First signs something was wrong Erika and Steve first noticed something was different with their son Blaise when he was 18 months old. Erika recalled, “He went to daycare and we would go in and notice that all the kids are playing in one area and he's over to an area by himself. He always did individual play.” That wasn't the only...
First signs something was wrong Erika and Steve first noticed something was different with their son Blaise when he was 18 months old. Erika recalled, “He went to daycare and we would go in and notice that all the kids are playing in one area and he's over to an area...
Assistive technology is changing the ways people with disabilities can interact in the world around them. The number of students enrolled in a special education setting is increasing each year. One way educators are helping ensure that each student’s individual needs are met is through technology.
After receiving a prenatal diagnosis of a life-limiting condition, you will be navigating information, decisions, grief, and the inevitable experience of telling your family and friends about the diagnosis and prognosis. The idea of sharing this news and devastating reality with your network of family and friends may seem daunting, and you may not feel fully emotionally prepared for the process.
If your child would benefit from continued social skills practice during this time at home, there are a variety of different activities that can be used to target social skills virtually via platforms such as Facetime, Skype, or Zoom. Many children who are currently working to improve their social skills require cues and reminders for appropriate body language, eye contact, and topic maintenance.
One of the questions I am most often asked is if a child is presenting with sensory responses or behavioral challenges. This question can be difficult to answer as oftentimes challenges with sensory experiences can result in behaviors and vice versa. The most important thing to remember in either a sensory or behavior-based situation is to provide your child with an intervention BEFORE the meltdown occurs.
Although sleep issues can be common with many kids, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can often have an especially hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. Chronic sleep problems not only negatively impact the learning ability of children and make challenging behaviors more likely to occur, but they can also increase stress in the home by making it more difficult for parents and siblings to rest at night.
In today’s society, classic toy stores are almost obsolete! Typically, parents will turn to Walmart, Target, or Amazon to purchase toys for their child. It can be very difficult to choose the most appropriate toy for your child’s age. At Collaborative Corner for Exceptional Children, our Panelists are here to encourage the use of age appropriate toys to facilitate fine and gross motor skills as well as language development.
Often this pattern of walking becomes an “engrained motor pattern” or habit that needs to be broken. If stretching isn’t helping, they may require stretching braces for night time or Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) braces for the daytime to help break the habit. Some orthopedic physicians or neurologists use a series of casts called serial casting to stretch the tight muscles and tendons.
