This is cross posted from last year’s post at Discussing Autism.
Is your little one afraid to see Santa this year? Is he overstimulated by the mall and all the glittering lights, afraid of all the people, conscious of every detail around him, ready to flee at the slightest movement of someone in line, refusing to put on that shirt and tie for grandma?
In my search for tips on how to prepare AJ to visit Santa I only found two posts…This one and this one so it was obvious that it needed to be addressed.

Every parents’ dream is to get …read more

Wild Dill says that Pastel Toys are “special toys made by special people”. Kishorit is a kibbutz-like, non-denominational, non-profit community location in Western Galilee, where 120 developmentally disabled adults work and live in a friendly and supportive village, growing organic vegetables and creating high quality collectible toys.
These toys hold a special place in my heart because of who makes them. In fact, every family who has a child with special needs should support Pastel Toys. So, if you don’t win PLEASE head over to the Holiday Gift Guide and purchase one of these toys at Wild Dill’s sale price.

Currently, AJ’s favorite meal is meatloaf. Go figure. I actually found a recipe that I could modify to GFCF for him and it is fabulous. We all eat it with mashed potatoes, salad, and garlic bread (he skips the garlic bread).
The best part about this meal is that AJ loves to help make it and it is a HUGE motivator for him. Yesterday morning I told him that his regular teacher and his favorite assistant were going to be at a meeting and he was upset. I knew it would throw him way off so I threw out the meatloaf.

I spoke to one of my readers via email and she stated that she would LOVE some information on how to make her classroom more special needs friendly even through she has a regular education classroom.
I also thought that some of you would love some information for your children’s teachers…I know that finding information on FAS is difficult. Please print out some of these great resources to help your kids.
Classroom Strategies

Meet with parents, the student and professionals in the community to determine individual needs of the student.

Many children with autism, SPD, and ADHD also have an underline disorder of visual processing disorder that is often missed and even misdiagnosed. I have heard parents in my Special Needs playgroup tell me that their Occupational Therapist’s respond to them with comments like “oh, he just sees things differently” or “that is part of his Autism Disability”. However, if a Visual Processing disorder goes undiagnosed a child misses out on an entire different set of teaching strategies and interventions that can be utilized both at home and at school.

Today’s topic is Goals and Objectives within the IEP. But before you can do anything with an IEP you must first define your child’s needs clearly and specifically.
Goals and Objectives MUST be written after much of the initial IEP preparation is already done. You have already prepared for the IEP by brainstorming your child’s strengths and weaknesses (or you should have), you have brainstormed possible accommodations, modifications, you have gathered all of your documents, and you have mustered up a positive attitude.
Now, FINALLY, its time to evaluate everything and create the goals and objectives with the entire team. …read more

A few days ago I wrote about accommodations to the IEP, stating that accommodations refer to the actual teaching supports a student receives in order to get an equal education. But, what about modifications?

Well, modifications are the actual modifications that are to be made to the curriculum base in order to meet the needs of the student. However, accommodations provide tools for the student, modifications will minimize expectations depending upon skill level and performance.
For example:
1. students may be included in the same spelling test but only have to do the first five words because they are at a lower …read more

When we talk about IEPs, or Individualized Education Plans, we are not just talking about goals and benchmarks that your child needs to meet (and that the teacher needs to teach to) but we are also talking about accommodations that the IEP teams needs to make to ensure that your child meets those goals and state benchmarks.
When creating an IEP the entire team must evaluate all types of 7. accommodations that your child might need in order to be successful.
Accommodations are: adjustments to make sure kids have equal access to curriculum and a way to be successful.
An accommodation is …read more

Individual Education Plans can be VERY confusing for parents AND teachers and most parents are anxious, confused, and feel inadequate when they go into an IEP. I am a former teacher and am now in the role of a parent. I never thought that I would be the parent of a special needs child nor would I be having to fight for what he needs but that is exactly what I do every year for him.
I am actually in a unique situation in that I AM a former teacher and I do understand the educational jargon. I understand how to …read more

Do you know the all the services your child qualifies for? Even kids with just speech or occupational therapy should get all the services they deserve. Sometimes, and in some states, if Sensory Integration is severe it can qualify a student for special education services.
But, many parents don’t know what services their child qualifies for.I don’t always.
That is part of the reason I freelance…to learn more about my son, his disabilities, and the services for which he qualifies.