Monthly Archives: October 2008

Information Is Power

Information is Power By Jen, from Unique But Not Alone Well here I am, Jen, your guest blogger in October, and this is my last post for the month. Thanks so much for welcoming me here at 5 Minutes for Special Needs. It feels like home. When my oldest daughter, Grace, was diagnosed with Alpha-1…

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Going to Church

Many families with special needs children struggle with the issue of church attendance, and we are no different. Going to church has been a big part of my life since I was five years old, and my husband and I have been attending our current church for over 10 years now. Although it is a…

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Processing Things.

  She sits on my lap facing me. Her little legs dangling on either side of mine. We’re just sitting, my girl and I, enjoying the sunshine after the last hospital confinement. We’ve been gone a week and this is our first morning waking up at home.   ‘Home’. I love that word. It resonates…

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“The Sibling Problem”?

I stumbled upon this article by Amy Leonard Goehner in Time Magazine about autistic children and their siblings. Specifically, the article talks about the challenges neurotypical siblings of special-needs kids face and gives some strategies to help families develop a positive relationship between siblings. The author states that the neurotypical sibling “commonly has very negative…

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People are People

Special needs are a perplexing topic to the peripherally involved. Some of them are supplemental caregivers, therapists, billing staff, insurance agents, to name a few and they know the key words and tricky phrases but don’t really have a great handle on the actual topic at hand. Sure, the may know that flapping behaviors are…

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Snake Oil? I Hope Not.

Last week, an article titled “Reaching An Autistic Teen” appeared in the New York Times. As the mother of a 16 year old diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, my interest was piqued. I made it through the long, multi-page article, and then re-read it two more times. And now, I would like your opinion. The article…

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Where Do We Draw The Line?

Could this ‘one stop’ screening test be the first step in the creation of Designer Babies? What are the pros and cons or screening embryos for inherited genetic disorders? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. As scientists announce a new ‘genetic MOT’ for IVF embryos that will test for almost any inherited medical…

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A Great Day for Up ~ Special Exposure Wednesday

My son, Lee…no crib could hold him. Since he could pull to standing, he has climbed up, down; over, under; in, out; between, around…everything. Everything. And still does. Share a photo with us this Special Exposure Wednesday. And please remember to share the comment love at each link you visit. Melody can be found at…

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But We’re Not Like That Mom

But We’re Not Like That Mom Written by Guest Blogger, Jenn from Unique But Not Alone As our support group meeting began, some of the equipment in the room began to pulse and hiss oxygen. This caught Grace’s attention. She said, “Mommy, that sounds like a snake.” “Gracie, that is not a snake. It is…

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A Mac In The Box

As a homeschool family infused with a variety of learning styles, sensory issues, and attention deficits…we get the job done any way, any where we can. “Would you could you in a box?” Mac would and frequently does. He’ll tell you it feels good, and he likes that his brothers can’t fit in there with…

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