[nextpage title=”Page 1″ ] Parents of children with special needs have many fears, from concerns that their child’s prognosis isn’t good to worries about being able to fit in all required doctor and therapy visits. But there is one fear that isn’t like the rest — one fear that isn’t […]
Special Needs
Fear Reigns Supreme in My Pregnancy
I am terrified of pregnancy and childbirth. Terrified. I have extreme anxiety about all the things that could go wrong, from placental problems to me having a stroke on the operating table. I live in a constant state of worry, sometimes manageable, but other times so extreme it keeps me up at […]
When Lightning Strikes Twice
Lightning rarely strikes the same spot twice. But when it does, it is momentous. Lightning strikes are multifaceted. On one hand, they’re beautiful — colorful, unexpected, energizing. On the other hand, they’re destructive — violent, merciless, deadly. If you’re lucky enough to be an observer, you’re filled with awe and […]
Advice for Parents Beginning the Special Needs Journey
“Your child has _____.” These are words no parent ever wants to hear. It doesn’t matter whether the diagnosis is Autism Spectrum Disorder or cancer; the flood of emotions is intense and raw and sometimes debilitating. I know because I’ve been through it. Every painful, nightmarish step toward acceptance. I’ve […]
It’s Still Not OK to Say ‘Retarded’
Just a reminder, as it seems many people have either missed the memos, chosen to ignore them, or forgotten them completely: It’s still not OK to say “retarded.” Ever. Not even when you’re just kidding. Not even when you post something written by someone else. Not even because your freedom of […]
I Cry for My Son
I cry for my son. Not always, of course, but enough. I first cried for my son just hours after his birth when he quit breathing, the cause of which was unknown until doctors ran a battery of tests and discovered he had suffered a stroke in utero that was […]
Please Don’t Mention God and My Child with Special Needs at the Same Time
When I became a parent to a child with special needs, I learned, among other things, that I had been saying the absolute wrongest things to people my entire life. As a self-admitted awkward person, I’m terrible when it comes to extending condolences and comforting people in their times of […]
What You Can Do to Help Children with Special Needs in Your Community
We all do it: Hear a story on the radio or see one on TV or the internet about a child with special needs facing a difficult circumstance, think about how terrible or sad the details are and wish there were something we could do, then dismiss the story and […]