If you’re anything like us, you may have wondered (AKA worried) about your child’s speech! How much therapy do they need? What can we do at home? The questions never end! That’s why today we have Shandy Laskey (speech language pathologist, functional nutritionist, and feeding specialist) on to chat about all the things our kiddos need before even thinking about speech therapy... What on earth is the gut-brain connection and why do we actually go gluten/dairy free? Shandy is here with all this information as well as plenty of recommendations! Take notes, friends!

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SHOW NOTES

Learn more about Shandy and her distance coaching services on speakingofhealthandwellness.com

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

SPONSOR: JONAS PAUL EYEWEAR

Jonas Paul Eyewear makes stylish glasses for kids and teens! We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as our families do! The frames even perfectly fit our kiddos with Down Syndrome thanks to their unique adjustable tips. Head on over to jonaspauleyewear.com and use code THELUCKYFEW15 for 15% off your order!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

What do you do when your pregnancy isn’t what you thought it would be.. when Covid-19 and a shocking diagnosis leave you looking for answers? Well if you’re anything like Abby Green, you discover that what really matters is not the celebrations and expectations, it’s that you love your baby no matter what.

Today we have this pregnant lucky mama on to tell us all about her pregnancy in a pandemic, receiving a Down Syndrome diagnosis alone, and joining #TheLuckyFew before even giving birth. We’re also touching on the shock and confusion that comes with a Down Syndrome diagnosis, who to tell and when to tell them, and how to navigate it all in the middle of Covid-19. Thinking of all you mamas who are pregnant during this wild year! We see you and we are cheering you on!

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SHOW NOTES

Follow Abby on Instagram and check out the Herself podcast!

Read Micha’s article: ‘As Long as the Baby’s Healthy’… But What if He’s Not?

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

SPONSOR: JONAS PAUL EYEWEAR

Jonas Paul Eyewear makes stylish glasses for kids and teens! We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as our families do! The frames even perfectly fit our kiddos with Down Syndrome thanks to their unique adjustable tips. Head on over to jonaspauleyewear.com and use code THELUCKYFEW15 for 15% off your order!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

“Who decides how smart you are?” Dr. Sarathy is back on the show to chat about this idea from her Tedx talk, as well as her son’s extraordinary educational journey that involves poetry, patterns, and more! We’re also discussing fearless learning, the teach don’t test method, and the unfortunate way that people measure intelligence by appearance. You don’t want to miss this one, friends!

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SHOW NOTES

Listen to Dr. Sarathy’s TedX Talk: “Who Decides How Smart You Are?”

Follow Dr. Sarathy on Instagram: @drvaishsarathy

Follow Sid on Instagram: @downlikesid

Listen to Dr. Sarathy’s podcast: Functional Nutrition and Learning for Kids

Check out Project Swasthya

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

SPONSOR: JONAS PAUL EYEWEAR

Jonas Paul Eyewear makes stylish glasses for kids and teens! We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as our families do! The frames even perfectly fit our kiddos with Down Syndrome thanks to their unique adjustable tips. Head on over to jonaspauleyewear.com and use code THELUCKYFEW15 for 15% off your order!

When it comes to feeding our kids with Down Syndrome, we’re all just doing the best we can right? Some days our best is a PBJ and some days it's fresh baked gluten free bread! But everyday, we want to fuel them with food that helps them be their best!

That’s why we have Dr. Sarathy on this episode for a conversation all about functional nutrition. Not only does she have two masters degrees and her PHD, she’s a mother to a child with a dual diagnosis of Down Syndrome and Autism, as well as a fellow podcast host! So friends, join us for a chat about all things nutrition, whole foods, “picky eaters,” and the small changes that make a huge difference!

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Listen to Dr. Sarathy’s TedX Talk: “Who Decides How Smart You Are?”

Follow Dr. Sarathy on Instagram: @drvaishsarathy

Listen to Dr. Sarathy’s podcast: Functional Nutrition and Learning for Kids

Check out Project Swasthya

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

SPONSOR: JONAS PAUL EYEWEAR

Jonas Paul Eyewear makes stylish glasses for kids and teens! We’re sure you’ll love them just as much as our families do! The frames even perfectly fit our kiddos with Down Syndrome thanks to their unique adjustable tips. Head on over to jonaspauleyewear.com and use code THELUCKYFEW15 for 15% off your order!

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

Have you ever felt like you’re preparing for battle when you’re getting ready for an IEP meeting? You’ve gathered all your resources, you’ve been to all the conferences, and you’ve asked everyone you know for advice, but you’re still worried about being met with negativity and pushback. We’ve all been there. Let’s face it, the education system wasn’t made for our kiddos, and it takes a whole lot of advocacy (+ an amazing IEP team) to make school work for them. That’s why today we’re chatting about our tips for going into those (sometimes daunting) meetings.. what to say, what not to say, when to speak up, and when to remove someone from your IEP team. It’s not easy friends, but we are cheering for you!

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LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

Anyone else feeling more uncertain about the upcoming school year than ever before? We know we are! That’s why we have Dr. Spinazzi back on the show for a special episode about her insights into Covid-19 and her thoughts on sending kids to school in the middle of this pandemic. Not only is she a physician and professor, Dr. Spinazzi is the medical director of Charlie’s Clinic, a Down Syndrome specific clinic in Oakland, CA. We are so grateful for her infinite wisdom and her heart for our kiddos. Join us for a chat about classroom safety, school precautions, the risks and benefits of distance learning, + so much more. And whatever the school year looks like for you and your family, we are cheering you on.

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Learn more about Charlie’s Clinic, where Dr. Spinazzi works and follow them on Instagram @oaklanddownsyndromeclinic

Check out UCSF’s Youtube channel for weekly Covid-19 updates

Read a Q & A on Covid-19 and Down Syndrome by Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, National Down Syndrome Congress, National Down Syndrome Society, National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities, and Down Syndrome Foundation

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

In just one day, Kenny Clutch went from dancing in the hospital room for his son Kristian who had cancer, to speaking on the news and being reposted by celebrities everywhere. Not only is he “The Dancing Dad,”  Kenny is also a husband, father of 4, Down Syndrome advocate, and a motivational speaker. Today he’s sharing the story behind his nickname and how his experiences have lead him to host “Shift Makers,” a special event focused on developing positive strategies to deal with life’s challenges. So friends, join us for a chat about advocacy, adversity, pain, positivity, and of course— dancing.

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Keep up with Kenny on Instagram and Facebook!

Learn more about Kenny’s Shift Makers event happening on July 25th!

Listen to The Clutchvision Podcast

Check out the beautiful creations made by Kenny’s wife on Instagram: @kenjoscreations

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

Kayla Craig is a mother, author, podcaster, journalist, and so much more. She and her husband lead a diverse family made up of four beautiful children -- including two adopted kiddos and one with Down Syndrome!  After realizing how curious other kids were about her unique family, she put pen to paper and decided to write “Just Really Joseph,” a book to help young children understand what really makes a family.

Today, Kayla is sharing about her motherhood journey, her daughter’s experience with infantile spasms, and how to have hard conversations about faith.  We’re also touching on ethical and safe adoption, white savior complex, and the reasons people actually pursue international adoption.

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Keep up Kayla + her family on Instagram @kayla_craig and @liturgiesforparents

Read Just Really Joseph by Kayla Craig

Listen to the Upside Down Podcast

Visit Kayla’s website for more info!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

As parents of children with Down Syndrome, we’ve heard of about 1 million things we should be doing to improve the brain power of our kiddos… and we’re guessing you’ve heard them too! Do we say yes or no to B-12, Tylenol, dairy? Is gluten really that bad? And what on earth do we do about vaccines?

We’ve brought on an expert to answer all of this and more! Dr. Brian Skotko is the director of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Down Syndrome Program, a brother to a sister with DS, and the creator of Brain Train: a program for individuals with DS designed to boost brain function and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Brain Train focuses on “SMART” actions that you and your loved one with DS can take everyday to "work out" your brain! Grab a pen and get ready to take notes from an amazing expert and advocate then head on over to downsyndromebraintrain.com to learn more about this wonderful program!

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Visit downsyndromebraintrain.com to access all of Dr. Skotko’s resources on Down Syndrome and cognition!

LET’S CHAT

Email [email protected] with your questions and Good News for future episodes.

HELP US SHIFT THE NARRATIVE

Interested in partnering with The Lucky Few Podcast as a sponsor? Email [email protected] for more information!

Just when we thought IEPs couldn’t get any more complicated (and summer couldn’t sound any better!)... Enter Covid-19! Join us for a chat about how we’re handling unfinished plans for kids going into middle school and new plans for a future kindergartener, in the midst of a global pandemic! We’re also discussing our exciting summer plans… Does anyone want to hang out with the dog in the front yard?! (Again…)

So friends, if you’re feeling like things are out of control right now -- know that you are not alone. We are cheering you on and (virtually) holding you close.