May 31, 2010 Posted by Jolene

Four Ways to Share Your Opinions about Special Needs Books

How many books about kids with special needs have you read? Probably more than you realize! Terri Mauro, at about.com, wants you to share your faves with others in the special needs community. She’s posted over 200 reviews, but knows she can’t read them all. So she provides four ways for other readers to add to her resource list. Here’s what she says to do. Add Your Review to One Terri... read more

May 28, 2010 Posted by Jolene

How Much Homework is Too Much?

During a recent Coffee Klatch Twitter session, a discussion arose about a parent’s role when kids with special needs do their homework. We talked about how much homework is enough, when to ask for modifications, the value of perseverance and a whole lot of other things. How Much Is Enough? During my years as a classroom teacher, I told parents they could expect their children to bring home an... read more

May 27, 2010 Posted by Jolene

A Hard Moment with Moriah

A few months back, some Different Dream blog posts ( Part 1 and Part 2) featured Justin and Victoria Nelson, along with their adorable little girl, Moriah. Earlier this week, the doctors met with the Nelsons and gave them some sobering news. Today, Moriah has a cardiology appointment and an echo, which will be very telling and could lead to some hard decisions for her parents and the doctors. To read more... read more

May 26, 2010 Posted by Jolene

What Is The C.O.L.E Foundation?

Who would think cancer could take the life of a three-year-old boy in eight weeks? Cole’s parents, Aaron and Moireen Ruotsala, certainly didn’t think it would happen to their sweet, blond-haired boy, but it did. Adreno-Cortical Carcinoma On July 24, 2008, Cole was diagnosed with adreno-cortical carcinoma. It’s a rare cancer (1-2 people per million) that originates in the adrenal gland.... read more

May 24, 2010 Posted by Jolene

Thank You, C. Everett Koop

If you’re over forty, you may recognized the bearded doctor in the picture as the colorful surgeon general who served under Ronald Reagan. If you’re a little younger, you may remember him as the guy who tried to provide health information via the web in it’s early days and failed. But if you’re the parent of child with special medical, you should be exceedingly grateful to him. He... read more