I spend all winter looking forward to Spring and Summer. I thrive in the sun, the warmth and the renewal promise that Spring brings. But I'm a special needs mom and May brings with it some unexpected and unwanted challenges. And those challenges ALWAYS serve as a lesson for growth but damn, growth hurts sometimes. What could possibly make May more difficult than the rest of the … [Read more...] about May is Hard for Special Needs Families. Six Ways to Make it Easier.
Survival Strategies
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Today I gave my son a haircut. And by normal standards, it was uneventful. And the fact that it was uneventful means by Autism standards – IT WAS AMAZING! My son is 15 years old and has always had sensory issues and nervous system challenges with haircuts. I’ve spent a huge amount of money on different tools over the years. I’ve spent a huge amount of mental energy on figuring out how to make … [Read more...] about Slow and Steady Wins the Race
What to Expect When You Attend AutismOne
When my son was first diagnosed in 2007 and I was desperately seeking information, I stumbled across a website called autismone.org I felt like I had hit gold because on this site was an amazing collection of presentation materials and some videos on all things autism. Treatments, causes, therapies, science, science, science – it was all there in one amazing place for me to explore and reference. … [Read more...] about What to Expect When You Attend AutismOne
Your Navigational Tool for Staying the Course – The ATEC
When you have a child whose growth and development progresses on its own timeline, it can be very hard to recognize growth or if things are "getting better". And "better" can be pretty subjective because as some things become resolved, it reveals another issue that requires as much if not more attention so it feels like you are always working, never resting, relaxing or even seeing … [Read more...] about Your Navigational Tool for Staying the Course – The ATEC
Help – My Kid is Constipated, What Can I Do?
I get this question all of the time. It’s scary when your kid stops pooping because it can lead to pain, holding, impaction, loss of motility, reabsorption of toxins and megacolon. Once a child starts to experience pain with pooping, it doesn’t take long for them to avoid further pain by “holding”. I’ve read all sorts of papers and articles about holding and the ‘experts’ will often proclaim it … [Read more...] about Help – My Kid is Constipated, What Can I Do?
Dear Worried and Weary Mom
Congratulations on entering the Natural Healing and Recovery World. I know you are equal parts excited, nervous, scared and confused. It’s OK to sit with those feelings – we’ve all been there. Welcome. This will be the most challenging and most rewarding experience of your life. As you discover more and more about how you can improve your child’s expression of life through natural methods … [Read more...] about Dear Worried and Weary Mom