world talks about rearing children, the tone is decidedly feminine. Despite the growing number of fathers in traditional or single parent families who participate in child-care, resources specifically focusing on fathers are often missing. It is especially true for fathers of children with disabilities. Three Twin Cities men recently acknowledged the lack of materials targeted toward fathers. They offered suggestions, based on their experiences, about how fathers can become more involved in the lives of their children with disabilities. (Author abstract)
This brief begins by explaining the goals of the Infants and Toddler with Disabilities Program of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities, minimize potential developmental delay, and reduce educational costs by minimizing the need for special education services as children with disabilities reach school age. It discusses the need to intervene early to strengthen cognitive development through positive early experiences, why services are essential, and the unmet needs of infants and toddlers with disabilities. 26…
This fact sheet explores results of the 2009/2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) and compares and contrasts the Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s six outcomes for South Dakota and the nation. It begins with background information on the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, the Maternal and Child Health Services Black Grant, and the six core outcomes that describe what families should expect for the service system. The six care areas are: partnering with families in shared decision-making for child’s optimal health; coordinated, ongoing, comprehensive care…
Adoption professionals and those in the marriage and relationship education (MRE) field are becoming more aware of the special issues adoptive couples face in their marriages. Practitioners from both disciplines may want to consider ways to bridge these two fields together by offering MRE classes in adoptive-parent training at both public and private adoption agencies or by offering them through post-adoption services. Those who are working with couples may be unaware of how much a marriage can be impacted by the special needs of adopted children. This Tip Sheet highlights common issues…
Raising children with developmental, emotional, behavioral or medical special needs inarguably impacts a marriage. The manner in which it changes, however, is not determined by the nature or severity of the child's disorder nor even by the number of children with disabilities in a family; the impact is determined by the manner in which the couple handles intensive child-rearing demands and related stressors. Juggling the seemingly endless logistical and emotional issues associated with parenting children with special needs can cause couples to make their relationship much less of a…
