ADVOCACY Laws and regulations provide guidance and clarification about what is and is not acceptable when providing supports to individuals with disabilities. A number of Federal laws address accessibility and protect the rights of persons with disabilities. These laws cover access to a wide range of facilities and services, including housing, transportation,
EARLY INTERVENTION Early Childhood Intervention means finding specific ways to help a child become as functional as possible. The first step of early intervention is evaluation. Once a child is evaluated, he/she can receive the appropriate type of treatment that he/she needs. Sometimes, getting your child help at an early age can enable
PARENT SUPPORT SERVICES As a parent, it is not easy to suddenly be dependent on the advice of others to raise your child. However, since there are so many treatment options, it can help to have the advice, experience and support of a team that you trust and who will be patient
COMMON DIAGNOSES “Diagnosis /di·ag·no·sis/ (di″ag-no´sis) the determination of the nature of a case of a disease or the distinguishing of one disease from another.” – Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers. © 2007 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. Diagnoses describe a group of symptoms or behaviors. However, since every individual
SCHOOL YEARS The school-age years bring new and exciting challenges and rewards for children. The school-age child develops a sense of personal competence using feedback from important adults and peers in their lives as well as their own self-evaluation. During this time, they learn basic academic and social skills, forming the basis
ADULTHOOD (18+) Every adult faces difficulties in the transition to living independently. The key to living life with the most independence is developing positive relationships, valuable work habits and making good personal choices for healthy living. Even when things get difficult, remember that it’s your constitutional right to be fully included, and
TRANSITION YEARS (14-18) The transition years are pivotal for planning your life. During this time, you can design a plan for academic and non-academic courses, other learning experiences, employment and community living. The goals of transition planning are to help you understand your disability and to determine your future. One way transition
EARLY IDENTIFICATION From the day a child is born, he/she will begin to achieve various milestones. As your child develops and grows, it is critical to remember that each child is different from one another. There is a wide range of what is considered to be “typical” development. As a parent, you
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLANS AND 504 PLANS An Individualized Education Plan (IEP), also known as Individualized Education Program, is defined as a written plan that is designed to meet the unique needs of one child. Much like an IEP, a 504 plan can help students with learning and attention issues learn and participate
FINANCIAL RESOURCES Having a child with special needs can be very expensive and time-consuming. Fortunately, there are funds available to help families pay for the many services needed. It is also important to put certain pieces in place to ensure that if anything happens to you, your child with