Looking for a gift for a child or teen with special needs?  We are here to help! When shopping for someone with challenges, it is not just about finding something they will like — it is also about finding a gift they can use and enjoy on their own.  It is important to remember that not all items are made for all types of needs, every child is different in their ability level. Mainstream toys and electronic devices are not always compatible with the sensory and motor issues present in some children with special needs.  Some companies make alternatives that often mimic or improve on mainstream items.  They are designed with special needs children and teens in mind but are adapted with switches or larger buttons where needed and provide sensory experiences that are well-suited for those with sensory sensitivities.

To help guide your search, the team at Enabling Devices, a company dedicated to creating products to help people with disabilities participate fully in the world, suggests that you ask the following questions:

1. Is the item right for the child’s abilities?
2. Will the child be able to activate the toy by themselves?
3. Does it appeal to their interests?
4. Is It Physical?
5. Do you need a special switch adaptor to activate?
6. Does the toy encourage interaction with others?
7. Is it safe for their developmental age?
8. Is it fragile?

Resources and Websites Websites such as  https://funandfunction.com/  and  https://www.fatbraintoys.com/ do some of the legwork by arranging products by age and diagnosis.  From ADHD to Visual Impairment, they cater to those with cognitive, behavioral, and physical challenges.  eSpecial Needs, https://www.especialneeds.com/, carries a variety of unique special needs toys, including blocks, cognitive play, educational, magnetic activities, fine and gross motor, and pretend play. Ability Path provides a holiday toy guide created by a team of pediatric therapists (https://abilitypath.org/resources/holiday-gift-guide/).  Items are listed in alphabetical order with a description of the developmental benefits associated with each toy. Enabling Devices has a digital catalog filled with toys, games, and electronics specially designed to meet a wide range of special needs. The family-owned company adapts or manufactures all products in the U.S. and provides individualized assistance to guide your selection (https://enablingdevices.com/digital_catalog/). Different Roads to Learning, https://difflearn.com/, founded by the mother of a child with Autism, carries toys and products especially selected to support the autism community. If you are searching for a non-toy/game/electronic idea, consider photos and personalized items.  Photo books and digital frames promote imagination and creativity. They are a unique gift and a great way for children to learn names, faces, counting, emotions and more.  Personalized items with pictures or words are always popular. Whether you choose their name, a favorite phrase, their photo or a photo of their pet, the personalization possibilities are virtually endless. Last, when in doubt, just ask!  If you are not sure what kind of gift they might appreciate, ask them or their parents. Afterall, the greatest gift you can give any family is to let them know that you care for their child.                       

November is National Family Caregivers Month, which recognizes the dedication of those who provide around-the-clock care to loved ones.  There are over 53 million Americans who are unpaid caregivers to family, friends, and neighbors. Twenty-seven percent, or nearly a third of adult caregivers, are helping someone with a mental illness. Over half of family caregivers are women and more than a million young people, aged 8 to 18, care for an adult relative on a regular basis.  Caregiving can often have a significant impact on the life of the caregiver in more ways than one. It can make maintaining your physical and mental health more difficult and may put a strain on work and social life.  Providing care around-the-clock can crowd out other areas of your life. To manage stress and prevent burnout: I. Ask for help Caregivers often bring stress upon themselves because they won’t allow others to pitch in. You may be surprised how much support you can get just by asking for it. Don’t downplay what you’re going through or worry about being a burden on others. Ask your neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family for the help you need. Most want to help but are not sure how or when.  Be specific and ask for help with a certain task or at a particular time II. Take Care of Yourself The irony of caregiving is that the person giving so much to others frequently forgets to give themselves the same treatment. Take a few minutes at the end of the day to ask yourself these questions:

1. Did I get 7-8 hours of sleep last night?
2. Did I eat 3 meals and a snack today?
3. Did I drink 8 glasses of water today?
4. Did I get any exercise today?
5. Did I spend time on an activity I enjoy today?
6. Did I spend time with someone other than the person I care for?

If the answer to more than one of these questions is no, it’s time to reevaluate your daily schedule and support. Sleep, proper nutrition, and hobbies are all human necessities, and if you neglect them for too long, you may fall ill yourself.

III. Cultivate outlets for stress

You may spend a significant portion of your time providing care, but it’s important to remember that your identity is so much more than that. Be intentional about keeping your interests alive so you can channel the strain of being a caregiver in a positive way.  Even if you can only get away for 5 minutes at a time, use it to do something you enjoy.

“Inclusion drives innovation” is the theme for this October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual awareness campaign that celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and educates the public about the value of a workforce inclusive of their contributions, skills and talents. This year marks the nation’s 75th observance of NDEAM as well as the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The roots of this month date back to 1945 when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October to be “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week” focusing attention on the return of WWII soldiers with disabilities. Much has changed since then, but the fact that individuals with disabilities want to work and are a vital part of the American workforce remains the central message. People with disabilities are experienced problem solvers with a proven ability to adapt,” said Office of Disability Employment Policy Deputy Assistant Secretary, Jennifer Sheehy. In the current environment where the pandemic has challenged every aspect of our society and economy, “now more than ever, flexibility is important for both workers and employers. National Disability Employment Awareness Month celebrates the ingenuity people with disabilities bring to America’s workplaces.” In 2019, before the pandemic began to affect the U.S. economy, just 33 percent of people with disabilities ages 16 to 64 were employed, compared with 77 percent of people without disabilities. Since March, approximately 1 million US workers with disabilities have lost their jobs. Workers with disabilities represent only about 3 percent of the labor force, but they have experienced disproportionate labor market impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The US Bureau of Labor Statistic reported that since March, 1 in 5 workers with disabilities have been dismissed from employment compared to 1 in 7 in the general population. Both the widespread shut down of businesses and the mass shift to “work from home” have directly and negatively impacted employees and job seekers with disabilities, as well as the delivery systems for disability employment services. Many people with disabilities work in businesses identified as essential during the pandemic, such as grocery stores, retail fulfillment centers and healthcare facilities. However, underlying health conditions may put them at greater risk in these public-facing roles. In addition, these essential workers often rely on supports from job coaches and employment specialists to navigate elements of their job responsibilities.  Supported workers need assistance to understand universal precautions, to adjust to changing work responsibilities, manage anxiety and ensure communications are understood. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, many of this critical in-person support was put on hold. Similarly, when the economy shut down earlier this year, many facility-based day rehabilitation programs and pre-vocational programs were forced to shut down. Community-based service providers needed to quickly pivot to provide supports remotely, utilizing various forms of readily available technology, often without complete assurance that remote service delivery would be reimbursed. Despite a relatively quick response from state and federal authorities to enhance flexibility and adjust funding requirements, community-based disability service providers across the country had to shut down programs and furlough staff. It is unclear how many of these programs will reopen. Because of social distancing requirements, some programs are not able to serve enough people right now to be financially feasible and programs that have attempted to reopen have seen low utilization. National Disability Employment Awareness Month reminds us that people with disabilities deserve the same opportunities as everyone else to achieve personal satisfaction, economic security, and independence through employment.   Employment advocates across the country are working to overcome challenges amid the pandemic to keep their clients engaged in training and employed. They are balancing the availability of jobs with the safety of their clients to maintain supported employment and other employment services in local communities so that people with disabilities can have the supports they need to remain successful and safe on their jobs.

November 3 is Election Day and every vote counts! Voting is one of our most important civil rights, but it is not always accessible for persons with disabilities. According to projections from Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, in 2020, more than 38 million eligible voters have disabilities. That is more than 16 percent of the electorate, roughly the population of California. The disability community has incredible potential to influence the outcome of elections and ensure that all candidates address issues that are important to people with disabilities.  Lisa Schur, one of the study authors emphasizes “democracy only works if everyone is able to participate and vote” and notes “the sheer size of the disability electorate makes it clear that people with disabilities and their family members have the potential to swing elections.”  Voters will be electing officials up and down the ballot.  From the presidential election to school board elections, those elected will shape policies important to people with disabilities. Everything from the placement of curb cuts to health care laws can change based on who holds elected office. Due to COVID-19 there are real questions about how voting will work this November.  This year’s push to vote by mail underscores the variety of obstacles for voters with disabilities. Deque Systems, a software company focused on web and mobile accessibility solutions, recently published a report that found most states employ ballot applications that are inaccessible to people with disabilities.  Their findings revealed the process to apply to vote by mail in most states is difficult, if not impossible, for persons with disabilities.  One specific problem identified was trouble with screen reading software that does not clearly convey portions of the application needed for completion. When voting in person, Americans with disabilities also face access issues, including inaccessible polling locations, undertrained poll workers, and non-working voting machines employing assistive technology for people with vision or hearing issues.  People with disabilities may have to take extra steps to vote and advocate for themselves to be able to cast their ballots accessibly, independently, and privately. Clearly that needs to change. Voters with disabilities typically turn out in lower numbers than those without disabilities, but voter turnout among Americans with disabilities surged in 2018 and advocacy groups are hoping to repeat that this year despite the pandemic.  It is important that everyone who can vote has the opportunity to do so.  The deadline to register to vote in the November elections is October 13.  No matter what state or territory you are in, or what your challenges may be, there are resources to help persons with disabilities register, learn their rights, and make a plan to vote. National programs such as the Protections and Advocacy Voter Program, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and REV UP provide resources to ensure full participation in the electoral process for individuals with disabilities, including registering to vote, casting a vote, and accessing polling places.  The Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) has developed a tool kit to assist people with intellectual and developmental disabilities understand the voting process, and Easter Seals has provided a voter checklist. We have provided a list of these resources below: https://www.aapd.com/advocacy/voting/ https://autisticadvocacy.org/policy/toolkits/voting/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email https://www.easterseals.com/explore-resources/living-with-disability/people-with-disabilities-voting-checklist-at-polls.html https://www.eac.gov/voter_resources/resources_for_voters_with_disabilities.aspx https://www.nonprofitvote.org/voting-in-your-state/special-circumstances/voting-with-a-disability/

With the onset of Covid-19, educators have found themselves in uncharted territory.  In the spring, when schools closed their doors, they were forced to shift from in-school instruction to online instruction.  For the roughly 7 million American students with special needs, the coronavirus pandemic and its attendant school closures have presented unique challenges.  At school, these students received individualized instruction from trained professionals who understood their unique ways of thinking, perceiving, and processing. Many students had one-on-one professionals with them in the classroom in addition to their special education teacher and also received occupational, speech, and physical therapy.  Following school closures in March, many schools made an effort to continue the services and therapies that help students with disabilities access their education, but others did very little. In a survey released in May by the organization Parent Together, only 1 in 5 families was receiving all the special education services they were entitled to. For many special education students, the tools that other children use for remote learning—Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or printed work packets, are simply not accessible.    For example, students with sensory disabilities often use assistive technology, but many online platforms are not compatible with assistive technology and certain lessons cannot be taught remotely.  For low income families, internet access may be limited or unavailable. They lack printers or even paper to print lessons.  The nature of neurological and learning differences means that many students with special needs find change and inconsistency particularly stressful.  It is more difficult for them to be flexible and go with the flow, and they often do not have the attention to sit in front of a screen. Receiving therapy remotely presents its own challenges.  In some cases, parents were given a video to watch, instructing them how to provide therapies themselves.  In other cases, students did receive real-time virtual therapy, but it required parents to gather a wide array of materials, find a quiet spot in their home, and then guide the child through every step of the therapy.  Neither of these approaches is sustainable, and the therapies were not as effective as in-person sessions. As schools begin reopening, many fear the loss of specialized instruction and therapies, and reliance on family resources has caused special education students to fall behind on the subjects and skills they had been working on before the pandemic. According to Shawn Ullman, Senior Director of National Initiatives at the ARC, “there’s a general belief that students with learning disabilities lost more learning” than other students.  Some of the disparities that plague education are getting wider.  Instead of attending the same school with similar access to supplies and instruction time, students are directly dependent on their home resources.  Parents who work, have less means and/or less education, and their children, are at a significant disadvantage. Solutions to education during a pandemic are complex. The issues inherent in education for those with special needs only add to the complexity.  While some experts have advocated return to in-person learning to mitigate the academic and social losses associated with online learning, some students with disabilities have underlying conditions that make going to school during a pandemic especially risky.  At the same time, many students have behavioral and other needs that are met much more effectively in the structured environment of school.  One thing is certain, the federal government has not waived requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and schools are still required to comply with the services mandated by Individualized Education Programs. If you are concerned that your child is not receiving appropriate services, many advocacy groups are available to provide assistance.

The beginning of school across America has many parents remaining concerned about the success of the year ahead. It’s been widely acknowledged that the level of education being provided to students in 2020 is not likely meeting typical academic standards. And it may take years before we see the costs to this generation’s learning and to the detrimental developmental affects that may result from a remote education. There are risks for almost all kids. But for students with special needs, the shift to online learning created more roadblocks in what is already a long line of barriers for them. Simply put, it’s even harder than usual to get access to the services required for their education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), signed into law by President Gerald Ford in 1975, is an extension of the Civil Rights Act. Recognizing that it is not only wrong to deny access to public school based on race, it is equally wrong to deny children with disabilities equal access to an education. And though IDEA sets minimum standards for every state to uphold, enforcing them isn’t so easy and each year fewer than half the states are in compliance with the federal law. The fact is, IDEA is the only federal law that is left to citizens, i.e. parents, to uphold. School districts have come to learn that non-compliance with the law typically costs them nothing, because apart from complaints or lawsuits from families, no one enforces these laws. The common consequence of not providing equal education is only that they must adhere to the law moving forward. In the meantime, the hundreds of pages of rules and constantly updated regulations make it easy for schools to hide the ball under the cup while parents and advocates struggle to stay abreast of the services and accommodations to which their child is entitled. States are not uniform in general when it comes to public education. The federal government has limited power with issues related to school funding, leaving disparities between states. Some school districts make calculated decisions on what they’ll provide, often with little regard for the children in their schools or for the law. The states that spend more money on education tend to have fewer lower-income students, so the poorest people in the country are receiving the fewest services. When the money isn’t there, it’s kids with disabilities that are typically the ones to fall through the cracks. Until schools are required to uphold mandates to provide free appropriate education tailored to individual disabled students’ needs, it will remain the job of parents to stay educated on what their child is entitled to and to work hard to be sure that they’re getting it. And with another year ahead of potentially online or hybrid learning, the work will be that much harder. Parents of children with special needs should contact their school early and often.  

With summer waning and temperatures beginning to cool, many American families are preparing for the start of a new school year. Typically, a new school year brings a certain amount of excitement and anticipation. Shopping for supplies and new clothes; meeting new classmates, making new friends, and meeting new teachers are all among the rituals that many kids and their parents look forward to each fall. It’s a time for renewal and a fresh start. But like so many other things COVID has taken from us, the start of this school year is faced with dread instead of joy. So many questions remain about the safety of returning to a physical classroom, and for how long that might last, no matter where you live. For those who will return to the classroom, what kinds of accommodations will be made and how will they affect learning? For those who are at home, what improvements, if any, will there be to virtual learning? All that ambiguity leads to stress and that’s a problem faced by everyone involved. Now apply all that uncertainty to children with special needs and their parents. Most children thrive on structure, but children with disabilities often can’t function without it. And as teachers, students, and parents learned this past spring, learning remotely is not always an easy or successful replacement for in-class learning. In fact, educators and parents discovered that a great many children, particularly those with special needs, lost ground on their developmental progress and experienced sadness, increased anxiety, and an uptick in frustration and aggressive behavior. The detriments of being educated at home aren’t specific to children with special needs, but the loss of individual accommodations and special services are. Furthermore, the isolation of being at home has had a more profound affect on these kids. Children with special needs often don’t have many friends outside of school and a great deal of their social life is school. For some, their teacher is their closest friend. Being deprived of that connection isn’t a gap that a parent can easily bridge. For now, some schools will return to classrooms with required and necessary changes to their typical practices in order to adhere to safety guidelines and others will be remote. Schools that will remain online are working to make improvements. Ultimately parents will continue trying to fill a significant role that they weren’t trained or prepared for. And for those who have a child with a disability, many with multiple children, things will fall through the cracks. So how should parents approach what looks to be another difficult year of school for their children? Experts say that structure is key. Get up at the same time every day. Create schedules for each day and attempt, within reason, to replicate a typical school day. If your child isn’t getting required services, push the school to facilitate them via online instruction. Parent advocacy and support groups offer online social engagement for kids; join those groups if your children don’t have other friends. And go buy those supplies! It is after all, still a new beginning.

Anyone who has ever used a ramp at an airport to roll luggage, or at a mall to push a stroller, has benefited from the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). But as helpful and necessary as those ramps may seem for all, they wouldn’t exist had they not been installed specifically to accommodate those using wheelchairs. This summer marks the 30^th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, a landmark civil rights law, signed by President H.W. Bush in July of 1990. An extension of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the ADA made definitive the rights of those who are born with or who experience a disability during their lifetime. The law prohibits discrimination in the workplace and in schools, and by both local and state governments. It also provides standards for privately owned businesses and commercial facilities, allowing those with disabilities the ability to lead full and productive lives. The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that individuals with disabilities have access to transportation, public accommodations, and communications. With multiple Titles in the law it establishes the requirement for both public and privately owned, leased or operated facilities – like hotels, restaurants, retail stores, doctors’ offices, day care centers, sports stadiums, movie theaters and more – to comply with the ADA measures. Minimum standards have been set that remove barriers in existing buildings where it is reasonable to achieve, and ensure that accessibility measures are planned and installed in all new construction. Besides supporting mobility, businesses also need to take steps necessary to communicate effectively with those with hearing, speech or vision disabilities. Living with a disability can be profoundly challenging. Whether mental or physical, obstacles present themselves to those who suffer that just don’t exist for the general population. And being encumbered often causes limitations that can lead to lack of independence, depression and social isolation. For some, limitations also create financial hardship. Navigating life while overcoming a constant roadblock is a constant struggle. The ADA was signed into law in an attempt to level the playing field. But passage of the ADA, like many other civil rights laws, was hard fought and took years to achieve. Prior to becoming a law, individuals with disabilities were routinely denied access to education and jobs. Schools cited a lack of facilities that would accommodate students with intellectual or physical disabilities. Businesses did the same, which left qualified individuals uneducated and unemployed. Today all public schools must provide an appropriate education for all students in their district and all government offices must provide the structural facilities necessary for equal access. Private schools and businesses are responsible to do the same. But even with the Americans with Disabilities Act, barriers remain for some who live with a disability. Access to the internet has come to the forefront during the COVID crisis as many people are working from home and shopping from home, but what’s not clear is how far the ADA goes towards accommodating these needs.  Expect to see court challenges on this front in the coming years. Though work remains, 30 years of the ADA is still something to celebrate!      

For many people prescription medications are a fundamental necessity to maintaining good health. While some may need it for physical health, others may need it for stabilizing their emotional health. But in either case prescription medications perform a number of important functions; balancing body or brain chemistry, interacting with cells or targeting specific receptors, medication can help manage overall well-being. For some, prescription medications can actually be life sustaining. But no matter the need, they can play an important role in keeping a person healthy. Taking them as prescribed by a doctor is essential. Herbal medications or supplements have become very attractive to a lot of people, including those already on prescription medications, and have expanded in popularity because of their “all-natural” label leading people to believe that it’s better for them. But just because something is natural, doesn’t mean it’s safe, especially when interacting with prescription medications. Knowing which work together is imperative to maintaining your good health. Herbal/Prescription Interaction Awareness Month is “to inform the public that herbal supplements can cause potentially dangerous drug interactions when taken with certain medications.,” according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. They report that 25% of U.S. adults say they are taking prescription and herbal medication (classified as dietary supplements), concurrently. Most doctors will ask what medications you are on each time you go in for a visit. What they don’t always ask is what herbal supplements you may be taking and it’s critical that they are told in order to minimize the risk of serious drug interactions. Whether you have been prescribed medication, are taking over the counter drugs or using herbal remedies, there are risks associated with all medications. And risks increase when taking multiple medications as drug interactions can sometimes prove fatal. Examples of some of the more common supplements used and interactions:

• St. John's-Wort and Goldenseal can cause significant issues when taken with certain prescription medications.
• Fish Oils, can negatively interact with high blood pressure medications, birth control and blood thinners.
• Saw Palmetto, which is a common ingredient in supplements can be dangerous during pregnancy, cause issues with birth control, hormone therapy and also blood thinners.
• Echinacea, used to reduce cold and flu symptoms, can interact with certain chemotherapy agents, caffeine, liver medications, and medications that effect your immune system
• Ginkgo, taken to improve memory, has been shown to have negative interaction with aspirin, diuretics, anticonvulsants, antidepressants and blood thinners.
• Cranberry Extract can interact with blood thinners and should not ever be used while on blood thinners.

Herbal supplements can be a great addition to your healthcare regimen if used correctly, but again can also cause dangerous interactions with other more mainstream medications. The bottom line is to always check with your doctor before introducing any new treatments. Chemicals interact. Be sure to be safe and not sorry; always check with your doctor.    

Ask any teacher, parent, or student right now and they’ll likely tell you that at-home education during COVID-19 has been a significant challenge. Remote learning is simply not a substitute for learning in the classroom; there are too many things that just can’t be accomplished on a Zoom call. For children with disabilities and their parents, who rely on the support of an aide or on modified learning, it’s particularly trying. Even with the best intentions, some delivery of crucial IEP services fell far short of needs, forcing some parents to lodge complaints. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has now released guidelines on resolving disputes with school districts amid this crisis. When schools were closed earlier this year, the DOE created protocols for at-home instruction and also announced that they would not waive the bulk of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, saying that learning must continue for all students during our national emergency. The DOE acknowledged that services for children with disabilities would not be the same during COVID-19, but that with collaboration, parents and educators could make things work. While the DOE required that schools had to provide each student with a disability the special education and related services identified in the student’s IEP, they were told to do so “to the greatest extent possible,” recognizing that in some situations there could be exceptional circumstances that could affect how a particular service was provided. In a nutshell, children with disabilities were entitled to at least the same options as the general education population during COVID-19, but within the context of the health and other challenges faced by a child and the school staff. Flexibility was necessary, but too many services and students were sacrificed. For teachers of students with disabilities, trying to provide the same kind of hands-on learning, proved impossible. Many educational services, such as occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy, just don’t translate well in an online instruction format, leaving children without the necessary tools for their development and education. To respond to issues that have arisen between parents and school districts, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), released new guidance on how states and schools can address special education disputes during the COVID-19 pandemic. A two-part Q&A on the Department of Education’s website answers questions on how to move forward when the recommended informal efforts between parent and educators prove futile. Mediation, state complaint, and due process complaint procedures are all available avenues for resolving issues. Extensions of timelines will be permitted in certain cases, and parties can agree to hold resolution meetings virtually in cases where the pandemic prevents face-to-face discussions. Across the board, the level of education provided to students during COVID-19 has suffered. All children are losing ground, but children with IEP’s are at greater risk. Getting on the case now is critical for the fall and for getting ahead of potential future COVID-19 alternative learning plans. To read the DOE’s full Q&A go to: Part B: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/idea-files/part-b-dispute-resolution-in-covid-19-environment-q-a-document-june-22-2020/ Part C: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/idea-files/part-c-dispute-resolution-in-covid-19-environment-q-a-document-june-22-2020/