Water Prairie Chronicles Podcast

Show Notes:

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

The state fair is always a fun time no matter what state you live in, but for families with children with disabilities, it isn’t always an option. The NC State Fair has created a special day where they have created a more sensory-friendly environment for fairgoers called their Access ABILITY Day where they’ve modified some of the noise and lights as well as provided space for quieter activities.

This episode of the podcast is devoted to bringing you a guide to the NC State Fair for special needs families. We interviewed Heather Overton, the Assistant Director of Public Affairs at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Heather shares some inside tips on how to make the most of your visit to the NC State Fair including dates, times, parking, handicap parking, senior citizens discounts, food, activities, tickets, and much more!

We focused the second half of the interview on the NC Fair’s Access ABILITY Day for families with special needs children. Heather gives us all the details of what to expect, what time to arrive, and where you can go if you need to find a quiet spot for your child to calm down if they get too excited with all the activity. The modifications they are making in the sounds and lights will be appreciated by those who are able to attend during the Access ABILITY Day, and Heather told us about some of the special competitions that they have planned.

If you attend this year’s Access ABILITY Day, we’d love to hear about your visit! Let us know in the comments below or on our Instagram account @water.prairie, and share your photos too! If you’re in another state, let us know if your state is offering more sensory-friendly options at the state fair this year, and we’ll see if we can feature more like this from around the US.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #39: 2022 GUIDE to the NC State Fair for Special Needs Families – Access ABILITY Day! appeared first on Water Prairie.

Show Notes:

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

Parents of deaf and hard of hearing children have concerns about their children’s safety both when they are young and when they’re older. Cindy and Heather Phillips join us again in this episode to talk about life after high school. They both share advice for deaf students, parents of deaf children, and teachers who work with deaf students.

If you missed the first part of the interview, be sure to go back to Episode #36 () and learn about Heather’s diagnosis, the early years of parenting a deaf child, and how Heather navigated school challenges.

Be sure to check out some of the links below. I’ve included a great resource for parents and students who are looking at college or are already college students, and I’d like to thank Intelligent for providing us with the link to this resource for deaf students! There is also a link to an organization Cindy recommends for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Alarm Clocks for Deaf and Hard of Hearing: * I am an Amazon Associate and may benefit if you use these links.

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #38: Hearing Loss and Deafness in Children (Part 2) appeared first on Water Prairie.

Show Notes:

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

If you’ve been following the podcast, you met Cindy and Heather Phillips in episode #36, and we’ll continue their interview in episode #38. If you’re new to the podcast, welcome!

I wanted to share a story about what happened after I interviewed Cindy and Heather. I don’t want to give away the rest of their story, but Heather shared something during the 2nd half of the interview that made me think more about how I communicate with people who are deaf or hard of hearing that I meet.

The day after the interview, I was at work and had a customer indicate to me that he was deaf. He had a question, and between us we were able to figure out the question and the answer by using hand gestures and facial expressions. I walked away knowing I had not been able to give him the same service as I could have given someone who could hear me.

During this short podcast episode, I explain how this combination of events has already helped others communicate, and I hope it inspires you to find ways to communicate with those whose path you cross.

The app I mentioned in the podcast is the LIVE TRANSCRIBE app and is only for Android phones.

• Resources for the Deaf:
  • American Society for Deaf Children: https://deafchildren.org/
  • Information for Deaf College Students: https://bit.ly/DeafCollegeGuide

Instagram: @water.prairie

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #37: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communication Tool appeared first on Water Prairie.

Show Notes:

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

Do you know how to tell if your baby is deaf? Do you know what questions you should be asking your doctor? Our guests today are a mother-daughter duo, Cindy and Heather Phillips, who join us to talk about how Cindy and her husband have raised 2 deaf children and some of the decisions they’ve made to help their children become successful adults.

This is the first of a 2-part interview. During this part of the interview, we concentrate on the early years of the children being diagnosed with hearing loss, starting school, school changes, school accommodations, friendships, support for parents, and some fun stories sprinkled throughout. The next part will be released in the first week of October 2022 and will include navigating college as a deaf student, living on campus, plans for the future, and current work challenges. I’ll post the link to the episode here once it is posted.

• Contact Cindy and Heather through Facebook or send them an email at [email protected], and I’ll forward it to them.
  • Cindy’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cindy.brownphillips.7
  • Heather’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.phillips.35325

• Resources for the Deaf:
  • American Society for Deaf Children: https://deafchildren.org/
  • Information for Deaf College Students: https://bit.ly/DeafCollegeGuide

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #36: Hearing Loss and Deafness in Children (Part 1) appeared first on Water Prairie.

Show Notes:

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

September 22 is World Narcolepsy Day

Let’s join together and celebrate World Narcolepsy Day by learning a little about what narcolepsy is and how it affects those who live with it. After having the opportunity of interviewing 3 different people with narcolepsy this year, I’ve learned a lot about it and some of the challenges it presents. If you haven’t heard those interviews, I’ll list them below so you can hear the stories of Christopher, Julie, and Kenya.

If you’re on Instagram, check out our posts today and comment on some of them to show your support for those living with narcolepsy!

• Christopher’s Story: Episode #5 (Misunderstood Invisible Disabilities) & Episode #8 (Wake Up And Play Ball!)

• Julie’s Story: Episode #30 (Narcolepsy and Sleep Disorders)

• Kenya’s Story: Episode #33 (Childhood Narcolepsy)

Instagram: @water.prairie

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #35: Happy World Narcolepsy Day! appeared first on Water Prairie.

What does a child with autism do after high school?

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

Have you ever wondered what activities are available for a child with autism? Our guest today has a 20-year-old son with autism. Katia shares her journey of learning to parent a child with autism and how she made decisions throughout her son’s childhood starting with a disagreement with the doctor about a diagnosis and her son’s need for early intervention. Today, her son is a happy young adult who is involved in several different types of activities.

• Send questions for Katia to [email protected]

• Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
  • Florida Scholarships for School:  https://www.stepupforstudents.org/
  • Dive Heart Foundation: https://diveheart.org/
  • Flight Programs for Kids:
    • Challenge Air: https://www.challengeair.com/
    • Vital Flight: https://vitalflight.org/

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #34: What Can a Child With Autism Do? appeared first on Water Prairie.

Show Notes:

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

Our guest during this interview is Kenya Gradnigo, a social worker and a member of the board for Project Sleep. Kenya shared information about being diagnosed with narcolepsy as a young child and some of the lessons she’s learned on how to manage life with narcolepsy.

Contact Project Sleep:

• Kenya’s Instagram: @unapologetically_ken

• Project Sleep Website: https://project-sleep.com

• Navigating College Toolkit: https://bit.ly/narcolepsyschool

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #33: Childhood Narcolepsy appeared first on Water Prairie.

Disability Awareness

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

Do you have a child with a disability? Have you ever thought about how others might view a disability? Can you tell your child how to explain their disability to their friends?

Our guest for this episode is Gabriella Tiberio, a teenager who has created what may be the best representation of disabilities we’ve seen! She may be young, but she understands what it means to make disabilities a part of who someone is and not the only characteristic that people see.

Join us for this interview and find out what brought Gabriella to write a children’s book about disability awareness and how it’s being used to speak out for children in their schools and how others are using it to teach their children how to understand why some people they meet might need special accommodations at times.

Contact Gabriella:

• Instagram: @gabriellatiberioo
• Order Mrs Jones’s Wonderful Class
  • (As an Amazon Associate, I may receive a commission if you make a purchase. This is a way you can help support the podcast!)

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #32: Disability Awareness Education for Children appeared first on Water Prairie.

How would you feel if you wanted to share a bedtime story with your child, but the process was too difficult? Our guest today knows just how frustrating it is to read a children’s storybook when you can’t see the words on the page. The mother of 2 young boys, Krystle Boateng took it upon herself to find a way to share a bedtime story with her two young sons, and she's sharing her solution with the world!

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

How would you feel if you wanted to share a bedtime story with your child, but the process was too difficult? Our guest today knows just how frustrating it is to read a children’s storybook when you can’t see the words on the page. The mother of 2 young boys, Krystle Boateng took it upon herself to find a way to share a bedtime story with her two young sons, and she’s sharing her solution with the world!

Listen to this episode to hear Krystle’s story of frustration in trying to find a way to simply hold her children on her lap and read them a bedtime story. Many take this for granted. Parents and grandparents love to experience this traditional bedtime routine. However, for those with vision loss, it is a challenge to find a way to hold a book with standard size print, read the words to your child, and also allow the child to see the pictures on the page. Krystle’s frustration turned into an entrepreneurial mission and ended with her starting her own company and publishing her first book!

Contact Krystle:

• Website: https://www.iabilitybooks.com/

• Instagram: @inside_ability_books

• How to order Bedtime, Sleep Time, Nighttime, Dreamtime, A Large Print Bedtime Story
  • Standard Edition
  • Reverse Contrast Edition

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #31: Accessible Children’s Literature – Low Vision Books for Young Children appeared first on Water Prairie.

Show Notes:

Find the full directory at waterprairie.com/listen.

Our guest during this interview is Julie Flygare, the president and CEO of Project Sleep and host of the Project Sleep podcast. Julie shared information about narcolepsy and some of the exciting things that are happening through Project Sleep.

Some of the key information we discussed are the difference between type 1 narcolepsy and type 2 narcolepsy, cataplexy, current research for narcolepsy, and accommodations for students with narcolepsy.

Contact Project Sleep:

• Website: https://project-sleep.com

• Podcast: https://project-sleep.com/podcast/

• Pediatric Narcolepsy Survey: https://project-sleep.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Pediatric-Narcolepsy-Boston.pdf

• Julie’s Book, Wide Awake and Dreaming: A Memoir of Narcolepsy: https://amzn.to/3wgE0H4

• Genetic Marker for Narcolepsy: HLA-DBQ1*06:02
  • More information on page 11: https://project-sleep.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Science-of-Narcolepsy-Toolkit.pdf

Connect with Us: https://linktr.ee/waterprairie

Support this channel: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/waterprairie

Music Used: “LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://audionautix.com/

The post Episode #30: Narcolepsy and Sleep Disorders appeared first on Water Prairie.