About a year ago, I had an “aha moment” during a work safety meeting when a police officers said the best thing to do in an active shooter situation is to run. Run, run, run … as far and as fast as you can. My mind went to my daughter and her school. Her disability makes […]
Posts with the Disabled kids tag
When a girl wants to be Ned the Junior Conductor from Dinosaur Train
She wanted to be Ned. Ned the Brachiosaurus from Dinosaur Train. I will admit that I tried to change her mind. “How about Buddy or Tiny? They are both on Dinosaur Train” we said (you can actually buy these costumes). “No. I want to be Ned” she said. “How about pac man?” we asked. “Daddy […]
How to use a posterior walker in a Halloween costume
Halloween is just around the corner, and while the holiday can pose some challenges for kids with disabilities, having extra equipment can make costumes even more fun. Pirate… Aargh! Two years ago, Lily had just started using her walker when Halloween rolled around. I found a really cute pirate costume, and then got super excited about […]
10 Lessons I learned when my daughter didn’t meet the goals we set in therapy
Ever have one of those days when things become unexpectedly clear? This summer I felt perpetually uneasy. It’s hard to explain, but I’ve been second guessing myself, worrying more than normal… just simply out of sorts. I want to do what is right for my family, what is right for Lily’s development, what is right for my career, […]
Supercharged Hand Therapy… Constraint!
The absolute BEST thing we’ve ever done for Lily’s left hand is constraint therapy. When I first heard the details of the program, it scared me a bit, and made me feel like a meanie to consider doing it to my child. However, when I thought about it in the context of eye patching, which […]
How to “Hack” Cute Shoes for AFOs #1: Remove the Tongue
One of the most frustrating things about having a child who wears AFOs is how hard it is to find shoes to fit. My daughter started wearing AFOs at 3 months old. For the first year, she simply did not wear shoes. However, when she started pulling to stand I knew I needed to tackle the […]
Carrying an Easter Basket for Kids Who Use Walkers
Last week I posted about 8 Fun Easter Hacks for Kids with Varying Abilities. Since then, I found another one! During an Easter egg hunt, children using walkers can carry their own Easter basket by using a Think King Hook. We use the Think King hooks on our strollers for holding all sorts of things, including hanging […]
3 Reasons Why You Should Never Underestimate My Child
My daughter recently aged out of our state’s early intervention program. As a result, she now attends preschool at our local elementary school, getting physical and occupational therapy as part of her school day. The initial process of qualifying for therapy and establishing her IEP was overwhelming and confusing. However, once we got past that […]
Allowing children to be children, regardless of mobility
I crossed paths with the question “when is the right time for a mobility device?” multiple times today. It’s an interesting question. When really is the right time? Should we follow a “typical” timeline? Should we listen to our mommy gut? Should we be the catalyst for getting new equipment? Should we assume our medical team and therapists […]
Before I Met Her
I read an article today posted by themighty.com (My Child’s Disability is Not a Tragedy) which threw me back to my daughter’s prenatal diagnosis of Spina Bifida when I was 20 weeks pregnant. What I realized while reading this article was at THAT moment I DID believe it was a tragedy. It felt like a tragedy. It hurt. It […]