Special Needs
Find support for parents of children with special needs. Learn how to advocate for your child, raise funds for needed equipment and find helpful organizations.
Filter by: Advocacy, Assistive Technology, Autism, Schools for the Blind, Support, Visual Impairment
![Eric using an anticipator](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/eric-anticipator.jpg)
Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment
Anticipators for Young Children with Visual Impairments: Push Toys, Pre-Canes and Long Canes
Early Orientation and Mobility skills for blind children can be taught with pre-canes or push toys. Learn how to choose the best tools and when to introduce them.
![Lachlan using brailler](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/lachlan-1.jpg)
Support, Visual Impairment
Surviving the First 18 Months After Learning Your Child is Blind
Learning your baby is blind is hard... but you will move on! Janine says, "Life was continuing and I started to realize how strong we were becoming. The tears were...
![A student with her iPad](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/student-ipad.jpg)
iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment
5 Ways to Teach Your Blind Child How to Use an iPad
Tips to help you and your child who is visually impaired learn the basics of how the iPad works and how to use all the accessibility features it has to...
![Ivan and family at first day of preschool](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/first-day-preschool.jpg)
IEPs, Visual Impairment
IEP’s for Parents of Blind or Visually Impaired Children
Learn the basics of creating an IEP for a child with a visual impairment so you can walk in to your IEP meeting perfectly prepared.
![baby feet with sand](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/baby-feet-sand.jpg)
Parenting, Support
When I Feel Alone as a Mom to a Child With Anophthalmia, I Remember This
Gwen writes about her baby daughter, Ivey, and the medical issues she faces. Gwen finds strength in her friends, family and even strangers who are drawn to her little girl.
![Facebook Accessibility](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/facebooks-accessibility.jpg)
Assistive Technology
Images Now Accessible on Facebook, Twitter
New accessibility features make images accessible to blind users on social networks Facebook and Twitter
![A young woman with red hair hugging her guide dog, a yellow lab](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/y9a7153-2.jpg)
Visual Impairment
Looking Good and Feeling Good When You’re Visually Impaired
Fashion blogger Emily Davison discusses teaching kids with visual impairment about appearance, self-esteem and social acceptance.
![Ballyland Magic app](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ballyland-magic-app-feature.jpg)
iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment
Ballyland Magic App: Introducing iPad Accessibility to Children Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Ballyland Magic app introduces visually impaired and blind kids to iPad accessibility features like VoiceOver through a fun game. The game is entertaining so they don't even realize they are...
![child's hand finger painting](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/bestsensoryplaytoyswb.png)
Sensory Activities, Toys, Visual Impairment
The Best Sensory Play Toys for Visually Impaired Kids
We've collected the best sensory toys for blind kids! Find tactile toys, sound toys, scented toys, tasty toys, light toys and vestibular toys.
![woman in wheelchair with baby carrier attached](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/untitled_design-3.png)
Parenting, Support
Disabled Parenting Project
The Disabled Parenting Project (DPP) is an online space for sharing experiences, advice, and conversations among disabled parents as well as those considering parenthood.
![What if I die?](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/what-if-i-die.jpg)
Parenting, Support
“What if I die?” Creating a care plan to combat the secret fear of every special needs parent
If you are the primary caregiver of a special needs child, you probably worry about what would happen if you were gone.
![love is blind](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/mothersdaymeme.jpg)
Visual Impairment
25 Things Only a Mother of a Child who is Visually Impaired Would Understand
Becoming a parent to any child is magical in its own right, but here is a list of observations about things only a mother of a child who is visually...
![Holly with her kids](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/holly-and-kids.jpg)
Advocacy, Visual Impairment
Sometimes I just don’t feel like “teaching” people about blindness
As members of the blindness community, we find ourselves with the opportunity to teach others about blindness all the time. But do you ever want to just skip the teachable...
![](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ivan-er.jpg)
Parenting, Special Needs
What I wish people understood about raising a medically complex child
Here's something I've learned in the last 10 years: Raising a special needs child is hard, but raising a special needs child who is medically complex is much harder.
![photo of baby girl sleeping](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/madilynrdfeaturewb.jpg)
Parenting, Special Needs
Parenting a Child with a Rare Disease
Navigating life's path as a parent of a child diagnosed with a rare disease can be hard at times. It's okay to look to others for help.
![Ivan sleeping in his new bed](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ivan-bed-new.jpg)
Sleep, Special Needs
Getting a Special Needs Bed Funded Through Insurance
Does your child need a special bed in order to be safe at night? Special needs beds can be prohibitively expensive, so most of us require our insurance to cover...
![woman in a sauna](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/sauna.jpg)
Support
They told me to take care of myself, I told them I’ll sleep when I’m dead
Nicole writes about how difficult it is to find the time and money to get away on a vacation when you're the parent of a child with complex needs -...
![four Valentine's activities](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/valentines-feature.jpg)
Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Visual Impairment
Top 10 Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids Who Are Blind
Celebrate love and friendship all month long with these multi-sensory Valentine' sDay activities for kids with visual impairments!
![Ivan reading braille](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ivan-reading-braille.jpg)
Braille and Literacy, Visual Impairment
Our Favorite Tactile Books for Blind Kids
The best tactile books for blind kids. Find books that provide some nice feedback for kids reading with their fingers!
![Holly and her daughters](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/blind-motherhood.jpg)
Visual Impairment
Blind Motherhood
Holly Bonner writes about being a mother to two beautiful little girls. What makes her blog different than most mommy blogs is that Holly is blind. She blogs about life...
![The best resources for parents of visually impaired kids](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/best-resources-2015-feature.jpg)
Support, Visual Impairment
Most Popular Shared Resources for Parents of Blind Children
Each year, we see lots of really interesting and exciting resources for parents of blind children shared on WonderBaby.org. Here are the 20 most popular resources shared in 2015!
![making snow slime](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/making-snow-slime.jpg)
Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Visual Impairment
7 Holiday Sensory Play Ideas for Kids Who are Blind
Holiday multisensory play ideas for kids who are blind or visually impaired, from cold dough to a five-senses touch book and a tactile find and search game.
![Ivan asleep in his travel bed](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/travel-bed.jpg)
Sleep, Special Needs
The Perfect Special Needs Travel Bed
Traveling with a special needs child can be difficult for many reasons, but the biggest issue for us has been finding a safe way for our child to sleep while...
![cover art](https://www.wonderbaby.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/blind_a_legend.jpg)
iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment
A Blind Legend Game App
New gaming app has users relying completely on sound- not vision!