Author: Brittany Long

When it comes to related services, a question many parents find themselves asking is, ‘How do I know if my child actually NEEDS related services?’ According to special education advocate Dr. Sarah Pelangka: “It’s really a matter of knowing and understanding your child and what you know can benefit your child. Like, ‘Hey, my child …

With the start of a new school year, we all want to make sure that the supports our kiddos need to thrive in school are in place — and actually being implemented in their classrooms. This includes accommodations, which are vital in removing barriers to learning and meeting students where THEY are. Accommodations adapt HOW …

“‘Disability’ is not a bad word. Use it. There’s no need to replace it with euphemism; use it respectfully.” — Diana Pastora Carson, creator of Beyond Awareness Talking about disabilities can be tricky. As parents, it’s natural to feel uncertain about the right words to use when discussing our children’s disabilities, whether it’s with providers, …

School safety is something every parent thinks about, but when your child has disabilities, there’s a whole other layer of concerns to navigate. There is frequently one set of directives during emergencies and we have to assess if they are accessible to our child. If they have mobility issues, what is the plan to help …

Does it feel like no matter how much you get done, your back-to-school to-do list keeps growing and growing and…you get it. When the kids start school, the pressure of putting everything in place can feel a little (a lot) crushing, especially when you don’t know where to turn for help. That’s where we come …

As we gear up for the new school year, we’re right there with you, thinking about what might make those back-to-school blues a little bit easier. Between new schools, teachers, therapists, and classmates who might not yet know our kids’ incredible quirks and talents, it can feel like a lot. So how do you beat …

With summer slowly coming to an end (yes, we can hardly believe it too!), we’re preparing for our kids’ first day, week, and month of school — and not just academically. The slow journey of getting back to school is often filled with a whole bag of feelings for our kids, who, beyond the typical …

We all got the crash course in genetics 101 in high school biology, but the role genetics plays in the lives of our kids is far more complex. You might be asking yourself questions like: What role does genetics play in my child’s development? Are all genetic conditions hereditary? Will genetic testing and counseling help …

Seeing our kids struggle to socialize, make friends, and find a sense of belonging is one of the hardest things to see as parents. And for those of us with kiddos who have developmental disabilities, this struggle is something we face quite often — and it can stick around through school and beyond. We all …

School may be out for the summer, but something that continues, no matter the season, is our kids’ therapies. Therapies, whether at school, home, or in a clinic, are an essential part of our kiddos’ growth and development, and can help them build social, cognitive, gross and fine motor, social, sensory processing, play, speech and …