In this episode I want to speak about the occurrence of hoarding among people with Autism. However the topic and the solutions may apply to anyone attempting to cope with this compulsion. This is a challenge I've come across recently with some clients that has me adapting and applying strategies to help the families I work with. Hoarding is not uncommon among this population and I want to share some things that you can do to manage it. 

This edition of Special Ed Rising is an episode that I felt an immediate need to put out.  It addresses a growing vocal chorus against the term “special needs,” a euphemism that I have used in my blogs, on my podcast and in my work for over 30 years. There is a clarion call to have this term changed.  My intention is to give voice to those asking for this change as I share studies and opinions to support their claims.  

Today's episode is centered on the idea that involving your special needs children in activities after school and beyond school, that you might not imagine to be realistic options for them because of perceived limitations, is exactly the thing that can broaden their experience and uncover the potential waiting for an opportunity.  There IS more than meets the eye!  Using my personal experience and observations as producer of school plays and director of a drama club, I will present the advantages I observed in the extracurricular involvement for children with differing abilities.

Today’s episode features the first interview of what I hope will be many to come.  It is an engaging conversation about music therapy that I believe will open many eyes to its impact on people with differing abilities across the spectrum.

In this episode I want to take a look at the benefits of incorporating exercise and sensory integration activities into the routines of your special needs child.  I have seen first hand the positive impact they have on my students when making them part of their daily programs.  We will address how to do this in your home, plus the many ways your child can gain in terms of behavior, communication, attention and more and suggest some equipment to help make this happen.

In this episode, I endeavor to reflect on my experience and some lessons learned during the time that I cared for my elderly parents and the challenges that families face in deciding the right options for care outside of the home.  And then a little on the system that embraces your family member and the costs and realities that accompany this open armed greeting. 

This episode is going to be an exploration of thought and reflection.  And it will address how people with disabilities are considered to be different despite one very basic fact that we all share.

Managing your family and taking care of your special needs child can be overwhelming.  In this episode I will discuss, what I feel, are four essential practices that I have witnessed succeed for many of my clients which translates into a more positive and functional home life for the entire family. 

Today’s episode is a special one for me because I’ll be sharing my appreciation for and experience with working in the world of Deaf education and alongside a community grounded in their Deaf culture.  I’ll give some history on the evolution of deafness in education since the 1988 Deaf Power Now revolution at Gallaudet University in Washington DC; offer some cultural perspective and share my personal eyewitness account.

In this episode, I’ll be talking about daily transition strategies for the times your child displays behaviors when asked to move from one activity to another.  These strategies can be applied in all settings; in the home, at school and out in the community.  When you have a plan put into practice consistently, new doors will open for you and your child to smoother days and nights.