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Perspectives For Parents:
Advice & Support from Parents & Caregivers
Unlocking Dyslexia: NPR’s 4-Part Podcast
December 12, 2016
NPR's 4-part podcast, "Unlocking Dyslexia" dives into the misconceptions and realities of what it is like to have dyslexia. Gabrielle Emanuel shares with listeners varying perspectives, experiences, and discoveries relating to this complex disorder. Have a listen to all 4 podcasts and learn something new about a disability that affects millions of people nationwide.Millions…
Read moreSpecial Offers and Discounts for People with Disabilities
December 6, 2016
When it comes to money, the everyday expenses for people with disabilities can be overwhelming for both the mind and wallet. Fortunately, those at CouponChief have created a resource for people with disabilities that helps them find special offers and discounts in their area.Their approach to these types of discounts is: "'As with our…
Read moreHow to Communicate Your Child’s Needs In An Inclusion Classroom
November 21, 2016
Entering an inclusion classroom can feel stressful. You may be wondering how to communicate with your child's peers and their parents about your child's needs. Here are five (or six) actionable steps you can take to communicate effectively with your child's class. STEP 1: ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEARSWhen my son entered kindergarten, I felt nervous.…
Read moreFood Allergies 101: Tips for a Safe and Fun Holiday Season
November 15, 2016
If your child has food allergies, chances are you’ve been asked, “Can he try just a little bit of it?” or “Are you sure it’s an allergy? I’ve never heard of someone being allergic to carrots before.” and “How severe is the nut allergy? Pecan Pie is nana’s favorite. Can you just watch him so…
Read moreMore than a Best Buddy
November 7, 2016
Richie isn’t just a 52-year-old man with a severe cognitive learning disability.Richie is a passionate New England Patriots fan, an avid swimmer, and a master at small talk. Richie navigates Boston like a subway operator, he frequents Cheers in Faneuil Hall, and he never jaywalks.Richie is also one of my dearest friends.I joined the…
Read moreFederal Employment Stats Pass Hiring Goal for People with Disabilities
November 3, 2016
In 2010, President Obama shared a plan that hoped to hire 100,000 people with disabilities over the next five years.This week, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management stated that the federal government has hired 154,000 people with disabilities in the United States, between 2011 and 2015 -- far passing Obama's original goal.Of these positions, 2/3 of…
Read moreThe “Honesty Gland:” How My Son with Autism Tells It Like It Is
October 31, 2016
When our new Floortime therapist walked through the front door, I told my son, “This is our new friend, Nikki. Can you say hi to Nikki?”“Hi Nikki,” he said. “You are tall and can never be small.”Nikki and I both looked at each other and laughed because, while it was not a “socially acceptable”…
Read moreSSI Benefits to Go Up in 2017
October 24, 2016
Due to a rise in the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in the United States, persons with disabilities who recieve Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will see a 0.3% payment increase -- starting in January 2017. This increase will affect the 8 million people in the United States who currently SSI benefits.Want to see if your child qualifies for SSI…
Read moreWhat My Daughter with Autism Taught Me About Empathy
October 24, 2016
What started as just another night of reading before bed turned into an eye-opening experience for one mother and her daughter with autism. She learns that her daughter's struggle with reading emotions or feelings is not because she doesn't care - she just doesn't want to assume how the other person is feeling.This one moment between…
Read moreMAC Helps Break Down Recent DESE Advisory on Transition Services
October 17, 2016
Over the summer the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) wrote about the need for making life after high school better for students with disabilities. Massachusetts Advocates for Children (MAC) help explain the DESE advisory and what it means for parents, advocates, and people with disabilities.Bill Crane, a lawyer at MAC with years of experience in…
Read moreIn 5 years, Graduation Rate for Students with Disabilities Up Almost 6%
October 17, 2016
Earlier this week the U.S. Department of Education shared the latest graduation rate data. Since the 2010-2011 school year, the graduation rate for students with disabilities has gone up almost 6%. President Obama spoke about the trend, saying “We’ve made a lot of progress... but I just want to be honest with you: We’ve still…
Read more2 New Projects for State and Local Housing Advocates
October 17, 2016
The ARC, a national advocacy group for people with disabilities, recently shared a fact sheet from the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Housing Task Force. The fact sheet explains two new initiatives that are focusing on icreasing accessible, affordable, and integrated housing for people with disabilities. These fact sheets can help advocates keep an eye on…
Read moreMother Shares 6 Things She’s Learned Since Her Son Was Diagnosed with Autism
October 13, 2016
Parent and blogger Katie Campbell shares what it was like to hear her pediatrician tell her and her husband that their son had autism.In her blog "6 Things I've Learned Since My Son's Pediatrician Said the Word Autism" Katie talks about her initial fears, the overwhelming amount of information out there about autism, and…
Read moreTreating Children with Special Needs in the Emergency Room
October 11, 2016
Anyone who likes going to urgent care or the emergency room, raise your hand!Anyone? No one?That’s right. Nobody likes it for any reason, anytime. It’s stressful, often unplanned and disorganized, and can be a frustrating experience. I put my doctor head together with a few parents who live this firsthand, and we came up…
Read moreVoting with Disabilities: Ruderman Family Foundation Looks at Voter Accessibility
October 11, 2016
The Ruderman Family Foundation recently took a look at voter accessibility for people with disabilities - and what they found isn't pretty.Based on their research, president of the foundation Jay Ruderman says that "It is unfair for 20% of the American voting population to face barriers to a full participation in their right to cast a vote". The…
Read moreMore Focus on Transition Services from the Education Department
October 11, 2016
California, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts and Vermont will split $39 million from the Education Department's Disability Innovation Fund. This money will help these states improve transition outcomes for students with disabilities.New projects will focus on helping people with disabilities find paid, competitive jobs, get vocational training, or go to college. Read more about these projects from our…
Read moreWhich States Have the Best Disability Services?
October 4, 2016
For the fifth year in a row, Arizona has taken the top spot in a ranking of the best states for disability services. The other states in the top five are Vermont, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Hawaii. The rankings have been provided by United Cerebral Palsy's Case for Inclusion annual report.On the other end of this spectrum, Montana, Arkansas,…
Read moreBoston Children’s Hospital SPARK for Autism Research
October 4, 2016
Lisa Prock, MD, MPH is the co-Principal Investigator of SPARK at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH). Dr. Prock is the Clinical Director of the Translational Neuroscience Center and the Associate Medical Director of the Division of Developmental Medicine at BCH.What is SPARK? SPARK is an online research partnership with the mission of speeding up research…
Read moreProviding Disability Benefits for 60 Years
September 27, 2016
August 1, 2016, marked the 60th anniversary of the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. Originally, the program was limited to individuals who were age 50 or older. It also had a six-month waiting period, and there were no benefits payable to spouses or…
Read moreNew Training Program Helps Police Interact with People with Autism
September 27, 2016
Police interactions are always sticky situations. But for individuals with autism, they can also be intense sensory overloads.Stephanie Cooper, a former police officer and mom of a child with autism, started a program called Autism Law Enforcement Response Training (ALERT).The ALERT program helps to:train officers on how to recognize autism in peopleget police officers comfortable with certain behaviorscover…
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