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

three photos of feelif camera at work

Assistive Technology, Visual Impairment

Feelif is making photos and the environment more accessible for kids who are blind!

Feelif just released two applications that will help blind and visually impaired users have a better understanding of their surroundings and of photos.

a small white house

Parenting, Special Needs

Home Sweet Group Home?

When is the right time to move your special needs child out of the house and into a group home?

pencil

Education, Special Needs

How Statewide School Testing Discriminates Against Special Needs Students

Is it always appropriate to test students, even those with severe disabilities? And can standardized tests be considered discriminatory, even when alternative testing options are offered to special needs students?

young girl listening to the Ballyland coding app, with a tactile game grid at hand

iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment

How access to an ipad can change a blind child’s life

For children who are blind or visually impaired, iPads represent multi-purpose, portable Assistive Technology devices that can replace expensive AT devices.

To the Mother Whose Life Isn't Taking the Expected Path

Parenting, Support

To the Mother Whose Life Isn’t Taking the Path She Expected

The path of a special needs parent is hard, but you need to choose happiness. You feel countless emotions, each and every one of them, and at some point you...

leandra and abby

Parenting, Special Needs

I Lost My Daughter. Even though She is Alive, I Lost Her, and I Grieve Her all the Time

Having a special needs child is a lifelong grieving process. Each new milestone that does not happen is a painful reminder of what you've lost.

a mom holding hands with her daughter

Parenting, Special Needs

Something Happened While I was Waiting for My Daughter to Tell Me She Loves Me

If your child is nonverbal they may not be able to say, "I love you." But they can express their love in so many other ways!

Boy taking his blood pressure test

Advocacy

How to Work with Difficult Doctors & Therapists

As the parent of a disabled child you probably have to meet with quite a few doctors and therapists. What can you do if you just don't agree with their...

lily pads

Advocacy, Parenting

Family vs Ableism: What I’ve Learned As a Mother of a Child with a Disability

Is it more important to be worried about how you're presenting yourself and your family to the outside world and the wider disability community, or to focus on the needs...

fingers touching a Feelif screen

Assistive Technology, iPad Apps and Accessibility

Feelif: The Accessible Tactile Tablet for Kids who are Visually Impaired

Feelif is a tactile tablet that is able to combine native features of the Samsung tablet, like vibrations and the built-in screenreader, with a tactile surface to create a whole...

Michael sitting in a chair and smiling

Parenting, Special Needs

My son will not read this post

For a special needs parent, being realistic does not mean losing optimism. It means finding peace with what is.

Support

When Your Special Needs Support Group is Anything but Supportive (and 5 Tips to Get it Back on Track)

Moms yelling at each other certainly isn't a new thing, but online support groups can take it to a whole new level! Find tips on how to keep your special...

valentines crafts, including braille cookies

Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Visual Impairment

11 Accessible Valentine’s Day Crafts (with Braille!) for Kids who are Blind

Fun and accessible Valentine's Day crafts for kids who are blind or visually impaired, including braille Valentine's cards!

colorful doorway in rainbow colors

Parenting, Special Needs

What does it really take to make a home accessible?

What really makes your home an inclusive space for your special needs or blind child? Is it the furniture? Or is it the way you think?

woman holding a sad face mask in front of her face

Support

What can you do for the special needs mom who doesn’t feel anymore?

Sometimes it seems like I don't have the time to feel, and I know this isn't a new thing. I've been not feeling for a long time. Is it OK...