Do you ever struggle with your attitude toward your child with special needs? If so, join the club! I remember how hard it was to maintain a positive attitude while caring for my young son. Recently, one mom shared the secret that keeps her from becoming negative, even though she’s been caring for her daughter for over 25 years! Life Dreams Channel To hear what she had to say, go to the Life...

In the previous post, you met Jennifer Peter, an Iowa professional learning and leadership consultant. If her explanation of the difference between Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504b plans was helpful, you’ll also appreciate her answer to this question: What advice do you have for parents about how to maximize services for their children with special needs? Services for Preschoolers Jennifer...

In a recent interview with Iowa professional learning and leadership consultant, Jennifer Peter. She explained the difference between an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and a 504b plan. Her explanation was so elegant and clear-cut, you deserve to hear it, too. IEP Schools are required by federal law to create IEPs for any school-aged student who has been tested and identified as needing special education...

The movie, Extraordinary Measures, was released a few days ago. I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ve been reading about the family that inspired the movie. John & Aileen Crowley Two of the Crowleys three children, Megan and Patrick, were born with Pompe disease. At the time of their diagnosis, their prognosis was terminal. Researchers were slowly closing in on a cure, too slowly to save...

As I’ve mentioned in previous DifferentDream.com posts, (PTSD Treatment Can Change Your Child’s Life, PTSD and NICU Parents: What About You?, and Critically Ill Kids and War Veterans Have What in Common?) war veterans aren’t the only people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It also affects children who have endured invasive medical treatment, and  PTSD can affect...

The saying, “once a teacher, always a teacher” certainly holds true for me. I left education in 2003 after twenty-five years in the classroom, but the mention of new and effective teaching tools still excites me. Speech-Language Pathology Sharing Recently I stumbled upon a blog where speech pathologists share methods, ideas, and technology. One of the blog entries is a nicely organized...

The previous post in this series shared five ways to encourage families with special needs kids. The ideas came from Lisa Copen’s book, Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend. Further Beyond Casseroles Here are five more tips from Lisa’s book, which you can adapt for families with chronically ill children: Ask your church youth group to come over and clean up...

When I hear about parents of kids diagnosed with a chronic illness or special needs, my thoughts and emotions get tangled up, they tie me in knots. Sound Familiar? I want to do something to help – take a casserole or send a card maybe – but invisible, tangled threads hold me back. Doubt sets in, and my good intentions seem feeble or silly. Pretty soon, I talk myself out of doing anything...

Yesterday, I received an email from Scott, Evan Newport’s father. Evan’s Story Evan died the day after Thanksgiving after a seven year battle with Noonan’s Syndrome. You can read more of Evan’s story at two previous DifferentDream.com posts: Good-bye Evan Newport and Evan Newport – All Around Me. Scott’s Email Now, back to the subject of Scott’s email. He...

In my part of the country, 2010 arrived with bone-chilling cold and more snow than we’ve seen in a long time. The cold weather’s keeping me closer to home than usual. As a result, I came up with a WebTV4Women program to keep me busy until the snow melts. Life Dreams Life Dreams is designed to provide encouragement and practical tips for parents of special need kids. Some of the programs...