Rising to the Challenge — Adventure at the Hospital

August 23, 2011

I woke up this morning feeling all wound up and out of sorts.  The day that had been hanging over my head all summer was finally here – the day Carson would have surgery to remove his adenoids. I know…  on a scale of medical procedures, this falls pretty low on the totem pole.  I’m [...]

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My Child Has Autism, What Now? Part Four: The Special Family

August 16, 2011

We’ve all had those romantic dreams of what our lives would be like.  You know – the ones where married life is always bliss-filled and our children grow up to be fabulously happy, healthy and successful. I know… life rarely plays out quite like a fairy tale storybook.  But for many “Special Families” – those [...]

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Guest Post: How To Prepare for Your Next IEP Meeting

August 10, 2011

By Dennise Goldberg, owner of Special Education Advisor and Gold Standard Advocates. Life is hectic when raising a special needs child.  Parents are constantly dealing with therapies, medical appointments, administering medicine, and life in general.  To make matters worse parents are telling me they keep hearing in IEP meetings from School District personnel, “If you don’t like our offer [...]

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My Child Has Autism, What Now? Part Three: The School

August 8, 2011

I’ve shed tears, made myself physically ill, and spent many sleepless nights – all over meetings at “The School” over developing a plan for my son’s education. Developing an individual education plan (IEP) for a child with autism or other special needs can be one big stress-induced headache.   And it’s not just developing the master [...]

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My Child Has Autism, What Now? Part Two: Connecting, Sharing

August 1, 2011

Being an autism mom can be a lonely business.   It’s easy to become consumed by the daily rat race; frustrated by seemingly endless obstacles; and saddened by the loss of a dream.  In short, it’s just a little too easy to wallow in self-pity. What’s picked me up and kept me going at the lowest [...]

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My Child Has Autism, What Now? Part One: Therapies and Interventions

July 25, 2011

I’m a planner and a fixer. So, when we first found out that our son, Carson, had autism, I immediately wanted a master plan. I was on a mission to uncover the plain facts.  Where do we go? What type of therapists does he see? How much will it cost? How long will it take [...]

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My Child Has Autism, What Now?

July 21, 2011

Maybe you had an inkling for a while that something wasn’t quite right with your child; perhaps you felt it in the pit of your stomach that all the dots weren’t  quite connecting the way you thought they should.  But when that confirmation finally came down  – it’s AUTISM — it’s still a blow.  Even [...]

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Planning a Car Trip With Your Autistic Child

July 11, 2011

Our family recently spent a total of 16 hours in the car travelling to and from our annual beach vacation.  That equates to about two hours of sheer hell – I consider that a victory over previous years’ travelling “adventures.” A long car trip with young children is no picnic for any family.  Add to [...]

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Taking a Break From Our Crazy Autism Family Schedule

July 4, 2011

It was only a week ago, but it might as well be a month.  It feels like a world away. Sitting on the beach, breathing in the moist salt air, I squish the white warm sand through my toes.  The roar of the surf pounding on the beach, the laughter of my children frolicking in [...]

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Top 10 Things I Wish I Had Known When My Son was First Diagnosed with Autism

June 28, 2011

It’s been four years, nine months since a team of experts dropped the big bomb — our son likely had autism.  It feels like an eternity. The news rattled our world, and sent us spiraling in to a dark place that took us months to climb out of.  Stunned, scared and confused, we were desperate [...]

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