BY KIMBERLEE RUTAN McCAFFERTY This past summer my family and I spent a day at Great Adventure. It’s the only place Justin, my severely autistic son, willingly stays for more than an hour (I have often joked with my husband that wherever we live has to be within a 30 minute radius of a Six Flags parks.) It’s usually a very fun excursion for us, mostly free of angst, and something I truly enjoy doing as a family. On our last […]
A NEW PERSPECTIVE BY KARIN MERKLE Pass along this information to teachers and parents who may be stuck in the myths of dyslexia. Whether a student ends up getting lessons or not, the word and information you share may just save our world’s next great inventor, engineer, or scientist! I have great news to share with you about bright children (and adults) who struggle with reading and spelling. In a moment, when I share a […]
BY PHILIP MAY MD Prevention, Evaluation, and Management of Low Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Encountered in Adults with Developmental and Intellectual DisabilitiesClinical experience and published reports have shown that low BMD is especially common in adults with developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disability, epilepsy, autism, and cerebral palsy. Abstract For various reasons, high frequency of low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased risk for fracture are often encountered in adults with “medically complex developmental disabilities” […]
BY KIMBERLEE RUTAN McCAFFERTY Justin bursts into the conference room, sees me, and stops dead in his tracks. A huge smile engulfs his entire face, and he quickly resumes the trajectory that will invariably end in a hug and a kiss from me. The rest of his IEP team laughs at his exuberant welcome, and I smile, grateful every day I get this greeting so frequently. After a few brief kisses Justin is led away […]
BY ERNST VANBERGEIJK, Ph.D., M.S.W Most non-disabled adults take for granted the ability to travel overseas for business or pleasure. However, for many teens and young adults with disabilities, the ability to travel independently without their parents is a dream. At best, they may have gone on a holiday with their families. They have never traveled to a foreign country with their friends. The benefits of traveling internationally for students with disabilities are numerous. Not […]
