Two years ago, Steph Johnson and Brady Grinnell were on the cover of Flourishing Families, our annual publication featuring resources and articles for parents of children with special needs. Brady has Autism and was featured as part of an article on music therapy, while local…
When Amanda Coleman responded to a friend’s invitation to visit a faith-based program for families with special needs, she didn’t know what to expect. Coleman, who doesn’t consider herself religious, recognized the importance of finding support as she and her family waded through medical information,…
Families are facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of shelter-in-place guidelines. As teachers rally to support caregivers for in-home learning, parents also face the task of setting up homes and schedules to manage students’ educational needs. This can be much more complicated when a child…
Inclusion Films—dedicated to training filmmakers who have developmental disabilities—celebrated a huge win at the San Diego International Film Festival in October 2019. The organization’s first feature-length project Carol of the Bells earned the festival’s coveted Audience Choice Feature Film Award after a screening moved viewers…
When young Cody joined the peer inclusion preschool at his neighborhood public school, he fit in from the start. His class was a mix of neurotypical “peer mentors” and children with disabilities, including students like Cody with apraxia of speech, a motor speech disorder that…
Many caregivers live with chronic stress—the kind that gnaws at mental and physical health. It can lead to burnout, fatigue and strained relationships. Parenting a child with special needs can be all-consuming, but caregivers who practice effective stress-management can improve the whole family’s wellness. “I’ve…
by Anne Malinoski I recently had the privilege of meeting with local nonprofit Unscripted Learning to observe their popular youth improv class. Like many teens I know, the students were quirky, comical and utterly delighted to hassle their teacher when he made a social blunder….
Kids of all abilities have similar experiences, how they manage the process can be different and require more care. We’ve reviewed several books for kids with special needs and the parents and professionals working with them. Some of these are designed for kids with disabilities…
Meet Riley Phelps A single look at Riley Phelps’ activity schedule is exhausting. Whether she’s hitting the slopes in Mammoth with Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra (with brother Evan snowboarding by her side), surfing the waves in La Jolla, or cheering on the Chieftains as part…
If you’re a parent or caregiver of kids with special needs, you may be familiar with apps that help kids learn to navigate social situations. Here are five that specifically help with communication, understanding emotions, managing conflicts and more. Each app is free and available…