I was talking with a friend the other day and since I have two kids with autism, she asked me this question: You’re much more familiar with autism than I am so please tell me if I’m totally wrong, but I’ve got a friend telling me how you can basically cure autism with early intervention…
Special Needs
Top Pediatric Doctors for EDS, Dysautonomia, and Mast Cell Disorders
With my new series on Ehlers-Danlos and “The Trifecta” (Dysautonomia, POTS, Mast Cell Disorders), I have already been getting many questions about the pediatric doctors we see for these disorders. Since we are a military family, we have traveled to other states and seen other pediatric doctors that I would highly recommend. While most of…
An Introduction to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in Children
It’s been exactly one year since my daughter received three official diagnoses of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type 3, Dysautonomia (POTS), and Mastocytosis/Mast Cell Activation Disorder. When you have all three of these together, they call it “The Trifecta.” Of course, you can have each one separately without the other, but more commonly you have at least two…
IEP Meeting Preparation: Tips for Parents of Special Needs Children
Going to an Individualized Education Plan or IEP meeting can be one of the most stressful experiences for a special needs parent, but having an IEP is important in order for your child to have a good education. IEPs are important because it helps set goals up goals and a plan of treatment so that…
Free Hospital Gowns for Your Child’s Doll or Stuffed Animal
For medically complex kids, especially those that spend a lot of time in and out of hospitals, small things like free hospital gowns for a “stuffie” can be a BIG help! Kids hate spending time in hospitals and doctor’s offices, but there are plenty of things we can do to help them adjust to this…
Parenting a Child Whose Second Home is the Hospital
When I dreamed about becoming a mom, I never once asked myself the question, “What if my child was chronically ill?” When we think about becoming parents we think in terms of healthy and whole. We hear, “We don’t care what gender the baby as long as he or she is healthy.” But what if…
The Best Hypoallergenic Carpet for Families with Allergies or Asthma
When we moved to Colorado, we decided that we wanted to buy a house and be first-time homeowners. Previously we had only lived in an apartment and on a military installation. Buying our first home was certainly an eye-opener and while we picked a nice house, there has still been a lot of work we’ve had…
Special Needs Dolls That Show Inclusion for Everyone
There are many beautiful dolls out there that parents can buy, but for kids who have special needs or special medical equipment, there aren’t many dolls that “look” just like them. One woman decided to change this by opening up a doll shop on Etsy and these special needs dolls are inclusive of everyone! Owner…
5 Ways to Encourage and Motivate Your Child Through Praise
When searching for a guided pathway of how to motivate your child, many parents jump on the bandwagon of positive reinforcement. The journey tends to get twirled up in a haze of confusion and judgment from other parents, leaving you trying to balance the “should I” or “shouldn’t I” mind scales of whether to praise…
How to Keep Your Marriage Alive While Raising Special Needs Children
Special needs parenting is HARD. Trying to keep your marriage alive while parenting special needs kids can be even harder. It’s a well-known fact in the special needs community that divorce is higher among special needs families. I don’t think this happens on purpose, but more because of how stressful it is to parents a special…
