Special Education » Special Needs Children

Autistic Residential Schools vs Day Schools

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:41:38 +0000

It’s difficult for any parent to get used to the idea of sending their children away to school, and perhaps even harder for parents of special needs children, such as those who suffer from autism, to do so. Is your child getting a good education? Are other children treating him or her fairly? Will your child enjoy this new situation? Many schools are now set in place to put these fears to rest by solely devoting their attention towards special needs children, and the concept of sending an autistic child to residential school for autistic children instead of a day school program is becoming more popular among parents. Although it may be difficult to adjust to your child living away from home, this may be where the best care and education is available for you child, so carefully consider the advantages before dismissing the idea of residential school for your autistic child.

Residential school programs are often no different than day school programs, but here the student has the opportunity to interact with others outside of a classroom setting. This is sometimes exactly what an autistic child needs to learn socialization skills with people outside of the family.

These schools are also very safe and organized in a way that is conducive to learning. For example, Franklin Academy in Connecticut, which specializes in teaching non-verbal students, has a three to one student to teacher ratio and an average class size of six students. They also plan small-group field trips to public places, so your child has an opportunity to interact in public places.

This is as opposed to day schools, which typically have larger class sizes and therefore cannot handle public outings. Even if the day school specializes in teaching autistic children, they simply may not have the resources and time during the school day for field trips.

Another advantage over day schools, whether public of private, is the living aspect. Although the students who attend these schools are greatly supervised, they learn living skills that they will need in an adult world. Whereas you may feel obligated or want to do things for your child at home, at a residential school, your child will be encouraged to live more independently. At Brehm Preparatory School in Illinois, students learn time and money management and are in charge of simple home maintenance (chores), study time, and recreational activities. Here also, the emphasis is on family.

Family is an important thing to consider with any type of residential school. While your child is learning valuable social skills, he or she may become more distant from his or her immediate family. At schools like Brehm, including Hampshire Country School in New Hampshire, have parents’ weekend often to so parents can visit their children. Consider also the stress this may relieve for you and your family. Since you will need to spend less time helping your autistic child with learning everyday life skills, you can devote more time to enjoying their company when you see them. Spend time on your marriage and with your other children, activities that would normally be hard to achieve or ignored with an autistic child at home.

However, it is important to note that residential schooling is not for everyone. Typically, your child needs to be high functioning to handle this school atmosphere. You will need to consider cost, since tuition , room, and board for residential schools can be quite expensive. Remember, residential school is not for everyone, but you should definitely consider the option. Research this type of program so that you can make the best decisions possible for your child’s education.

By: Rachel Evans

How to Keep Harmony in a Family with Special Needs Children

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 14:01:53 +0000

Peter was a hyperactive 7 year old child. He was disruptive and aggressive. He attended a Special Education school and was taking “Ritalin”. This helped him attain some kind of normalcy in his behaviour. In addition it enabled him to learn.

However Peter could not always control his behaviour and often times there were outbursts in the house. His Mother explained this to the children. She said she understood it might be embarrassing for them, especially in the presence of company. She gave them a book from the library to read, on the subject of “hyperactivity”. This proved to be an extremely useful aid for them. The book had a wealth of information, and advice.To the younger children Peter’s Mother gently explained Peter’s problem in a general way. She encouraged them to try not to provoke him and to be nice to him.

Parents have to realize that their special needs child is part of a whole family and just like she needs special attention and help to cope with her unique challenges, the other siblings also need help to deal and cope with their feelings of embarrassment, anger and fear. If these issues are not dealt with it they could grow up with low self esteem, pent up anger and difficulties to express their emotions.

Children can be explained certain facts about the special-needs sibling, in accordance with their level of maturity. Younger children can be spoken to in a more general manner, whilst older children should be given more information about the nature of the problem. Siblings should feel free to discuss any worries or doubts that bother them. This will help them maintain their self-esteem.

Siblings must understand their special-needs brother/sister encounters difficulties in many areas. They have to work on coming to terms with their feelings so that there should be a positive, constructive, productive home atmosphere. Parents should spend time talking to their children. If necessary, discussions should take place with each child separately and as often as required.

The parents should help the siblings of a special needs child:

To work on their feelings of embarrassment. To be accepting of situations that are difficult. To see the importance of helping in a the house more than their friends help in their houses.

To tackle points 1 and 2, explain your child that life’s situations are mostly not within our control. What is within our control is our attitude to life’s ups and downs. If we view a situation positively, as an opportunity to grow and become better human beings, we will be happier people. If we cannot change a situation, we must accept it. Focus on being positive and thinking positively.

Practical tips for siblings:

Don’t insist on having the last word, even if you are intelligent enough to win all arguments. Don’t insist on having your way, even if you are sure you are right. Try to keep slightly low-key about your accomplishments, when your special-needs sibling is around. Try to help out with whatever you can, to help alleviate the burden. Be encouraging and supportive to the other siblings. Above all, cultivate a positive attitude.

Harmony in the home is vital to ensure all children grow up well adjusted and with healthy self-esteem. This produces happy relationships to the benefit of all family members.

By: Shevach Pepper

Special Needs Children and the Public School District

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:46:28 +0000

It is likely in the best interest of your child to not believe everything a school’s special education department tells you about your child. Now this is not to say that our local schools are not absolutely dedicated to our children, because that may be. However, it is certain that not all of those who work within the special needs arena are equally as dedicated. A parent should always question the findings that affect their child especially within the special education department of your child’s school. Not all are created equal. If there is an outcome that you disagree with, by all means, argue and don’t stop until the school satisfies your request or you are convinced that they are right.

There are occasions today where schools are desperate to fill desks within their Special Needs program, in order to maintain sufficient funding. This is not as bad as it used to be, but still it occurs and can create issues that parents need to keep an eye out for. The outcome of a poorly funded special needs program are easily observed. Some of the signs that a parent needs to look out for are: classroom wall art that may be a few years old; inequitable learning situations such as the difference in learning materials between a regular and special Ed classroom and finally teachers that seem tired or short tempered. Parents should talk often with their children’s teachers, in order to determine their ability to deal with children with learning disabilities. On occasion there are teachers who have become so stressed in the working environment that they are no longer effective as teachers. If a parent sees any of these warning signs it is their personal responsibility to inform both the school district and other parents of the concern.

Parents with Special needs children should always keep in formed, not only for their children, but for those parents that are within their childs education plan. Parents of Special Needs children should collaborate together, within the local school, and keep one another informed about national, state, and local issues regarding their children’s education. Often the stress of raising a severely disabled child, or even a slightly learning disabled child can take a toll on a family. This is why it is a good idea to become good friends with the parents of your child’s classmates. This can not only insure some sanity during difficulties, but assist greatly in assuring that the school not try to skimp on an educational program.

By: Gary Kammer

Is There Really a Difference Between Regular Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry?

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:09:47 +0000

One of the most common mistakes people make is not recognizing that there is a difference between a regular dentist and pediatric dentistry. While regular dentists are just a qualified to treat and maintain dental health, taking your child to see a specially trained dentist can make a significant difference in the outcome of the visit. Specialists in children’s oral care have been specifically trained to deal with younger patients in order to provide them with care that is specific to their particular needs.

The Difference In Their Education

While all dentists receive adequate training in teeth and oral care, experts who specialize in dealing with children take an additional two to three years worth of care and experience in dealing with the particular needs of a child’s growing teeth. This involves a residency where the specialist works not only with children and infants, but also with teenagers and special needs children.

This type of care involves knowledge and experience in managing their behavior during the visit, sedation, cavity prevention, as well as the growth and development of oral systems. This allows the dentist to identify problems and make corrections or initiate preventative techniques in an effort to ensure the child has a healthy mouth.

Pediatric Dentistry And Special Needs Children

Special needs children frequently require an entirely new set of knowledge from other children. Those who have undergone this special education have the knowledge and experience to ensure that both mentally and physically challenged children receive the quality of care they deserve. They have been trained to deal with difficult children, more fearful, or less patient than other children. Deformities and variations in growth and development are also common in special needs kids, and therefore, require specific knowledge in these areas.

Types of Treatments Can Pediatric Dentists Perform

Children require special treatments in order to ensure they don’t have to undergo more serious treatments later on. Pediatric dentistry training gives the dentist knowledge he or she needs in order to identify risks that may have been transferred from the mother, nutrition and diet, information and support of habits such as pacifiers, and the assessment of their bite and teeth alignment. They will clean your child’s teeth, give fluoride treatments, repair defects, cavities, and fix broken and damaged teeth. These oral specialists are also able to track and treat oral problems that may be associated with different diseases such as diabetes and gum disease.

Although they are found most easily in major centers such as Chicago, pediatric dentistry is practiced by many specialists who practice in small towns. Even if you have to commute, it is well worth the time. Children benefit significantly from their additional knowledge when it comes to behavior as well as the growth and development of your child’s teeth. These dentists will not only be able to treat your child’s teeth and mouth, but they will also ensure your child has a positive experience.

By: Chris A. Harmen

Misconceptions In Parenting And Teaching Special Needs Children

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 05:28:27 +0000

Having a special need child in the family doesn’t mean you have to panic. Just like other kids, special needs children can learn to live a normal life and reach their full potential. Guidance, teaching and love are primary ingredients in rearing a special child and helping him reach full potential.

The “panicking” of parents upon learning about their child’s situation can be attributed to some common misconceptions in dealing with special needs children. These misconceptions lead to the thought that there is no bright future for special needs children. Unless these myths are fully understood and corrected, parents will never know that special needs children will still reach their full potentials. Here are the top 3 common special child misconceptions and the truth about them:
Parenting and teaching a special child will take away all your happiness and replace it with difficulties. This may be true to some persons who don’t love the child at all – but does this type of person exist? How can parents not love their own child no matter what his needs are? Parenting and teaching a special child is not a reason to be unhappy. It is all in the attitude! Rearing a child with special needs doesn’t take away your happiness. You may be unhappy but it’s your choice. You can choose to be happy and satisfied caring and teaching your special child. Rather than letting yourself be imprisoned by the situation, be in control. Plan exciting activities that will help you enjoy at the same time leave an effective learning experience to your child. Special needs children will never reach their full potential. This is another myth. Just like any other children, special needs children can reach their full potential. They can learn to speak, read, and interact with other people. They have the ability to live a happy, satisfied and complete life. But they won’t be able to achieve these on their own. They need guidance and proper teaching for them to be the best person that they could be. You should not be the judge of your child’s potential. Let him explore and learn. There are several education materials that cater to teaching special needs children reach their full potential. Nobody understands the difficulties of parenting and teaching special needs children. No two persons are the same. The individual difference theory is true but it doesn’t apply to situations. You may be facing the challenge of parenting or teaching differently abled children but you are not alone. Many other parents or teachers have been through the same situation. The only thing that differs is the way people handle special situations like this. There are even foundations and organizations that cater to helping parents and teachers cope up with the challenge of teaching and parenting children with special needs.

Parenting and teaching special needs children is an easy task if you know how to handle the situation. Don’t panic! Know what is true and what is not. Don’t judge a situation based on pure misconceptions. As long as you know what to do, parenting and teaching children with special needs will be a satisfying and fulfilling experience.

By: Monica Corral-lorica

Special Needs Children’s Education

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:35:53 +0000

It’s almost as though homeschooling was invented for a special needs children’s education. Kids afflicted with ADHD, autism, dyslexia or Asperger’s among other learning difficulties can all benefit from being taught at home by their parents. Some public school systems can afford to hire trained therapists for these fields, but the extra attention and time afforded a student at home by a loved one can make a big difference in a child’s ability to learn. It’s just natural for a parent to be able to teach their own child more effectively. They’ve been doing it for the student’s whole life and know how to best approach new things with them. They will likely be more patient than a public school teacher and offer the extra time it might take to learn. A classroom would likely not be as able to offer the one-on-one time it might take until a student “gets it”.

It’s likely a parent would also know better than a public school instructor what manner of teaching would best suit their child. Some learn better with visual aids, some by repetition and some by seeing it done for them and copying what they’re taught. It’s very likely a parent would already know this from their own experience. They’ll also know what to look for when a special needs child is getting frustrated and ready to act up or quit, thereby avoiding a bad learning experience for the child.

If you’re wondering what sort of curriculum would best suit your special needs children’s education, there are several avenues to get started.

We would first look on the Internet. Non-profit groups who support your child’s disorder will likely have a presence there and should have good information about learning difficulties and how to overcome them. They will likely make suggestions or direct you to other good sources. They may even list case studies of various methods of learning and their success rates.

We would also try to find support groups on the Internet for your particular disease. There will likely be several forums on the Web where you can read others’ posts and ask questions directly. Parents on these websites are often very willing to share their experiences and will offer help when they can. Although your child is an individual, often there can be common practices that will help almost all children suffering from a common ailment.

There are also many books available about homeschooling your special needs children. Some are written specifically for particular disorders and offer teaching suggestions as well as curriculum selection guides. Most are written by people who have been homeschooling their own special needs children, so they speak with experience and write in every day language, rather than from theory with medical-babble-speak.

If you start with these suggestions, you should quickly be on the road to solving how to best get your special needs children educated. It can be as rewarding for you as it will be for your child since you will have contributed directly to his education and well-being.

By: A J Adams