Summer 2013 digital issue withrevisions spread

A Magazine for Parents Raising Children with Special Needs

Transition: All About It

3rd Anniversary issue

Special Beach Spots Water Therapy YES!

Surf’s up for Autism Proud

to be a Pop Summer 2013

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• Serving the greater Tri-county • Two of the region’s most area. Rehab clinics in Mt. Pleasant and Goose Creek.

comprehensive pediatric rehab centers.

• Boasting a team of 25 • Offering team-driven pediatric therapists and support staff.

speech, occupational, and physical therapy for over ten years.

“...the personal attention and general concern for my child's growth and well being is second to none! We love our Coastal family!”

-Coastal Therapy Parent

Serving children and their families, building our reputation for exceptional pediatric rehabilitation, education, and customer service since 2001.

Coastal Therapy Services, Inc. Phone: 843-216-0290/843-442-6625 Website: coastaltherapyservices.com Find us and Like us on Facebook!

Coastal Therapy Services Summer Camps Happy Feet Dance Camps: Where: Mt. Pleasant When: July 10-31 (Wednesdays) Time: 1:00 p.m.

Where: Goose Creek When: July 15-August 5 (Mondays) Time: 8:30 a.m.

The Hungry Group Feeding Therapy Camps: Where: Goose Creek When: June 4 – July 9 Time: 12:00-1:30 p.m. (Tuesdays) Where: Mt. Pleasant When: June 6 – July 11 Time: 11:00-12:30 p.m. ( Thursdays)

More information: Call: 843-216-0290 or Email: info@coastaltherapyservices.com

Special Advice SPECIAL ADVICE MOM TO MOM

10 OUR SPECIAL SIBLINGS

12-13 ASK THE CONSULTANT

14-16 Putting the Partnership in the Relationship

17 ASK THE THERAPIST

TRANSITIONS AFTER HIGH School Transition

24-25 Transitioning to middle school

26-27 SPECIAL FOOD Summer meals

28-30 How to get your child to eat veggies

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18 SPECIAL ADVOCACY How to Thrive as a special needs Family & community

20-21

aba tip of the quarter

40-41 proud to be a pop

42-49

SPECIAL CARE FOR YOU get fit at the beach

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UPSIDE OF DOWNS • A Special King • Conscious Art

54-55 SPECIAL PLACES Special beaches

56 nature detectives

57 FEATURES

CHef to the stars

34-35 NAVIGATING AUTISM: • SPD & Apraxia • A Father’s Love • Surfer’s Healing • Surfer Camps

HOMES & GARDENS The Charleston horticultural Society’s mobile garden

From the Publisher Ahhh, summer! Something Special Magazine is happily celebrating their THIRD year in print and on the web. In honor of our anniversary, we’ve decided to give you a bigger issue, packed with great Father’s Day stories that’ll make you “Proud to be a Papa”. We hope you enjoy reading about some special needs dads, stepdads, and other father figures. We want to wish all fathers out there, a VERY Happy Father’s Day. Please enter our contest for a prize or two at somethingspecialmgazine.com.

This summer wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the beach! We featured two small but wonderful beaches for you to visit and enjoy with your children. Under Special Foods, try great recipes to make and take to the beach for your glutenfree snacking! Our Ask the Therapist article on aquatic occupational therapy is from our very own author of the Pocket Occupational Therapist, Cara, and she gives you great sensory advice for the water.

And let’s not forget our article under advocacy. “How to Thrive as a Special Needs Community” hits a nerve by reminding businesses out there to support our community. And we as a special needs community need to support them back by turning to them for our consumer needs. We are a community, and we buy things like others do, so support our advertisers, and tell them thank you. Let’s show the world in numbers, WE COUNT. Life is a beach. ENJOY your summer.

Very Truly Yours,

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Savannah AMBUCS 2nd ANNUAL BOWLAPALOOZA Benefits Children and Adults and AMTRYKE Programs, and Scholarships for local therapy students.

Inside the Next Edition: CP Awareness All about the Upside of Down Syndrome

When: Sat. October 12th 9am-12pm

Adoption and Special Needs

Something Special® Magazine is published quarterly per calendar year by SSM Publishing, LLC, P.O. Box 16193 Savannah, GA 31416. The publication is available free of charge at over 300 hundred areas in Savannah and South Carolina.

Something Special® Magazine welcomes letters, photos, articles or artwork, but is not responsible for the return of solicited or unsolicited materials. Any solicited or unsolicited material will be treated as non-confidential and non-proprietary, and becomes the sole property of Something Special® Magazine and may be used for any purpose, including the website. Something Special® Magazine does not knowingly accept incorrect, false, or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does SSM Publishing, LLC assume the responsibility should such advertising or editorial content appear in the publication or on the website. The editorial content of Something Special® Magazine is written by professionals in their field and parents, and is not necessarily the opinions of the publisher, SSM Publishing, LLC, who take NO responsibility for the opinions and the advice given. Something Special® reserves the right to edit all letters to the editor and articles for clarity and space and determine suitability of all materials to it.

Copyright 2013. Something Special® Magazine. SSM Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without expressed written permission. Something Special® Magazine, A Magazine for Parents Raising Children With Special Needs, is REGISTERED Trademark with the USPTO.

Keep us in print, tell your friends to read and to advertise! Remember, we need stuff too!

Patronize those businesses that believe in Something Special®. Next issue is out September. 1st. Advertise with US. Deadline for ads is August 5th.

*Savannah AMBUCS is a 501c3

Where: Savannah Lanes Tibet Ave. Savannah,Ga

Contact: Kevin Sheehan 658-3739 for more information

Find Us on FACEBOOK

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Staff

Our Services

Creator/Publisher

Katrina Laygo: Katrina@somethingspecialmagazine.com

Art Director/Ad Layout Nicole Pritchard

couNseliNg for childreN & TeeNs

Website

Nicole Pritchard

CHIEF WRITER Avis Coleman

Contributing Writers

Cara Koscinski , Bridget Davis, Kimberly Wheat, Michelle Gianeti, Janie Brodhead, Catherine McGuinn, Theresa Fleming, Douglas Baker, JoAnna O’Conner, Dr. Sheryl Kaufman, Brian Mengini, Michelle Sherwoord

6602 Abercorn St., Suite 101 Savannah, GA 31405

Proof Editor

Michelle McGee, Winnie Walsh

Helping your child to improve behavior, emotion or communication challenges. n

Social Skills Group Therapy

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Behavior Counseling

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Anxiety and Depression Counseling

Copy Editor

Stephanie Spurrier

Neurological Therapies

Fitness Writer Anytime Fitness

Food Editor

Chef Malissa Allen

Photographers

Jennie Beard, J. B. Fresh Photography (cover and Main Feature), Brian Mengini, Katie Logston

CHIEF ADVERTISING MANAGER NATIONAL ACCOUNTS Midwest and National: Sarah Ikola: s@somethingspecialmagazine.com

Savannah and Coastal Empire Advertising Manager

At Morrison Dental Associates we care for our patient’s special needs. Every effort is made to keep the patient comfortable and provide comprehensive, convenient treatment.

Helping you or your child achieve the highest level of the brain function for mental health disorders and neurologic challenges. n

Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Neurofeedback (EEG Biofeedback) n Functional Neurology/Chiropractic Neurology n

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Karen Martin-Bazemore: Karen@somethingspecialmagazine.com

Food Allergy and Environmental Allergy Testing and Counseling

EFFINGHAM, BULLOCH and SCREVEN AREAS

Amy Holten: amy@somethingspecialmagazine.com Stephanie Spurrier: steph@somethingspecialmagazine.com

couNseliNg for adulTs & family

Digital Ad Sales:

Katrina Laygo: Katrina@somethingspecialmagazine.com Stephanie Spurrier: steph@somethingspecialmagazine.com

Advertising Manager Charleston Area

Katrina Laygo: Katrina@somethingspecialmagazine.com

Advertising Charleston

Adrienne Reed: adee@homesc.com or Adrienne@somethingspecialmagazine.com

Dr. Black has performed dental procedures for special needs children for over 50 years. Procedures are safely conducted in either our facility or at St. Joseph’s Hospital with appropriate sedation.

Legal

Chris Steinmetz, Melissa K. Dagodag

Distribution Gary Price

Helping you to develop better understanding of self and/or communication with others. Improving your vitality by having better clarity and direction and a healthier perspective toward concerns or challenges.

Individual & Family Counseling n Couples Counseling and Marriage Counseling

The Mindspring Center is here to help you create a happier and healthier version of yourself or your child.

We achieve this goal through our mental health services and our brain-based therapies. This wellness approach is perfect for both our typical and special need clients, as we all have the ability to reach our optimal health potential for mind, brain and body.

912-748-6463

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Website Address

SOMETHINGSPECIALMAGAZINE.COM Cover photo: Jennie Beard

Website: mdadental.com Phone: 912-354-3444

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mindspringcenter.com

Parenting a “Difficult” Child Coaching and Counseling

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Special Advice

Special Advice

By: Bridget Davis

Have you ever woken up, and in that final moment between sleep and wakefulness, before the “Moms” and the fighting, and the missing socks, and the rush to get out the door, you pause and think, this cannot possibly be my life?

In May 2008, I found myself there.

I was a newly single, unemployed, exhausted mother of four, and I had no idea what my next steps in life were going to be.

Within the prior year, I had moved my oldest two children to the local public school from the Catholic school attached to my parish because their educational needs were not being met.

While they were thriving at the new school, I feel as though I had lost my support system – the Moms I hung out with during carpool as we waited for our children and solved the world’s problems.

I had an eight-year-old with severe ADHD (later diagnosed with Asperger’s), a seven-year-old Aspie with Type 1 Diabetes and a really bad habit of not letting me know when his blood sugar was too low, and a four-year-old with ROA (Regular Ol’ Autism), whose primary means of communication were to spin, scream, and run into things – usually me. He was not potty trained, rarely slept, even more rarely spoke, and ate about five things. And I had a sweet, typical two-year-old, who watched the world with bright eyes, and had no idea her siblings were different than anyone else’s.

How did I survive? I wrote. I wrote about the funny things my

“It was either cry about it or write about it, I chose to write.”

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kids did, about the chaos that was my life, and about the days I would look up and say, “Uncle!” just hoping someone might hear.

There was a day I went to the Children’s Museum and lost my son Zachary eleven times. ELEVEN! It was either cry about it or write about it, so I chose to write.

I found an amazing group of women writers, all of whom also had at least one child with special needs, and we wrote together.

We wrote about grieving the loss of the life you thought would be yours. We wrote about fighting for our children. We wrote about how very hard it is to raise a child with special needs. We wrote about how hard it is when others just don’t “get it.” And with the words we shared we realized that collectively we were much more than just a group of lonely women

with hard lives. We were a collection of mother warriors who lived a real life, heartache and all, and this had made us stronger women and better humans. We had formed our own village and were helping each other through our words raise some of the most spectacular children in the Indianapolis area.

My life has changed so much since that morning almost five years ago. I began teaching and pursued a Master’s Degree in Special Education. I now teach at a school for children with Autism in the Indianapolis area, love my job, and feel so blessed that I am uniquely qualified to help these kids. I’ve started working out five to six times per week and have done a few sprint triathlons to keep myself moving forward.

And I’ve recently restarted the blog that held all the writing from those really dark times. Our writing group still meets a couple times per month, but we encourage each other online every single day.

The quiet moments of joy, the new skills mastered, my youngest son asking for one more hug.

The fab four have really thrived as well. My oldest daughter, Hannah, is now 13 and headed off to high school in the fall.

While she still struggles socially sometimes, she has managed to make some good friends (in middle school of all places, a miracle in itself!) and is finishing up eighth grade on the honor roll. Elliott is in sixth grade, and is loved by just about everyone who touches his life. His quirkiness is only outshone by his kindness, and he manages to break down barriers of disability simply by being himself. He has also spent several weeks at diabetes camp in the summer, and at age 12 is managing most facets of his disease on his own. Zachary, the hurricane, is now nine and in second grade.

He has a smile and a hug for everyone, and not only loves life, but seems to gobble it up at warp

speed. He is reading and writing, and adding and subtracting, a miracle to his mother who saw him nonverbal at four. And Miss Maya has grown, too. Finally in all-day school, she is coming in to her own personality. Her patience with her siblings is boundless, as is her love of them. I only hope that she continues to grow into the girl she’s meant to be.

I won’t pretend it’s all puppies and rainbows. There are days around here when the meltdown to hug ratio choosing a vocation in which I teach children with autism all day only to come home to three children with autism in the afternoon. Days that I cry in the shower because I am too exhausted, too overwhelmed, and too darn human to possibly handle everything on my plate. But without those days, I think it would be easy to miss the miracles when

they do hit home. The quiet moments of joy, the new skills mastered, the hurricane asking for one more hug and one more story. And so I push forward, as we all do, hoping and praying that the choices I’m making today will set them on a path to a future much brighter than anyone would have predicted.

Additional Information: To read Bridget’s blog please visit: 365dayzofcrazy. blogspot.com

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Special Advice

Special Advice

Our Special Siblings: Meet the brothers and sisters whose special bond have made them experts on how to relate to a sibling that has special needs.

My Special Brother By: Logan Hartum When I was

six-years-old, on June 6th, 2007, my brother got hit by a car. We were walking down a road to go to the park. As we where crossing a street, a speeding car hit him. After he was hit, he had to be flown to the hospital.

Once all of the commotion was over, two police officers took us to a quiet home so we could get something to drink and calm down. They were asking us how this horrible incident happened and we did not answer because we were all in shock after witnessing what just happened.

After a few months went by, I remember asking my mom when they where going to get him out of the hospital.

She kept telling me ’soon I promise’, but it never happened. Then, one day in December, she finally called. She had told me that we were able to visit him. I remember feeling really happy because I was able to finally see my brother, and I knew he was going to be okay.

During the whole thing, I did get to visit him sometimes but I would never look at him because I was scared to see how he looked. Every time I wanted to look at him, I would ask the nurses to cover his head with something because I was scared to see the scars. After a few months went by, I started to adapt to the situation. I knew my brother would not be the same after the incident but it made me sad that we couldn’t do the same things we used to do together.

However, I knew I had to treat him like a normal human being because that’s what he is.

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To this day, he and I always hang out. We watch TV, play video games, wrestle, and most of all, we are always happy when we are around each other. I still joke around with him just like we used to before the incident. I also am aware that I have to watch out for his safety and health.

I know I cannot be too rough with him because I don’t want to hurt him or hurt his feelings. No matter what has happened to him, he is still my brother and he will always be treated the way he should be treated. That’s the story about my brother’s incident and how it has affected me.

My Not-By-Birth Twins

I call them my not-by-birth twins.

Krysta is my nine-year-old daughter

Krysta and Coda

with multiple diagnoses, including ataxic cerebral palsy, bilateral profound deafness and hydrocephalus with a VP shunt. Coda is my nineyear-old stepson with ADHD. A year ago my daughter met the cute little red-head who she would one day call her brother. We were a little nervous about the transition because both children had been the only child until that point.

Krysta is nine months older than Coda, but he insists that he is the older brother. Immediately, Coda learned all of Krysta’s signs and continuously looks up new signs to teach her. Usually, if the little diva decides that she isn’t going to “listen” to me, I can ask her brother to sign it to her and she will immediately comply.

Bringing Coda into Krysta’s life was a pivotal point. She began to increase her sign vocabulary and engage in more play with her peers.

Krysta loves her bubba. She loves to watch football and racing with him. When they ride together in the car, she holds him and “pets” his hair and face constant-

Daviana Douglas and her family

“What a true blessing to see their love for each other and the smiles they bring to everyone!” ly. If we are home and Krysta hasn’t seen Coda for a few minutes, she will go find him just to peek in to see if he’s still there. Coda never complains if Krysta touches his belongings or if he has to do something for her. He’s very gentle with her and loves to narrate what he believes she is thinking.

(Although, the voice that he believes she would have is quite comical!)

I love the way that he always makes sure that she is included at home and at school and nothing less will be accepted by him. In November, we officially made them brother and sister. Coda was very excited and kept telling us that Krysta was now his sister. Here is the best picture I can paint of the bond that Krysta and Coda have. We were riding home from school recently and Coda turned to me and asked, “When you die, will Krysta have to be adopted?”

I told him no because hopefully I will be a very old woman and someone in the family will take care of Krysta. He quietly said, “You’re looking at him.”

I couldn’t get home fast enough so I

could be behind closed doors and cry tears of joy. Coda is definitely his sister’s keeper.

My younger brother By: Daviana Douglas Age: 14

My name is Daviana Douglas and I am 14 years old. My brother Anthony, who is 13 years old, has autism.

Even though he is a teenager, he is more like a six-year-old mentally and socially.

Growing up with a brother who is autistic has been interesting.

He didn’t talk until he was five-yearsold, and even then it was gibberish.

With his autism, Anthony is fearless and doesn’t seem to have much common sense when it comes to keeping his thoughts in his head. If he sees someone wearing a Transformer or Pokemon shirt, he gets right up in their personal space, flapping his arms around because he’s excited to share his favorite ones. He went through a phase where whenever he saw a little African American baby, he would say, “Mama! I want a brown baby! Please, I want a brown baby!”

That was always embarrassing! If he thinks he knows you, he will go right up to you give you a hug and say, “I missed you so much! You are my best friend!” Those are the silly times that we all just laugh at.

Anthony. They make fun of how he talks and try to get him to do unsafe things just because he doesn’t know any better. When that happens, I try and explain his autism and show them what a cool kid he can be. He has big issues with flying bugs and freaks out when gnats are out. That is always hard because we live in the South. Because of his fearlessness, he has almost been seriously hit by a car many times. He just walks off the curb without looking. I always make sure to walk before him when we are crossing the street. I have always looked out for my brother.

My mom has always said that I understand him better than she does.

He is just a simple kid who says things plainly as he sees them. I think that is one of the cool qualities about Anthony. He speaks the plain truth.

Having a brother like Anthony has taught me how to be patient and not judge other people. My mom says that people with autism are like snowflakes, because not one is the same. My brother is a quirky kid who lives in his own world that is full of fun, Transformers and love. I wouldn’t change him for anything!

It hasn’t always been fun though.

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Special Advice

Special Advice chors (ELA/SCI/SS) and Standards for Math Practices •

Linking skills to cognitive demand

Standards for Mathematical Practice

Making Sense of Common Core State Standards: An Interview with Kelly Wulf, Director of Programs for Students with Disabilities, Berkeley County Public Schools Many clients have asked me what the Common Core State Standards are, and how they will affect their children. Working for Berkeley County has allowed me the opportunity to sit down and talk with Kelly Wulf, Director of Programs for Students with Disabilities, about how the CCSS came about and how they are going to impact students with disabilities.

Q: How did CCSS develop in South Carolina?

Why were they needed?

A: Currently, each state has a separate set of education standards, lists of skills that students are expected to do by the time they graduate each grade. However, in response to concerns about American student achievement and just how prepared students are for college and careers, education leaders in 48 states, along with the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), have written a set of standards for student across the U.S. The Common Core State Standards were released in 2010. Now, 44 states are working to implement them by 2013-2014. The state has given local districts autonomy on how they will implement CCSS. However, the first test date of these standards is scheduled during the 2014-15 school year.

Q: How do they differ from the standards we have been using?

Author: Joannah O’Connor, Educational Consultant, LLC. Joannah has been an Educational Consultant for twenty-three years.

She has worked collaboratively with parents and schools to provide students with disabilities the best possible educational experience.

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A: There have been major shifts in the CCSS standards from state standards. The current state standards are as follows: • Non-fiction Information Text •

Increased Lexile levels/Text Complexity

• •

Test-dependent questions Evidence-based writing

•

Instruction at higher level of cognitive demand

•

New instructional practices: College & Career Readiness An-

•

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

•

Reason abstractly and quantitatively

•

Construct viable arguments/ critique the reasoning of others

•

Model with mathematics

•

Use appropriate tools strategically

•

Attend to precision

•

Look for and make use of structure

•

Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

•

Common Core Standards are also different from state standards in structure, expectations, defined outcomes, and assessments.

The shifts focus on the following:

1) Balancing informational and literary text: Students should read a true balance of informational and literary texts. Elementary school classrooms are, therefore, places where students access the world — science, social studies, the arts, and literature —through text. At least 50% of what students read is informational text.

2) Building knowledge in discipline: Teachers outside of the ELA classroom should emphasize literacy experiences in their planning and instruction. Students learn through domain-specific texts in science and social studies classrooms. Rather than referring to the text, they are expected to learn from what they read.

3) Staircase of complexity: In order to prepare students for the complexity of college- and career-ready texts, each grade level requires a “step” of growth on the “staircase”. Students read the central, grade appropriate text around which instruction is centered. Teachers create more time and space in the curriculum for this close and careful reading, and provide appropriate and necessary scaffolding and supports so that it is possible for students reading below grade level.

4) Text-based answers (habit of speaking and listening for making evidence-based arguments in conversations).

Students should have rich and rigorous conversations that are dependent on a common text. Teachers insist that classroom experiences stay deeply connected to the text on the page and that students develop habits for making evidentiary arguments both in conversation, as well as in writing to assess comprehension of a text.

5) Writing from sources: Writing needs to emphasize use of evidence to inform or make an argument, rather than the personal narrative and other forms of decontextualized prompts. While the narrative still plays an important role, students develop skills through written arguments that respond to the ideas, events, facts, and arguments presented in the texts they read.

6) Academic vocabulary: Students should constantly build the vocabulary they need to access grade-level, complex texts. By focusing strategically on comprehension of pivotal and commonly found words (such as discourse, generation, theory and principled) and less on esoteric literary terms (such as onomatopoeia or homonym), teachers constantly build students ability to access more complex texts across the content areas.

Q: Will there be PASS or HSAP any longer?

A: No, currently the state of South Carolina has agreed to go with SmarterBalance, which will replace PASS and HSAP. SmarterBalance will be piloted in several schools across the state this spring. The first high stakes testing window will be in 2014-15.

Q: What if a student cannot take Smarter Balance?

A: According to the state department, they are currently working on an alternative assessment, but that has not been released.

Q: What does this mean for special education if our special educators are going to have to teach these standards?

A: “Rigor without relevance is simply hard.” CCSS creates a culture of high expectations for all students and offers an opportunity for students with disabilities to have access to rigorous coursework. This will require a shift from the current model used in special education classrooms today. How the standards are taught is of the utmost importance, particularly in relation to developing IEPs that include annual goals aligned with and chosen to facilitate attainment of grade-level academic standards. Instructional supports that include Universal Design for Learning are paramount in preparing all students to be successful. The CCSS focuses on a shift in teacher behavior in terms of instructional strategies to engage students in the learning process. The difference is how we deliver instruction. Shifts in teacher methodology will enable our students to get to more in depth concepts.

“When you change the way you look at things, things will change”. Berkeley County has redefined their special education models to reflect what we call “front loading of information.” Instead of re-teaching, teachers will work collaboratively with general education teachers to pre-teach concepts so students are fully prepared when a skill is presented in the general education environment.

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Special Advice

Special Advice and ask your child to compare and contrast them.

Compared to current achievement tests, common core assessments will likely be more difficult.

Ideally, instead of multiple choice tests, students will be analyzing and synthesizing information, writing essay responses, and answering in-depth questions to show how much they understand.

Ask your child to explain or show how they’re solving problems.

Then, have them think of multiple ways to solve a math problem, or answer a reading discussion question.

tegic instruction reflective of the Nebraska’s Cognitive Strategies for teaching and learning.

Q: With such high-stakes testing, how do you involve all stakeholders in this process of change?

A: The district has offered training sessions for all stakeholders in the community from district, division, and school level presentations as well as engagement with local businesses and colleges.

Disabilities for Berkeley County, a position she

A: Parents can do quite a few things to educate themselves on the CCSS and subsequently be able to support their child:

and, prior to her current position, Special Educa-

2) As you read with your child, ask in-depth “Why” and “How” questions that encourage your child to analyze and synthesize texts. For example, read three different versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears 16 l Something Special

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By: Michelle Sherwoord Edited by : Stephanie Spurrier

Always have the same behavioral expectations as you set for their siblings or as you

expect in their peers. Teaching your child right from wrong is no different except you need to be more consistent, firm, and – most of all – patient.

Early intervention is important, but I encour-

age you to begin teaching discipline as soon as possible regardless of age. The older and stronger the child is, the more difficult it is to break unacceptable habits.

Mrs. Kelly Wulf is the Director of Students with has held for two years. Mrs. Wulf has worked in

The common core state standards focus on the most important topics that students need to know. In math, that means that students focus on really understanding numbers in elementary school before they start to apply that understanding of numbers to data in middle school. As your child completes homework, help them hone in on the most important aspects and core concepts.

Behavior Tips for Parents

As your child works through his homework, ask him how someone might use what he’s working on in “real life.” The implementation of CCSS is a developing process.

As the common core state standards start to be implemented in schools, there will be some changes, but many things will stay the same. The most important aspect, as always, is to stay in contact with your child’s teacher to find out how you can support this latest educational advancement at home.

Q: What can parents do both on their own and at IEP meetings to make sure the CCSS are being addressed for their children?

1) Look through the common core standards to get a feel for what your child will be learning as he moves through school. Read the English-language arts standards and the math standards at the common core web site. (corestandards.org)

Putting the Partnership in the Relationship

Berkeley County since 1989 and has held several positions including Special Education Teacher, Employment Specialist, Instructional Specialist tion Coordinator. Currently, Mrs. Wulf is pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy at the University of South Carolina.

As the parent of a 13-year-old son with autism, I have experience under my belt. We have had our share of stares and behavioral issues in public places. At 5 feet 7 inches, people don’t always understand that he may be tall but his mental maturity is on par with that of a 6year-old. The manner in which he speaks and acts does not always correlate with what they see before them.

Because autistic children’s needs are different there are no “cookie cutter” ways to handle their behaviors.

Learning through others’ experiences and mistakes and then modifying them to fit your child’s needs is the best way to help your child progress and be productive. I sincerely hope my experiences and tips help you and your children be successful!

Write down your expectations and what behavior modifications you would like put into place.

Find a few catch-phrases. We like to use Nanny 911’s “That is unacceptable behavior!” Your child may not understand your words at first but they will learn to associate them with you being upset because of his or her actions. Make sure to involve your child’s teachers, therapists, family members, and anyone else that is a consistent part of his life and share this information with them. Being on the same page is important for consistency and making sure the same wording and repercussions are used across the board will greatly help your child in adapting to the rules.

It may take some trial and error to find what

works for your child, but consistency and patience are tools that should be carried through each technique you try. Do not let your child set the rules or bend the rules, but use him as a guide. Have faith in your child and yourself and you will find that your child can unlock that “something special” approach that is inside you, you just haven’t thought of it yet.

Don’t worry about what others think. Your

Ask the Consultant! If you have a question for Joannah O’Connor, Educational Consultant, LLC, Send your questions to joannah@somethingspecialmagazine.com and she will answer in the next column. Please include your initials and location.

focus and attention should be utilized to use a tough situation and make it into a teaching opportunity for your child if possible.

Never be scared to say “no” to your child

when they need it, even in public. Children with autism do well with consistency in their daily lives. Rules should not change from one setting to another. When allowing bad behaviors in public, the child becomes confused and they expect to be able to act out when they want without reprimand.

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Special Advice on one side of the pool so that he has to swim back to it each time. Of course, adding cuff weights made specifically for water use is a good way to exercise muscles during any pool activity.

By: Cara Koscinski MOT, OTR/L

Aquatic Therapy in Your Own Backyard Who wants to jump into a cool pool on a hot summer day? Your child does!

Since play is the main way a child learns, giving your child aquatic tasks designed with play in mind can be both fun and therapeutic. Aquatic therapy has been around since ancient times. The therapeutic benefits of the water are tremendous. While submerged in water we feel effects that mimic weightlessness. Exercising in the water provides relaxation and gives both proprioceptive and calming input. By adding some well-planned activities and games to your child’s summer routine, you can increase muscle strength, endurance, balance, and work on social skills.

Coordination in all body areas also improves greatly with pool games.

Adding peers into the summer fun can also help our children with special needs build confidence and lasting friendships.

While there are a variety of products specifically marketed for aquatic therapy, you can easily duplicate them with a little creativity.

Swim vests are critical if your child is not a confident swimmer. The added security of the vest is a good way for children to build up their confidence slowly. Aqua vests can be purchased at local swim stores or at websites such as aquagear.com or swimoutlet. com.

Purchasing a few differently textured pool noodles is a must. The skin is the largest organ in our body so providing a variety of textures and shapes allows your child to have rich-

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er tactile (feeling) experiences. For example, there are smooth noodles, bumpy noodles, noodles made out of foam, and some made of plastic that are blown up.

Here are a few activities to try with your child: 1) Ride the noodles like a horse. Your child must “ride the horse” across the pool to feed him out of a bucket and “ride” back to the starting point. Do this back and forth across the pool.

2) Loop the noodle in a U-shape and have your child sit on it like he is sitting on a swing. Have him maintain his balance while tossing a ball to you.

3) Use the noodle as if jumping rope.

This is a fun challenge and works the arm muscles to push the noodle under the water.

4) You can hold one end of a large towel or noodle and have your child hold the other end. Pull him around the pool in different ways. Adjust your speed and pull him quickly then change to a slow pace. For example, ask him to hold on with both hands while he is laying on his back, next, try it while he lies on his tummy, then on his side.

5) Use flippers on the hands or feet to increase resistance and work on strengthening muscles. Pretend your child is on a scuba excursion and drop interesting things on the bottom of the pool for him to search for.

Have him place the items in a bucket

6) A large raft can be used as a pretend boat. Your child can sit on top of the raft and hold a paddle with both hands. He can pretend he is on a canoe. The work he is doing while alternating the paddle across his body works on body awareness, crossing the midline, and bilateral integration (using the arms together for functional tasks). In addition, large water shooters such as the “Max Liquidator” are large enough so that a child must use both hands to complete the task of filling them up and shooting them. Make a bulls-eye pattern on a tree or large box at the edge of the pool and see who shoots most accurately.

7) Make up an obstacle course where he holds onto one kickboard with both hands or two smaller kick boards, one under each arm. Both kickboard activities work on building strength in the arms, legs, and core body. At one station provide a watering can to fill with water and lift up to pour into a big bucket placed on the pool’s ledge. Another station can include putting on articles of clothing such as shirts or socks. Have children race to see who can “get dressed” while wet for added fun. Swimming with the added weight of wet clothing gives input to the pressure receptors of the body.

Donate today to help send four students with autism or cerebral palsy to college or vocational school.

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Remember that there is no wrong way to exercise in the pool. Virtually all aquatic activities your child does will help him to develop muscles and key skills that will benefit him outside of the water. The most important thing to keep in mind is to have fun and relax. You are helping your child make memories and skills that will last a lifetime!

About the Author: Cara

Koscinski had been an occupational therapist for sixteen years. She owns Route2Greatness and is the author of The Pocket Occupational Therapist, a resource book for caregivers of children with special needs. Visit: pocketot.com for additional information and resources.

Scheduling summer photo sessions now!

Eager to work with KIDS OF ALL ABILITIES. Call for a 30 minute mini session with a CD of all images and 3 edited photos for $250.00

jb@jbfreshphotography.com | 843-345-2563 | jbfreshphotography.com

Special Advocacy A look at the numbers (compiled 2010-2011)

How to

Thrive

as a Special Needs Family & Community

•

54 million American adults (nearly 20% of population) are affected by a mental or physical disability

•

Over 6% of children ages 5-15 suffer from a disability

•

NAMI reported that there are 1 in 4 households affected by a mental illness

•

US household wealth is approximately $60 Trillion.

•

The math: 1 in 9-10 households are affected by a significant special need.

By Douglas Baker

We live in a world that is fast-paced, high-tech, image driven and unforgiving, fueled by sensationalized media and reality television shows portraying what is now considered by many to be “normal”. Add to all of this a special needs newborn, child or adult in a family, and reality becomes a sub-world driven by a lifetime of challenges that require incredible commitment, compassion and persistence, as well as a lifespan of specialized planning and services. To thrive instead of simply survive as a family affected by special needs, it is important to have a socially integrated lifestyle with acceptance and great support groups, both personally and professionally.

Who are the special needs families? Families of genetic and birth conditions, or affected by autism spectrum disorders, mental health and related illnesses, intellectually challenged and learning delayed, and physical or brain impairment though injury or trauma - a global microcosm of cultures that transcend race, religion, gender and the socioeconomic status.

How do we thrive instead of just survive? The

special needs world is massive and continually growing. Change is needed to reverse the service and funding cuts and influence legislation to better serve our communities. Facilitating change is really not that difficult. Much of it is a matter of changing to better habits and behavior. A good example of this is eating healthier because of a health risk diagnosis such as diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

Start using and supporting special needs owned and managed services, businesses, products, professionals and organizations highly supportive of our communities.

We chose every day where we spend our money. Why wouldn’t we be supporting our own community members who are the ones that give back to the community?

Start using local and community banks or credit unions instead of these massive banking institutions that are behaving badly with no regard for our working Americans, yet alone our special needs families. You can better support the communities where you live.

These local banks usually have better service, lower fees and almost all give you a certain monthly

Start using & supporting special needs owned and managed services, businesses, products and organizations supportive of our communities.

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dollar credit toward ATM fees you may incur elsewhere.

Changing legislative poor behavior toward our special needs communities…Yes, we will still have fragmented communities and differing agendas, but unions and big special interests all have their various agendas too, and they always bring their money behind their voices. This legislative game has been defined for decades, and for some reason, our special needs communities have never learned how to play it. Over the last decades, our services have eroded while our numbers have exploded. The math doesn’t work. And in July of this year, it was announced the Federal government expects another $900 Million in reductions if congress doesn’t act before January 2013.

“Either We Organize and Thrive, or Die a Painful Existence Divided...” Today there are small numbers of special needs advisors throughout America working with thousands of families doing just this - building the foundation for a national network and increasing our economic clout. As affected community members, we are the one’s serving, guiding, growing and giving back into our communities. A united effort from our families, the serving professionals, our supporting institutions and foundations, and everyone involved makes this happen. This is our “Occupy Special Needs” movement. Our mission is to make our money visible to increase our services relationally to the communities. Our directives are to support, empower and enhance our own communities. Our measurable results will change the future of special needs legislation, research and services while preserving our American dream.

We are the parents, the advocates and the

What does this mean?

Conservatively, 1 in 10 equates to a $6 trillion special needs community.

professionals of special needs. We must also be the “catalyst” of change for our special needs communities and the future of our children. We are tens of millions strong, yet we start with one child, one family and one village at a time.

“It falls upon us and only us - The Village that sustains itself, the Village it takes to raise a child, the Village it takes to support our families”

About the Author: Douglas Baker is a parent of a 22-year-old son with autism, a national speaker, advocate and educator on services and resources surrounding the special needs communities. He is the innovator of a comprehensive financial and special needs planning process that has uniquely wrapped special needs advocacy, services and resource collaboration into a lifespan service around the financial and wealth management industry. A lifetime resident, Doug leads a team of special needs advisors in Southern California for a premier and top-rated national services firm based in America’s heartland.

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Special Resources Want more special resources? Visit somethingspecialmagazine.com Have a great resource you want to share? Please email us with resources in your area at info@somethingspecialmagazine.com

Summer Camps Still looking for a summer camp?

Visit somethingspecialmagazine.com for great camps for your children.

Charleston’s only school for children diagnosed with language-based learning differences, HFA, or Asperger’s Syndrome.

The School for Language-Based Learning Differences Grades K through 8 The School for Asperger’s/HFA Grades K through 3*

At Trident Academy, our teachers help students gain the academic and social skills necessary to transition into conventional learning environments.

All classes follow the Common Core Standards and have fewer than nine students.

Beginning this August, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and ABA therapy services will be available on our Mt. Pleasant campus.

* The School for Asperger’s/HFA is prepared to grow one grade per year through Grade 8.

Call us today: 843.884.3494 www.tridentacademy.com

N Acc ow App eptin g lica tion s

TRIDENT ACADEMY “I used to mix up my B’s and D’s and I used to have trouble focusing,” second grade student, Aubrey said as he took a break from drawing letters in shaving cream. “My teachers at Trident Academy help me focus and they are nice. It’s just great here.”

Trident Academy is an independent school and a nationally-recognized leader in educating students with language-based learning differences such as dyslexia. The School for Language-Based Learning Differences at Trident Academy continues to be the signature program as one of 11 certified Orton-Gillingham programs in the nation. This approach emphasizes instruction that is individual, diagnostic, prescriptive, and multi-sensory. Barbara Waterstradt, primary school teacher at Trident Academy, said the multi-sensory approach gives students the clear concept that they need to succeed in school.

“We teach children strategies that they can use to help them compensate for their learning difference,” Waterstradt said, “These strategies

can go with them throughout all the stages of their lives.”

Nestled in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., the school is expanding to serve a new group of students in The School for Asperger’s/HFA. Students diagnosed with, or showing symptoms similar to, Asperger’s Syndrome and HFA will benefit from a strong academic program coupled with intensive and research-based intervention in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Teachers will focus on language, social skills, and school-ready behavior to ensure a successful transition into a conventional school.

Students will also have access to speech and language, occupational, and ABA therapists on campus.

“Going to school, then therapy sessions followed by homework gives a child a 10-12 hours day,” says Nicole McLain, director of The School for Asperger’s/HFA. “We recognize that and want to ensure therapists can be on campus to observe and work with the children and teachers to create a comprehensive approach.”

The collaboration among fami-

lies, specialists, and educators is vital to the success of this program and has captured the attention of Kelli Embler, the Executive Director of the North Carolina Chapter of Autism Speaks.

“The emphasis on collaborating with the best local and national resources suggests a commitment to building a world-class center of education,” Embler said. “We are confident Trident Academy will devote the same level of professionalism and expertise to this program as they have for children with language-based learning differences.”

All classes at Trident Academy have fewer than nine students, follow the Common Core Curriculum, and use a multi-sensory approach to education. The goal is to provide each child the academic and social support necessary to help him or her transition into a conventional learning environment.

For more information:

Contact Niki Leiva at 843-884-3494

Transitions

Transitions

Social Activities:

After High School Transition

To help your child on the path to independence Unlimited Possibiliites Mentoring Services help engage your child in the following social activities.

Activities include:

• • • • • • •

By: Kimberly Wheat

The period between high school & post-secondary education is a challenge.

Here are some tips that can help the transition.

The transitional period between high-school and post-secondary education requires bridging the gap between security and structure offered by the school system, as well as family support and the challenges of young adulthood independence. A secure foundation is necessary for the success of these young adults. By providing a post-secondary transitional program, young adults are given the unique opportunity to participate in various vocational training or college level academics; career placement for both paid and non-paid work experiences; as well as the tools necessary to develop friendships and other personal relationships.

Unlimited Possibilities Mentoring Services, LLC of Charleston, South Carolina, a private agency cofounded by Kimberly R. Wheat, MSHPE, provides such services to ease the transition process. By providing guidance and mentoring to young adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities UPMS caters to these individuals with needs-based activities, as well as skills and coping mechanisms necessary in order for each participant to become as independent as possible in life skills.

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Unlimited Possibilities Mentoring Services LLC offers both individual and group mentoring services.

Individual services offered include: •

Organizational skills

•

Job coaching

•

Appropriate hygiene

•

Resume building tools

•

Budgeting & money management

•

Academic assistance

•

Social skills to include friendship development and interpersonal skills

Unlimited Possibilities Mentoring Services have assisted with job placement in both paid and nonpaid facilities throughout the Charleston area to include Earth Fare, Longhorn Steakhouse and the South Carolina Aquarium. Our young adults are eager to attend to their duties and thoroughly enjoy their employment opportunities. Some of our young adults live independently and others live with their family members. However, we continue to strive towards the goal for as much independence as possible with each situation.

Therefore, the possibilities are unlimited. It is through the dedication and devotion of our staff to assist these young adults as they transition into the next journey in their lives that we hope to observe them reach their dreams. “It’s the possibility that keeps me going, not the guarantee.”

For more information: Contact Kimberly Wheat at wheatkr@ hotmail.com or visit the Unlimited Possibilities website at: unlimited-possibilities.org.

Bowling Rock climbing Sporting events Outdoor concerts Going out to dinner Movies Birthday and holiday parties • Participation in Special Olympics activities Testimonial from one of their nineteen year old clients: “Nine months ago I moved out of my parents house and into an apartment. It gave me a strong sense of euphoria, however as time went by, I began to notice my major flaws. Keeping a clean living space and bill paying proved to be arduous. That changed when Kimberly stepped in. For nine months she has stressed the importance of paying bills, she helped me with keeping my apartment tidy. Thanks to her persistence, I now jump on top of bills to pay whenever they arrive. Now thanks to Kimberly, those problems cease to exist.”

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Transitions

Transitions

Transitioning to middle school Dr. Sheryl Kauffman

It’s time for your child to start middle school and you’re feeling worried, scared, and wondering how your child is going to survive in a new and different environment. You’re not alone.

•

Review rules on a one-on-one basis and make sure he understands them-be sensitive to his learning style.

•

Review the yearbook so he sees faculty members and school activities.

•

Practice going to a calm or quiet place, walking through the route he will take.

•

Make sure he understands each teacher has different rules and procedures.

•

Explain change and flexibility to your child.

Write a list of things he can do to deal with the changes he will experience.

•

Assistive technology, such as a tape recorder, can be helpful for documenting homework. A laptop computer such as an AlphaSmart can assist with poor writing skills (Sayers, 2006). An iPad can help with communication and social skills.

• •

Middle school creates many challenges for the typical student as well. Your child will acquire life skills and knowledge, gain friendships and, most of all, achieve increased independence. Schools and parents need to work together to design strong, supportive programs that allow for individual preferences and abilities.

Teachers and parents need to collaborate in designing programs that can challenge children with autism or any form of special needs to enhance the skills they already have while developing skills they lack.

Before your child enters into the middle school environment, make sure: •

•

•

•

Administrators make a point of knowing your child individually.

Visit the school before the year begins and meet the principal. A personal connection is a must.

Make sure the staff understands the special needs your child has.

Create a short list of your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Parents/professionals should create a portfolio (I.E.P., behavioral plan, medical history, motivators/reinforcers, likes and dislikes, family tree with pictures, goals and visions for the child, sample of work from the past year, pictures, etc.).

Provide motivators to help teachers in rewarding desired behaviors.

Teachers should understand that no two students with special needs are the same and what works for one student may not work for the other. Make sure that the staff takes the time to read the portfolio you’ve provided them and asks questions. As a parent, you are able to ask for an educational

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background summary of the classroom professionals involved in the care of your child.

Preparing the Family •

Parents should familiarize themselves and their child with their new school using a map, student handbook, lunch menus, yearbooks and any other materials provided.

•

Ask for a list & description of school activities.

•

Introduce yourself to parent support groups such as PTA/PTO.

•

Know how parental communication will take place (notebook, phone calls, e-mail, meetings).

•

Make sure you know and establish a relationship with your caseworker or primary contact.

Preparing Your Child •

•

•

If your child has a sensitivity to sound, teach your child what the fire alarm sounds like and what they need to do in case this happens. Ask that the bells go off when he comes to visit.

Practice walking through the child’s schedule or make a video pointing out important areas, making sure he knows his safe place, bus area, homeroom, bathrooms, cafeteria, gym, and nurse.

If using a locker, give your child time to practice opening and closing the lock. If needed, use a lock with a key as a modification.

child shopping for school supplies and give him choices when selecting items. Making him a part of the process is essential to his feelings of being in control.

Obtain books and other resources about middle school issues and social rules (Sayers, 2006).

Walk through your child’s schedule with him.

Strategies for Parents to Think About •

Organization is key. Ask the school if he can use one spiral notebook or binder with dividers. Make sure there are pockets included to keep assignments to be done and notes from teachers to the parent, and another for notes to the teacher and assignments to be returned to school.

•

Keep a copy of his schedule in a visible place so it can be referred to as needed. Bring your

According to Scales (1991), early adolescence has seven areas that require attention: • Positive social interaction with adults and peers • Creative expression

Know his schedule ahead of time and individualize it in a manner that works. You may need to color code for each class and have a separate schedule for each day. You may even need to include bathroom breaks or when he needs to go to his locker.

•

Have an extra set of books at home for homework to work with your child.

•

Have monthly meetings from the start of the school year. Communication is extremely important.

•

Start creating more independence at home. Remember, middle school years are growing years – which can be painful, but still exciting!

•

Middle school offers many opportunities and benefits for your child. Discuss the many types of organizations and clubs they may be interested in joining. Keep in mind socialization can be tough.

See what the school offers to help your child be included.

Additional Resource: After the Elementary School Years – Now What? Learn tips for Making a Smoother Transition for Parents and Children

By Dr. Sheryl Kaufman Educational Journeys, LLC. Phone: 843-342-9769 or 973-714-4446

• Competence and achievement • Structure and clear limits • Physical activity • Meaningful participation in their family and school community

•

PLUS: Tips for parents will be in our fall issue.

• Opportunities for self-determination

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Special Food

Special Food 1/2 C. salsa (additional salsa can be used for a topping) 1 C. shredded lettuce 1 medium tomato, chopped 1 C. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded Jalapeños and sour cream make excellent toppings, but aren’t necessary!

Steps:

Summer

Meals By: Chef Malissa Allen

Banana Applesauce Delight Cookies

These cookies are the best, easiest cookies to make for a house full of gluten-free kids. Simple to make, delicious to eat, and perfect to take to the beach! And remember to always double check your ingredients to make sure they are gluten-free.

Ingredients: 3 mashed bananas (ripe) 1/3 cup apple sauce 2 cups gluten-free oats (Bob’s Red Mill makes a great rolled Oat) 1/4 cup almond milk (Coconut works well too) 1/2 cup raisins (optional) 1 tsp. vanilla (gluten-free) 1 tsp. cinnamon Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes

Gluten-free Mini Corndogs What kid does not love corn dogs? The summer is filled with days parents wish for a fast, yet easy food to fix for either home, or on the go. These mini corn dogs are a surefire hit — you can always guarantee happy, full tummies. (Note: This recipe is dou28 l Something Special

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bled so I could freeze some for another meal, but if it’s too much, you could always half the recipe.)

Ingredients: 1 c. corn masa flour or plain corn meal 1 c. gluten-free all-purpose flour 2 T. sugar 1 T. baking powder 1/2 t. xanthan gum 1/2 t. salt 1 egg 2 T. oil 2 -3 cups of milk (Almond or Coconut) 2 packages of hotdogs (check packages for GF)

Steps:

1) Mix all the dry ingredients together.

2) Add the egg and the oil. Mix well.

3) Start with 2 cups of milk. If the mixture is too thick, slowly add milk to make the mixture thinner.

Make sure mix is thick enough to cling to the hotdog; it cannot be runny.

Important: Dry the hot dogs with a paper towel and cut up the hot

dogs into 1 inch pieces.

4) Coat hotdog pieces well in the batter.

5) Drop in the deep fryer 3-4 pieces at a time. Make sure you rotate them well so all parts get browned evenly.

6) Remove from fryer when a nice golden brown. Place on platter with paper towel. Remaining ones can be frozen to reheat later.

Gluten-free Taco Pie

It’s always a challenge to find recipes that can be made for a potluck dinner. This taco pie recipe is absolutely mouthwatering, though, and makes more than enough for a large family.

Ingredients: 1/4 C. butter (gluten-free and casein-free if needed) 1 C. Milk. (almond or coconut) 1 package gluten-free taco seasoning mix (McCormick’s is recommended) 2 1/2 cups mashed potato flakes (you could also use leftover mashed potatoes and omit the butter and milk) 1 pound ground Beef 1/2 C. chopped onion (optional)

1) Preheat the oven to 360°F. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Slowly add milk and 2 tablespoon taco seasoning. Remove from heat and add potato flakes until mixed well.

2) Press mixture into the bottom of a 10-inch pan.

3) Bake for 8-10 minutes until it just starts to brown.

4) In a medium skillet, cook beef and onions until beef is browned and cooked through. Drain. Add Salsa and remaining taco seasoning. Cook until it begins to bubble.

5) Pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

6) Add cheese and bake for 3 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

7) Let cool for 5 minutes. Cut and serve. Add toppings and enjoy!

1) Combine hamburger ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2) Cover and let sit in refrigerator at least 30 minutes and up to four hours. (For extra flavor leave in refrigerator overnight).

3) When ready to cook, divide the meat into four equal parts and form into 1/2 inch thick patties.

4) Grill over high heat, turning over from time to time to prevent burning. For Cheeseburgers, add cheese 3 to 4 minutes before removing.

5) Pull the burgers off the grill and let sit for about a minute.

Build your hamburger with your favorite condiments and toppings and enjoy!

Tips for Grilling Gluten-free Any whole cut of meat or poultry is naturally gluten-free, unless they have added broths, seasonings, or marinades. If it’s not labeled, ask to speak with the meat market manager. Many people do not realize that ground or composed products, such as sausages, often contain wheat-

based fillers. Although marketed as “healthy alternatives,” most veggie burgers are stuffed with gluten. Keep an eye out for the few producers making gluten-free versions, such as Sunshine brand.

Sausages, hotdogs, and veggie burgers should clearly state on the packaging that they are gluten-free; if not, I would take it off your menu. If you are going to be making hotdogs or burgers, there are so many options now for buns, which can be found at nearly any grocery store. There is also the option to wrap the hotdogs or burgers in lettuce leaves (use trimmed iceberg for best results), or offer them on plates to eat with a knife and fork.

Dry rubs, marinades, seasoning blends, and prepared barbecue sauces can all contain gluten.

Anything that contains soy sauce has gluten in it unless they are specifically labeled gluten-free (look for gluten-free Tamari or San-Jay brand soy sauces). Marinades made with beer are off lim-

Gluten-free Hamburgers on the Grill

We can’t welcome summer without an all-American favorite like grilled hamburgers!

Ingredients: 4 gluten-free hamburger buns of your choice 1 lb. lean ground beef or ground chuck 2 tbsp. glutenfree Worcesterfor Additional shire sauce 1 tbsp. potato food options, go starch 3/4 tsp. salt online to something1 tsp. black specialamgagazine. pepper

Steps:

com for great recipes.

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Special Food its. Make sure you read the labels and when in doubt, either leave it out or contact the company to be certain that they are safe for all of your family and guests.

Barbecuing goes beyond just what is prepared on the grill. You always have side dishes, salads, beverages, and desserts to consider as well. Macaroni salad is a barbecue standard that can be made with gluten-free pasta. You can also substitute with a rice salad instead. Remember that bulgar, farro, spelt, couscous, and barley are all grains that must be avoided by anyone with gluten sensitivities. The good news?

Homemade potato salad, tossed green salads, and baked beans are easy to make, and are usually gluten-free if bought in stores!

Remember to thoroughly clean the grill and all utensils before cooking. It’s best to clean the grill

soon after cooking, rather than letting the residues harden. To clean the grill, turn up it up to a high heat, close the lid, and wait until almost all the residue has burned off. Remove any remaining bits and residue with a steel brush. It is important to realize that you cannot “burn off” gluten, so the grill must also be cleaned with hot, soapy water. End by wiping down the slats with olive oil and a rag until they are clean and smooth.

If the meal isn’t entirely glutenfree, avoid cross contamination by taking the following precautions: • Grill all items first and add the gluten containing buns to the grill last and after all other items have been removed.

• Grill gluten-free items in

aluminum foil so they do not come into contact with gluten containing sauces and marinades

• Prepare individual gluten

free appetizer plates for gluten-free guests, as chips, dips, cheese, crackers and other shared items can become contaminated

Check ingredient statements for hidden sources of gluten, including: all sauces, marinades and salad dressings; cocktail drink mixes; burgers, hotdogs, sausages, and meats made with fillers and/or bread crumbs; meat, poultry and fish purchased pre-seasoned or that have added ingredients; chowders or soups thickened with wheat flour; and seemingly safe desserts, including ice creams, puddings and parfaits.

The best type of safety you can offer your entire family is education. Let all your family and friends know about your glutenfree lifestyle, in order for all your gatherings can be safe and fun.

College is Possible The REACH Program at the College of Charleston is a 4-year, fully inclusive certificate program for students with mild intellectual disabilities.

Traveling this summer? When traveling with some dietary restrictions, it’s important to have a handy list of restaurants that can accommodate your family. Check out this website:

glutenfreeguidehq.com

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We focus on four pillars of success: · Academics · Social Skills · Independent Living Skills · Career Development

R.E.A.C.H. PROGRAM

Like REACH Program on Facebook for a closer look!

Features

We never know when we will be UNABLE to plan for our child.

How to get your child to eat veggies

Savannah's LARGEST selection of gluten free, peanut free and dairy free foods

For twenty years we have helped families and can help you: •

•

Prepare an estate plan that will take care of your child and prevent loss of public benefits Prepare a Special Needs Trust

•

•

Determine whether guardianship for your child is necessary when they turn 18 Negotiate the Medicaid and Social Security maze

YOUR CHILD IS YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET.

Don’t procrastinate and leave their future up to probate and strangers.

Dennis J Christensen PA 260 West Coleman Blvd. Suite D Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina 29464 843-971-1199 www.scelderlaw.com dennis@scelderlaw.com

FOUNDING

will put a

By: Janie Brodhead Brighter Day Natural Foods Market

SMILE on your face!

It isn’t an accident that food comes in such a variety of colors, tastes, and textures. Bright, densely colored fruits and veggies are chock full of nutrients. In ayurvedic medicine, taste is important – bitter, spicy green foods help stimulate digestion.

Texture often means fiber and we all know we need to get more of that in our diets.

We are historically meant to be hunters and gathers, eating a variety of foods according to what was seasonably available. A healthy diet is full of variety, but the typical American diet is quite monotonous: wheat is the main grain, chicken and beef are the main sources of protein, and potatoes and corn are the main vegetables. Challenge your family to be foragers! Hunt for a variety of colors, tastes, and textures in real, whole foods when you shop. Keep track of how many different colored fruits and veggies you can offer your family.

Here are some tips for getting your child to eat vegetables: •

Give them lots of healthy choices and let them choose.

• •

Let them assist in cooking.

Eat fresh; canned vegetables do not taste nearly as good as fresh.

•

Make it fun! “Carrots give you night vision.” “Look at all those broccoli trees on your plate!”

•

Limit snacks to the fruit bowl, veggies, hummus, and nut mix.

•

Make it saucy and dippy! Kids love dipping.

•

Be a good “veggie” role model.

“Monkey see, monkey do.”

•

Experiment. Your kid may not like cooked green beans, try spraying them with a little olive oil and bake them into green bean fries.

“You have to try it…but you don’t have to like it.”

•

Be sneaky! Grate, puree, and add those veggies into muffins, meatballs, and sauces.

•

Grown a container or backyard veggie garden. I promise you – if they grow it, they WILL eat it.

•

Let your kid shop with you in the produce aisle and make it fun.

“I need one red tomato and two orange carrots.”

•

Go to the Forsyth Farmers Market and talk to the farmers. Take advantage of Farm Day tours.

Celery, Sweet Bell Peppers, Spinach, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Kale/Greens, and Green Beans are foods that are often high in pesticide residue.

Choose organically grown for these vegetables.

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Features

Features Chef Adam Rast and two of his students.

Chef Adam Rast’s believes:

Cooking itself is easy.

You just make food hot. For someone to learn what materials to buy, what ingredients are healthy, how to read a recipe, it can be a challenge.

Chef of the Stars By: Avis Coleman

“The fact that I’m able to help them in profound ways and help them on the road to a better life is fantastic.”

When you work in the restaurant business, there is always the chance of tempers flaring. Many servers who have worked in the business have had to dodge a flying dish in their direction. There has even been a table or chair turned over by a dissatisfied customer or two.

In Chef Adam Rast’s kitchen, flying furniture and temperamental fits are the norm. And Adam relishes it.

Adam works with young and old people with special abilities. Trained in haute cuisine, the much-sought-after culinary expert had worked in Washington DC, moving his way up the corporate restaurant ladder. He dreamed of one day opening his own restaurant or becoming a food writer. Then his life changed.

The mother of a childhood friend, Susan Ingram, approached him with an idea to train people with special needs in the art of cooking and eating healthy. Susan is the Executive Director of Community Support Services in Bethesda, Maryland. That’s a community based

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non-profit for the developmentally disabled. Adam had worked as a counselor of autistic children a few years before. Susan felt Adam was a natural. “This career jumped out of nowhere,” remembers Adam. “The places I can go with it are endless. It is such an interesting career as well as spiritually gratifying. These people I am working with are great people. They have wonderful personalities and they’re fun to be with and work with.

The fact that I’m able to help them in profound ways and help them on the road to a better life is fantastic.”

Some days, however, are better than others. Adam tells about a particularly challenging client: “When he and the staffer (Residential Instructional Associate) first came to the kitchen to cook with me, his behaviors included a tendency to pull hot things off the stove in the assisted living house and throw them on the floor.

He would routinely raid the refrigerator at night and eat compulsively which presented a real worry that he might

accidentally suffocate. We decided we should try bringing him into the kitchen with the staff and prepare his meals in a more controlled environment with no one else there to make him uncomfortable. He would make his food and then take his prepared meals home with him. It took a lot of getting used to. Tables were up-ended, chairs were thrown and tomato sauce splattered on everything (I learned long ago that fresh white chef coats have a magnetic attraction to red sauces), but eventually he came to understand and accept the activity. We all look to our routines for comfort and once he settled into the idea that he was going to be there every day, preparing his own meals, he started to enjoy it.”

Besides working one-on-one with individual clients, Adam’s responsibilities include designing and implementing cooking instruction for the people in the residential program.

He works with the staff to make sure they have basic cooking skills, can follow a recipe, shop for the appropriate items and understand basic kitchen safety and sanitation.

He also facilitates the Garden to Table program with a local farming commune for autistic people called the Red Wiggler Farm. Adam managed the receipt and distribution of over 2,000 pounds of donated fresh produce.

Adam is married to Jennifer who works for an accounting firm. She’s very supportive of his work and is familiar with it. Her mother has been in Special Education for 35 years.

This career/vocation involves a lot of hours and a lot of emotional equity.

But Adam enjoys the challenge, “It’s kinda tough. I serve 100 plus clients a week. They all have their own specific likes and dislikes. I always want to make sure they have a good time and enjoy what they’re making and eating. I can’t please everybody,” Adam says. “Every once in a while someone doesn’t like what we’re doing. It is difficult when you have ten clients in a group. You have to plan something different every week. It’s exhausting” Adam describes his work as “part school, part of it is respite, part of it is a day camp program for people (predominately children) with autism.

It’s really a place where these guys come because they do not fit in anywhere else. Some of them are older gentlemen. I have several clients in their 50s and 60s. We also have visually impaired people who are finding it difficult to fit into a normal setting.”

Adam’s approach is multi-faceted. He says he’s not just teaching them to cook, but also how to eat healthy. “Cooking is something you can only do if you have the right materials available. Cooking itself is

easy. You just make food hot. For someone to learn what materials to buy. What ingredients are healthy, how to read a recipe, it can be a challenge. Some of our clients do not have reading skills. We’re developing picture recipes for food, using pictures to show the steps we’re taking and using pictures for shopping and menus. I have had several parents come tell me how happy they are that their son or daughter is cooking with them now. Their child wants to cook and enjoys it. It is something they can do with their parents. There are a few of my clients I would hire in a heartbeat if I were running a kitchen. I predict that within six months, some of them will be hired.”

Adam hopes to go into food research one day and may possibly go back to school for a degree in dietetics or nutritional science. “I am hooked,” says Adam. “I am helping people. And even if they are having a bad day, they appreciate what I am doing and they need it. Nothing could have prepared me better for this job than working in a professional restaurant. It taught me patience.

The yelling and screaming does not bother me. I am used to it. Knives, well, you get used to the knives and the fire. I have had cheese custards thrown at my head and not by my clients.

“This is so much easier than being in a kitchen from a labor standpoint. It exercises my brain a lot more than being in a kitchen. I can be creative with recipes and food. I make it healthy and make it something people can understand. I am constantly thinking of new and better ways to do that. The possibilities are infinite.”

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Features Navigating Autism

Navigating Autism

As I sit down to write this article, I am thinking of how my daughter just went off to school. Most parents don’t really give this as much thought as I do, but I find myself doing this everyday - rating our days. Did Elizabeth do this task this morning? Did she try this new skill today? How clear was her language today?

SPD and Apraxia By: Michele Gianetti

We are on a unique life journey.

Those who are reading this article may be wondering why I travel this mental checklist everyday. The answer is my family and I are on a road or journey with our daughter and the disorders of SPD and dyspraxia.

SPD or sensory processing disorder is a disorder that affects how the nervous systems inputs sensory information and turns it into the appropriate behavioral response. It sounds like a great deal of information, but what it really means on our home front is that for our child, all sensations felt offensive or wrong to her. Clothing bothered her, shoes made her cry, and food textures did the same. She cried non-stop as an infant and toddler.

Dyspraxia is a disorder that affects motor planning, the organization of thoughts and the planning and executing of a series of movements. For Elizabeth this means that all tasks of skills have had to be taught to her. Not once or twice, but many times, in a step-by-step fashion until she gets it. Running, jumping, writing, brushing teeth and even talking have had to be broken down and taught to her.

Dyspraxia for Elizabeth is global, affecting all areas. One of the hard36 l Something Special

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est parts of the disorder is the part you cannot see, the part that affects her thinking.

Our life has been so different from many of my friends who were going to playgroups or preschool with their children, while we worried how Elizabeth would do in a store or library. We were on our own unique life journey, and life for Elizabeth was a constant act of catching-up.

Our beautiful child, was so afraid of the world, so trapped by her two disorders that while other infants and toddlers were happily exploring the world, she couldn’t. While preschoolers were coloring and making friends, she was not able to. We began therapy when she was two and that has made all the difference. The therapies have taken on many forms including speech, occupational therapy for her sensory needs as well as the dyspraxia, music therapy, Wallbarger therapy (brushing protocol), and play therapy, all of which have helped the pieces of the puzzle come together.

Elizabeth is 15 now and she is a testimony to what hard work and a beautiful group of therapists can do. The child who was once afraid of the world laughs and smiles everyday. The child who was once afraid of shoes picks her own clothes and even has typical teenage moments when she does not know what to wear. Elizabeth is happy. Her disorders will never go away but her gains have been amazing.

I reevaluate each day because I know that her needs are changing.

New skills will need to be learned and many new social situations will need to be navigated. I continue to do the

mental checklist because I do not want to miss something that Elizabeth might need. Those who have a special needs child know that their child is always with them, they may be at school or with a friend but they are always with them.

I am proud of where Elizabeth is. I look back to her as a baby and know we have come so far. I hope our story will reach those who may wonder if the therapy they are doing for their child has merit. I hope our story will reach those who may be questioning if all they are doing is really helping their child. IT IS! I want our story to offer hope. We all need to know you can make a difference in your child’s life.

About the Author:

Michele Gianetti is a registered nurse, who previously worked as a school nurse before becoming a stay-at-home mom and eventually an advocate for her second child, who has special needs.

Michele is the author of the book “I Believe In You: A Mother and Daughter’s Special Journey” about her daughter who has SPD and Dyspraxia.

To learn more, please visit Michele’s blog on her website michelegianetti.com

Features

A Father’s Love Photos & article by Brian Mengini

A Father’s Love a photo series, celebrates those fathers who champion and advocate for their special needs child.

Although my son is on the autism spectrum and also diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, the series is not disorder specific. There is also no cost to have your portrait taken and participate in the series.

I feel it is imperative that we show fathers who are “do-ers,” and who wish to be involved in every facet of their child’s life.

Fatherhood Advocacy Network gives men an opportunity to network and discuss our stories of battle, tales of glory and anything in between.

Our website will feature guest bloggers and the network will also host social outings for dads and dads and their kids!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: available online at: fatherhoodadvocacynetwork.org

It is imperative that we show fathers who are “do-ers,” and who wish to be involved in every facet of their child’s life.

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Features Navigating Autism

Navigating Autism

2013 SURFERS HEALING CAMPS

Photos By: Jennie Beard Above and Righ: Sufers Healing Participants: Daniel (gray shorts) and Braeden REED(green shorts) on Folly Beach in S.C.

Surfer’s

Healing Surfer’s Healing, A Foundation for Autism, was founded by Israel and Danielle Paskowitz.

Their son, Isaiah, was diagnosed with autism at age three. Like many autistic children, he often suffered from sensory overload-- simple sensations could overwhelm him. The ocean was the one place where he seemed to find respite.

A former competitive surfer, Israel hit upon an idea--with Isaiah on the front of his surfboard, and Izzy steering from the back, the two spent the day surfing together.

Surfing had a profound impact on Isaiah.

Israel and Danielle decided they wanted to share this unique therapy with other autistic children. They began to host day camps at the beach where autistic children and their fam38 l Something Special

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June 1st – Malibu, CA June 26th – Doheny State Park, CA July 17th – San Diego, CA August 15th - Ocean City, MD August 17th – Virginia Beach, VA August 19th – Wrightsville Beach, NC August 21st – Folly Beach, SC August – 24th – Toronto, CN August 25th – Toronto, CN September 8th – Belmar, NJ September 9th – Belmar, NJ September 12th – Lido Beach, NY September 13th – Montauk, NY September 14th – Narragansett, RI ilies could be exposed to a completely new experience of surfing.

Surfer’s Healing wants to enhance the lives of kids with special needs, specifically those with autism We achieve that by sharing the therapeutic experience of surfing with autistic children and their families that provides them a beautiful day together at the beach with a close knit, passionate and expert volunteer base and support system offering care and acceptance.

At an SFA event, 200 children and young adults with autism and related special abilities spend the day being pushed into waves by expert instructors. The result is always the same: complete and total transformation in a moment. Transformative moments are not the exclusive province of the surfers, as parents also undergo a shift in thinking. Goals and milestones once missed or forgotten suddenly come into sharp focus.

Surfers For AUTISM Camps May 18 - Stuart Beach, Hutchinson Island, FL 5th Annual Treasure Coast Surfers For Autism

June 8 - Lori Wilson Park, Cocoa Beach, FL 5th Annual Space Coast Surfers For Autism

July 13- Municipal Beach, Treasure Island, FL 3rd Annual Bay Area Surfers For Autism August 3- Lighthouse Point Park, Ponce Inlet, FL 4th Annual Inlet Surfers For Autism August 17- Flagler Beach Pier, Flagler Beach, FL 4th Annual First Coast Surfers For Autism Sept. 7 - Tybee Beach Pier, Tybee Island, GA 3rd Annual Coastal Empire Surfers For Autism Sept. 21 - 14th Street N Beach, Jacksonville, FL 4th Annual North Coast Surfers For Autism

October 12 - Vanderbilt Beach, Naples, FL 2nd Annual Everglades Surfers For Autism

Additional Information:

Nov. 2 - Crescent Beach Park, Ft Myers Beach, FL 3rd Annual Gulf Coast Surfers For Autism

Sign Up: surfershealing.org to sign up Detailed sign-up instructions and additional camp information will be posted after April 1st.

Nov. 16 - Carolina Public Beach, Puerto Rico 2nd Annual Carolina Beach Surfers For Autism

To be placed on the waiting list of an already full camp, please contact jeff@ surfershealing.org

All dates and locations subject to change without notice.

Note: Once you reach the OPTIONAL donation page, your application has been received. You are NOT required to donate to be accepted to our Free surf camp.

Please watch your email for confirmation.

All camps are subject to change due to permits and funding. Also, out of respect for the children, please no dogs of any kind allowed on the beach during Surfers Healing events.

REGISTER AT: surfersforautism.org

Through the experience of surfing, Surfer’s Healing attains greater mainstream acceptance for both the families of and kids living with autism.

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Features

Features

ABA Tip of the Quarter Interviewing prospective BCBA’s and ABA providers By: Zahra Hajiaghamohseni

Depending on where you are, you might have more than one option when it comes to ABA providers. If so, take the time to interview them and find out their background, qualifications, experience, and see how they interact with your child.

In addition, it is important for you to get information on business practices to ensure your family receives a high quality service from an experienced professional. Taking time to interview a provider can save you lots of potential stress down the road.

plied behavior analysis, but it does not automatically qualify you as an autism expert. Attending ongoing conferences or trainings for ASD provide the BCBA with that additional knowledge base.

What kind of assessment tools do you use and how does this relate to my child’s treatment plan?

1) Direct observation: Interviews with the client, caregivers, and other professionals

Here are some important questions to ask a BCBA while interviewing them:

Data from standardized assessments (these assessments should be individualized for each client

What experience do you have with children with ASD/ages/ level of severity?

2) Problem Behavior Assessment: Your child’s treatment plan should not be based on only 1 tool (e.g.

ABLLS-R or VB-MAPP)

BCBA who has training and supervised clinical experience with clients with special needs across different functioning levels and ages will be better suited to meet your child’s unique needs.

The assessment tools will reveal areas that need to be addressed (e.g. fine motor, play skills, academics, self-management)

Do you attend trainings, workshops, etc. about autism and ABA? BCBA or BCaBA should be familiar with and rely on peer-reviewed literature, established treatment protocols, and decision trees for the ASD population.

Receiving a BCBA certification means that you have passed the knowledge requirements for ap-

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When prioritizing the order in which to address multiple goals, the following should always be considered: 3) Behaviors that threaten self or others: Behaviors that prevent student/family from attending normalized environments in the community or at school (e.g., self-injury or aggression, non-compliance).

Absence of developmentally appropriate adaptive, social, or functional skills (e.g. toileting, dressing, feeding, compliance with medical procedures)

that are fundamental to maintain health, social inclusion, and increased independence.

What is your caseload size?

Caseload size on average for a BCBA without support of a BCaBA is 6-12.

Caseload size for a BCBA who has support of a BCaBA can be between 16-24.

How often will you provide onsite supervision to the paraprofessionals/tutors?

The amount of supervision varies depending on individual client needs or insurance requirements.

1-2 hours of supervision for every 10 hours of direct treatment is the general standard of care.

Tricare DEMONSTRATION program requires 2.0 hours a month for each tutor. This means that the BCBA or BCaBA should provide each tutor on your child’s team with an individual onsite or remote live two-way video and audio interaction supervision session each month.

What training do you provide me/my family?

A child will have a higher rate of positive outcomes if parents are actively involved with the home program and trained to implement techniques consistently.

BCBA should provide an initial training series on ABA principles and techniques.

BCBA should discuss your child’s home treatment plan and get your input in the same manner the school would for an IEP annual review.

BCBA may give you additional trainings on problem behaviors, potty training, using visual supports etc. based on your child’s individual needs.

What training do your paraprofessionals/tutors receive?

Some insurance programs require

specific training requirements such as the PDD waiver or Tricare prior to approving a paraprofessional/tutor.

Please check with your insurance case manager.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *These guidelines are based on the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s “Guidelines for ABA.”

Initial: (may include) • HIPPA/ethics • What is autism/ASD? • Developmental milestones • ABA procedures

The complete document can be found at bacb.com.

On-going: Therapists should receive ongoing training to maintain and improve their skills in the field of ABA and ASD. Group practices may have monthly training or staff development days to discuss new information or provide training.

Where will my child’s therapy take place?

Treatment provided in multiple settings, with multiple adults and/or siblings will promote generalization and maintenance of therapeutic benefits.

Settings may include: • Home • School • Clinic • Places in the community ** Your child should not exclusively receive intervention in a clinic setting.

In order to promote generalization and long-term maintenance, your BCBA and therapy team should work on skills in your child’s natural environments.

What coordination of care will you do with my child’s other therapists?

Consultation with other professionals such as the school, outside speech, outside OT or PT helps ensure client progress through efforts to coordinate care and ensure consistency.

Treatment goals are most likely to be achieved when there is a shared understanding and coordination among all healthcare providers and professionals.

ABX Solutions, LLC Providing clients with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services geared towards improving overall quality of life.

ABX SolutionS emPHASizeS • • •

Functional Skills Highly qualified therapists Small caseloads for more individualized attention

• •

Parent training Coordination of care with school and other related services

Contact us: zahra Haji, m.S., BCBA zahra@abxsolutions.org 843-532-8349

www.abxsolutions.org

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Features

Features

Proud

to be a Pop We asked our readers to write in about some guys that are Proud to be a Papa.

Here are some of the amazing responses we received. We wish we had room to print all of them. They all warmed our hearts.

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Photos by: Casey Husrt Above: Jason, Tucker and Dylan

Loves ‘em Like They’re His Own By: Avis Coleman

They met on the job at the Wal-Mart distribution center. She was a single mother of two boys.

He was a shy, single guy who took awhile to ask her out. From the beginning, Casey Hurst wanted Jason to know that one of her children has a severe disability. It didn’t faze Jason one bit.

Tucker is Casey’s oldest son. He is twelve and his younger brother, Dylan, is 10. Tucker has Hunter syndrome, or MPS II which is a genetic disorder where the body has an enzyme deficiency where the enzymes don’t pass through as they are supposed to. They store up in the body and cause severe developmental issues. In Tucker’s case he suffers stunted growth, curved wrists, stiff knees, and ankles that don’t bend. He can still walk, talk and smile, but his health is declining.

When Jason finally asked Casey for a date, his first request was for her to show him how to change Tucker’s diaper so he could help her. Casey was smitten. “I knew then and there that he was absolutely perfect.” “He spends every minute with them, from teaching Dylan how to ride a bike and play baseball, to singing songs with Tucker.”

When the two married, they quickly settled into a 50/50 share of the responsibility of the kids.

Jason jumps in with the diapers, feedings, laun-

dry, and baths. “Dylan was three when Jason and I got married.

He was so young Jason was all he knew. He taught Dylan all the normal boy things and with Tucker, he is such a big help.

Tucker takes tons of medicines, we switch off every night,” says Casey.

“When I met her kids, I knew that I could take on the daddy role if she wanted a relationship with me, and I’m glad she decided to give me a try,” says Jason.

He takes that responsibility to heart – going to all the doctor’s visits. He was by Tucker’s side for emergency helicopter rides and near-death scares. “My job is to make sure they’re happy and raise them like they’re my own.”

“People ask me if we want more kids. I tell them that, as far as I’m concerned, Tucker and Dylan are mine. For me, two are good,” says Jason “I don’t know how to do anything other than be a dad and husband and do what

my family needs. I was raised to help people, to respect people and help out those I care about.

I have to make them happy.

That’s the most important thing to me.”

Casey and Jason treasure every second they have with Tucker. He’s regressing and they are scared that any day could be his last. “We cry a lot together,” Casey said. “Jason came across some schoolwork from when Tucker could draw a few days ago. I walked into the room and found Jason crying. We sat down and cried for an hour together saying how much we miss Tucker even though he is still here.

This disease is so tough because it takes so much away. We are watching him slowly slip away from us. But to see Jason crying alone over a drawing just makes my heart melt. That shows how much he loves Tucker as his own.”

Jason says it is easy to love

these little boys. “Tuck will climb into your lap and demand your attention.”

Casey and Jason are professional photographers and donate their talent at the MPS II conferences they attend. There are always at least 300 - 400 families going through the same thing they are. Jason and Casey take pictures of the children and the families. “Other parents don’t have as many photos as we do.

We take tons of pictures and put them on our site for them to use for free.”

The Hursts appreciate these conferences where they learn from other parents and try to stay on top of any medical advances in Tucker’s condition.

They share their experiences as well.

Jason knows the signs to look for when Tucker’s getting sick.

Children with this disorder can’t communicate and don’t feel pain

“My job is to make sure they’re happy and raise them like they’re my own.”

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Features

Features

and sensation easily. Caregivers know to look for clues. “You look for the more subtle ailments – red eyes, runny nose, pulling on their ear. These are subtle clues to watch out for.”

Jason and Casey were both

by Tucker’s side through his chronic bouts with pneumonia when he was airlifted to Augusta because he couldn’t breathe. “He was having so much trouble you could see his ribs as he was trying desperately to get oxygen.”

“I don’t know a lot of dads who do all that he does. Especially not one that willingly walked into this life and loves every minute of it,” Casey says.

“Jason says these boys are his boys and he loves them to death.

He is patient, supportive, loving and gentle.” Casey pointed out a Facebook post that Jason had shared. “While waking Tuck up, I realized that I love him so unconditionally. If given the choice, I would never consider trading him or Dylan for kids that were my own biologically. I love them so much and they are my kids in my mind. They act like me, they talk like me, they love on me and I feel like I’m their father. I love being their father because they are absolutely the most perfect kids.”

Casey says that just about sums Jason up. “He keeps us all strong when things get hard or when Tucker has had a bad day.

He IS the greatest dad ever.”

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The Promise A Mountain Makes By: Renee Peek

I stopped by to see my dad today because…well… because I can. My friends and I are getting old-ish and not everyone’s parents are still living and not everyone lives in the same town with their folks. I appreciate that I do on both counts. As I drove around to finish up my errands and catch up on my week, it dawned on me that I had this indulgent ability (after living away for twelve years it seems indulgent to me) to stop by my parent’s house at will. And, then it occurred to me that I should…because one day I won’t be able to and I’ll wish I could. One day, it won’t be a choice I get to make and, on that day, I’m going to wish I had taken more detours to stop by and say hello and sit for a bit because I owe that man a LOT. And it’s not like it’s out of my way because I live close to them now. I spent twelve years living on the East Coast and when I moved back to Cali, I moved to the town where my folks live. When you’re a single parent as well as a single parent who has autism on your plate, you don’t isolate yourself.

You look for the place where the reinforcements and support live. My folks just live about five miles away, around a corner and through the almond orchards. It’s even a pretty drive in the spring when the rain visits us.

My father is a mountain of a man. I mean it…a mountain.

He is old school in a big way, not a father/daughter dance guy or let’s-play-tennis kind of guy. Even as he settles into the back side of his sixties, he is still the strongest man I know. I’d put him up against a twenty something boy any day. Each one of my dad’s biceps is like a mini mountain range itself. He is crazy strong. He can move things even as he nears seventy that most people couldn’t budge. And, seriously, my dad has never stepped foot into a gym. He’s not that dad at all. He’s oilfield tough to his core. He’s the kind of old school strong that believed the only way to be a real man is with good, old fashioned, get your hands dirty, hard work. He has that kind of mettle within him they don’t seem to make much anymore.

One of my favorite stories about him comes from his early oilfield days. It went like this: On days when they were waiting for something to happen and needed to fill their time, the guys would start stacking sacks. The bags were kind of like giant flour sacks, a hundred pounds a piece, but filled with this stuff called barite they use to add weight to drilling fluid.

One guy would get down on the ground on all fours while his buddies would start stacking 100 pound bags of barite on his back. The stacking of barite bags would continue, 100 pounds at a time, until the man on the ground couldn’t withstand anymore or else collapsed under the weight of it. They finally quit stacking them on my father’s back when they had TEN bags stacked, 1000 pounds, balanced on the back of the bull.

Like I said, he is a mountain.

The other thing you have to know about my dad is he is completely that old-school-kind-of-honest, a man of his word.

If he says he’s going to do it, if he shakes your hand, you better consider it done. It’s binding. He does not break his word

or go back on a handshake because he is from the days when men didn’t need a written contract since a hand shake meant more. And, do you know how many times I can remember him breaking a promise or his word to me or anyone else? Not ever.

Not once.

I have not told this story before.

It is testament to who he is but, in all honesty, I don’t write personal stories about my parents often. This is also something he and I don’t really speak of. He is not one to reminisce about his triumphs. That’s not him at all. It is just one more page of our story, from many chapters back, the story of autism, when it first barged into our lives, and of the jaw dropping lengths great dads will go to for their children.

Once upon a time, in the middle of the autism-trauma that gripped my life, my mountain-of-a man-dad made this promise he had no authority to make and, truly, it was a promise I had no right to grab hold of with both hands but he did and so did I. I latched on hard to that promise. If you rewind back to the summer of 2002, you will find me in Ohio, a blubbering mess, still hiding in my bathtub, scared to death of autism and what it meant to my family. In those early months of hearing the big ‘A’ word and being crushed under its weight for the first time, I was an emotional basket case. Is my boy’s life over? Is there any reason to fight? How do you fight something that even the doctor’s don’t really understand? Like I said, I was taking cover in the bathtub underneath the bubbles most of the time when I wasn’t taking care of my newborn, my two-year-old and four-year-old all alone and away from family in Ohio.

My parents and I talk frequently.

More than once a week, usually three times a week, but sometimes, if a recipe is in question, three times a day. It all depends on the day. My father calls one morning to see how we all are. I am sure the phone call started with my mom and then was handed off to my dad when she realized how upset I was becoming as I tried to fight autism alone…and all hopped up on postpartum hormones (which is never good). In my downin-the-dumps, how-do-I-fight-autism pity party, my dad hauls right off and does this crazy thing from out of the blue. As he listens to me cry while

I ask what’s going to happen to my boy, he interrupts my frailty and my want to give up and give in.

He interrupts me and comforts me by saying, “He’s going to be fine.”

So, being the emotionally-crazed-postpartum-mom that I was that day, I ask, “How do you know?”

And, in his don’t-worry-I’ve-gotthis kind of voice that he has, he says, “I just know. That’s just the way it’s going to be.” He has this way, when he uses that voice, of laying down the law. Mountains can do that because the mountain has never broken a promise and their little girls believe what the mountain says because mountains never lie.

Suddenly feeling like I am catapulted back to my days as his little girl, I feel like I am facing Santa and want to ask for more…so I ask, “And, he’ll go to regular kindergarten?” I ask as though I am challenging him but he does not take it as a challenge because he is the mountain and mountains never back down.

He simply tells me, “Yes.” And I cry a little harder because I have the reports upstairs in my room that show my nearly three-year-old boy with receptive and expressive language skills that are at an abysmal nine month old level and I want to believe anyone who will tell me he will be better. With my mom-in-crisis tears falling I ask, “You promise?”

“I promise you he is going to be fine,” he tells me without any pause in his voice because mountains do not have to think before they answer tough questions.

No matter how much it didn’t make sense or seem plausible and

no matter how much he did not have the backing or medical authority to make that statement, he did and I clung to his promise. You have to remember my father is not a doctor, he is not a psychologist, he is not a knower-of-things related to kiddos.

He is a man who knows tools, cars, engines, and all things oil field. He is not a man who knows about autism, childhood development, milestones or how many words his grandson should know by two years old. He is not that guy. He does not change diapers or do bottles, not on his own children or his grandkids. What he is, is a man you can count on and he knows about life in the big picture.

He is your go-to guy in a pinch. He is the guy who fixes things, makes promises he will keep, and he is the guy you go to when everything is falling apart because, somehow you know, he will make it better. He is the man who gives faith and hope back in the moments when you think your life is void of them…and he helps you believe it will get better even when you don’t see how that is possible.

He made a promise to me that day that essentially said, “I’ve got this. I’ve got your back. I’m going to take the worry and fret from you and let you put your eyes on the prize, concentrate on the work ahead.

Keep looking at the big picture and don’t get so mired down in the microscopic muck.”

He promised me my boy would make it to regular ed by kinder and my boy did. The school may not have thought of the idea first or thought it was a splendid idea, but it happened. The school may have winced a bit, felt sorry for me and ca-

He is a go-to guy.

He is the guy who fixes things, makes promises he will keep, and he is the guy you go to when everything is falling apart because, somehow you know, he will make it better.

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pitulated a bit but, in the end, my boy opened all our eyes and the mountain kept his promise. Believe me, it was a game changer of a promise.

For me, for my boy, and for a school district who held a meeting to apologize to me for pigeonholing my boy’s abilities before he had a chance to shine. In their words of apology to me they said, “He is our red flag and a lesson to us all that sometimes we just don’t know how far children will rise up until we let them. We thought we knew what his functioning level would be and we were wrong.”

To this day, even knowing as much as I do about autism and having teaching credentials in regular and special ed, I do not know how my dad knew what he did or was confident enough to make that promise to me. Perhaps it was old school intuition, perhaps it was luck, or perhaps it was a glint he saw in his grandson’s eye. I have no explanations. I just know that to this day he has never broken a promise to me and I am not sure that he or anyone else will ever understand how much that promise meant to me and how much I clung to it in the darker moments when I had nothing else to hold on to.

So, for as long as I can, I will keep stopping in to see the mountain of a man I call my father and I will watch every John Wayne movie and Audie Murphy western known to man if that is what my dad is watching because there is something remarkable in that man and I want to spend as much time at the foot of that mountain for as long as I can until I can’t go to the mountain anymore. I may not ever fully understand how he knows what he knows but I understand enough to know that promise changed our lives and the best part of life is the family that holds you together and gives you faith when your faith bucket is empty.

And, without preaching, I will say call your parents and say hello if you can because you can and you should.

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Special Kids Need Special Dads!

Sometimes the journey to becoming a special father starts before your child is even born.

In 1991, Dr. (Col) Michael Grosz was a Captain in the Special Forces. When he returned from the Gulf War, he faced overwhelming chronic fatigue, body pain, constant headaches, and persistent skin rashes. Like many of the Gulf War veterans, little was provided in answers or treatment from Military or Veteran’s clinics and the prognosis given him was very poor.

Determined to find a way to recover from Gulf War illness, Michael researched numerous wellness modalities and eventually over the course of ten years found healing through the combination of Chiropractic and nutritional interventions. He was so impressed by his own healing that he went on to complete his own doctoral degree in Chiropractic at Life University followed by extensive post-doctoral training in nutrition and wellness modalities. Dr. Mike did not know at that time that these skills would eventually lead to him being able to help both of his future children, in addition to many other children and adults with special needs.

When Dr. Mike brought his then 15-month-old daughter, Leilani Rose, home from China four and an half years ago, she had severe developmental delays due to the deprivation she experienced in the orphanage. She could not hold her head up, sit up or even crawl. She was listless and suffered from nutritional deficiencies. Together, with his wife, psychologist Dr. Tamara Grosz, Dr. Mike implecomprehensive neuro-developmental

enrichment program with dietary interventions.

Leilani is now a thriving five- year-old who is excelling in her pre-school program.

Following a deployment, four years ago Dr. Mike decided to transfer to the Army Reserve and dedicate himself full time to the recovery of his 11-year-old son Geoffrey from autism. Initially trained in the DAN Method (Defeat Autism Now), Dr. Mike saw the need for a gentler recovery model that focuses on building up the immune system and gradual detoxification from the variety of toxins that plague many children with autism. Dr. Mike has had the privilege to meet with many other doctors who have helped other

Dr. Mike and his children

Dr. Mike’s philosophy on chronic illnesses: Remove the toxins, clean up the diet, introduce a form of regular exercise, and remove neural interference structural misalignment through chiropractic adjustments. children and adults recover from a wide variety of chronic diseases and their recommendations were utilized to help his son further. In addition, he also implements a comprehensive neuro-developmental home school program with Geoffrey that has significantly improved his language, socialization, and physical skills.

Dr. Mike’s philosophy on chronic illnesses is simple. Remove the toxins, clean up the diet, introduce a form of regular exercise, and remove neural interference structural misalignment through chiropractic adjustments. This allows the body to heal itself.

Although Dr. Mike closed his full time chiropractic practice when he was called back to active duty a number of years ago, he is still dedicated to helping other families of children achieve optimal func-

tioning for their children with special needs. He offers periodic parenting skills workshops for families and has even started Special Needs Dad Boot Camps for other fathers that want to learn simple strategies to improve the health of their children and families.

“Together fathers can support each other and provide the encouragement needed in times of frustration. It is essential to focus on the small achievements that, over time, can add up to significant improvements for our children” says Dr. Mike.

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Above: Ken Stewart

History and Technology

A Winning Combination By: Avis Coleman

It is the perfect storm - a beautiful city, hard-working father, energetic creative daughter and a special need. Ken Stewart wanted to teach his daughter a life lesson and found a vocation and a great excuse to spend more time with his girls – especially his child with developmental concerns.

Kaitlyn was diagnosed at six months old with hydrocephalic disorder (water on the brain). Even with the shunt that was soon implanted to drain that excess fluid, the 24-year-old has the function of an average ten-month-old.

The buildup that had pressured her brain before anyone was aware she had this condition had already done its damage.

and squares of Savannah. And it struck Ken that they could make an app using their knowledge of Savannah and their video/computer skills. And that’s what they did.

With the help of a family friend, Shannon Scott, the father-daughter duo began creating a video-based, self-guided tour of downtown Savannah.

Shannon is the narrator whose face and voice pops up every time the user taps a location. He tells the user all about the attraction. The App sells for $2.99 and can be downloaded on any Android or iPhone. Through the application, there is a photo gallery, 60 videos, audio narratives, a tour map and even GPS to help the visitor get from one beautiful location to the

A father who lives every day to find purpose

& fulfillment for his child

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is the coolest.

Kaitlyn is blessed to have a loving family devoted to her. Her father, Ken, is a stay-at-home dad who taps his creative juices to keep her learning and developing as much as possible. One day, he decided to create a “life skills project” for her that would hone her organizational skills.

The two of them have always enjoyed exploring the historic houses

next. Kaitlyn has been involved with its creation from the first day. “Her job is taking care of the equipment, watching my back so I don’t get hit by cars, editing, keeping up with the schedule,” says the proud father.

“She is the organizing and time-management expert and motivator. She keeps us on top of our game.”

In a matter of weeks, what started out as a life skills lesson has turned into so much more. “Every time we go out she’s smiling and she’s making friends for the first time in her life. That was the most important thing,” says Ken. “The gravy is that we’re turning out a good product that people are enjoying. The fact that it’s the first of its kind side is a side benefit.” The team is already planning five more apps. They are planning a Haunted Tour app, a

Bonaventure tour and a Hollywood in Savannah guide. Next the group will branch out to tackle Charleston and St. Augustine’s tour potential.

The sky’s the limit for these history and technology experts.

Ken is a meditation and Tai-Chi instructor and has taught thousands over the last twenty years. His wife, Pam, is a pediatric nurse at Memorial. This vocation that Ken and Kaitlyn have stumbled upon is fast becoming a family affair. Kaitlyn’s younger sister, Kasey (22), a recent Armstrong graduate and an office manager for two insurance companies, will work with her on the Hollywood app. The two girls have a special bond and are looking forward to working together. “They have much respect for each other and love each other very much,” says Ken. “Kasey knows how much Kaitlyn has accomplished given her delays. And Kaitlyn respects Kasey for the good person she has become and what a good role model she is. They are both always interested in what the other one is wearing and doing.”

While the surprise monetary benefit from this life skills lesson may prove beneficial, it was not the orig-

inal purpose. “When you see someone blossom from a shy, young girl playing with Legos and Barbies with no friends and never a phone call from anyone other than family, into a young lady caring about how she looks, excited about getting up in the morning and excited about meeting friends and being more professional, you realize how important this is to her. Then you see her on the computer, editing photographs, employing higher levels of thinking, these are the huge benefit from this little project,” says Ken. Ken’s justifiably proud of both of his children and his new product.

He is understandably excited about its potential, especially the Haunted Tour that’s just wrapped up production, “It’s gonna rock! Oh it’s good.

There are 25 sites - three times more than any tour downtown. It’s got almost 40 videos and each video is different with stories and special effects. It works like the other one.

At every stop there’s a pop up video that tells you a haunted story. There are little things that don’t belong that add to the story - candles, spooks, and zombies. It’s really cool.”

And a father who lives every day to find purpose and fulfillment for his child is the coolest of all.

The Haunted House app is already available for iPhone and Android users. For more information on the Historic Savannah or Haunted House app, go to SGADVENTURES.com.

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Seal of Approval

Coastal Therapy Services Inc.

South Carolina Favorites DENTIST GROUP IN SOUTH CAROLINA - Kid’s Teeth At Kid’s Teeth we provide oral health care to infants, children and adolescents with special health care needs.

Our doctors and staff are trained to provide preventive, diagnostic and restorative care to these patients along with managing individual behavior as it relates to physical, emotional, cognitive and sensory development. Our goals are to provide an atmosphere that is safe and comfortable for the patient and parents.

With a focus on prevention through education, dietary guidance and home care training we are able to come alongside parents to encourage and assist in providing good oral health to our patients. Through regular and consistent visits we are able to assess and monitor their oral and dental development and focus on

Teach Right: School Supplies for Summer

prevention of dental disease. When necessary, we provide advanced behavior guidance techniques involving varying levels of sedation based on the patient’s individual needs. Our office is also available to work with caregivers and therapists for happy visits. The children can come in without an appointment to become more familiar with the dental office. Come on over during the summer and meet our talented staff.

A GREAT PLACE FOR A DEAL - GoCharlestonDeals.com Holly Roberson, President of Go Charleston Deals, LLC is committed to growing Charleston businesses and helping out the consumer.

GoCharlestonDeals is a service were people sign up to receive Daily Deals by way of digital coupons. You can receive the coupons in a daily email or through the website. “Everyone

Our must haves from TEACH RIGHT in Rincon, Georgia. Can’t make it to the store, visit the website and order away! If you do visit, don’t worry… kids are entertained with items like a SAND TABLE while you shop! Its a sensory sensation!

School supplies • •

• •

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wins”, says, Holly. The goal is to customize the deal to attract repeat customers, and give the customer a deal to save money on a product or service they are likely to use anyway.

Truly everyone does win. Because the deal site is locally managed, they are able to provide excellent service to the business and the consumer.

You get the personal touch, a slice of Charleston, and whether you live in Charleston, visit Charleston, or just want a deal from a business in Charleston that can ship to you, you win a great deal.

Connected with the loop - $7.80 Panda scissors, have a rubber part you can move to adapt the scissors from fully spring-loaded to normal scissors, so you can gradually adjust as motor skills increase - $2.49 Triangular Crayons - Regular size $3.99 Jumbo - $4.99 Summer Fit, will help prepare children for the next grade level and will help keep them in the routine of doing schoolwork during the summer - $12.95

Holly Roberson, President of Go Charleston Deals

•

Manner Mats - visual cues that can travel to help children with social skills - $9.99

•

Blunders Game - also for social skills, makes learning them into a fun family activity - $24.99

•

Teachable Touchables - sensory bean bags that are in different textures. Also comes with directions for playing different games using them - $24.99

For additional information visit their website:

teachrightstore.com

Additional information:

Coastal Therapy Services offer pediatric speech, occupational and physical therapy all under one roof, and often times, think OUTSIDE that box.

After speaking with just one of the therapists at Coastal Therapy, Jill Shuler, M.S.R, CCC-SLP, I was sold on the authenticity of this place.

Parents can go here and feel confident that their child’s needs will be met.

With 25 therapists between the clinics in Mt.

Phone: 843-216-0290 Website: coastaltherapyservices.com

Happy Feet Dance Camps:

Pleasant and Goose Creek, a wide variety of programs are available, including Social Skills, Feeding Therapy, even a DANCE Camp called “Happy Feet”. Three wellequipped sensory gyms in each clinic allow for climbing, crashing, and swinging to meet those motor and sensory needs.

The family atmosphere is fostered by Coastal’s commitment to team-driven therapy and offering the best experience for each and every family.

Where: Mt. Pleasant When: July 10-31, 1:00 p.m.

(Wednesdays) Where: Goose Creek When: July 15-August 5, 8:30 a.m. (Mondays)

The Hungry Group Feeding Therapy Camps: Where: Mt. Pleasant When: 11:00-12:30 p.m. every Thursday from June 6 -July 11 Where: Goose Creek When: 12-1:30 p.m. every Tuesday from June 4-July 9

Evoca, the “flagship” audio recording service was launched in 2006 by Murem Sharpe, CEO, and her team of developers, marketers, SCAD [Savannah College of Art and Design] students and faculty, marketers, and her own family members, Evoca Voice web-based recording service makes it easy for everyone to record their voices simply by using any phone, a computer mic, or Skype account.

Evoca – a tech company with the mission to “empower your voice” – reaches out with communications and learning tools to the special needs community - parents, educators, therapists, family members, and the children. Evoca offers digital voice recording and mobile app video-making tools that are both innovative and user-friendly.

More information online at: evoca.com

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A Cause for Hooping By: Theresa Fleming Edited by Stephanie Spurrier

Two years ago, as I was leaving an old historic mall, I noticed a group of people closing and packing up for the night. What caught my eye was what they were packing up – hula hoops. I was too intrigued not to stop. I struck up a conversation with one of the ladies who told me she was part of a local group called The Columbia Hoop Hounds.

Almost a year later I looked up The Columbia Hoop Hounds and discovered they did weekly “hoop jam” skills shares. I decided to take my daughter to the very next one; we were encouraged to come in, be ourselves, and enjoy. Their motto was “If you’re not dropping your hoop then you’re not learning!” I was so excited because my 15-year-old daughter, Marisa, has special needs. Motor skills activities requiring coordination and the crossing of mid-line have always been difficult for her. Because of this, she has always given up easily when a new activity is difficult for her. Her attention problems, social anxieties, and non-verbal learning disabilities often cause her to be easily dis-

warmed up, we began meeting on the State House grounds one night a week. Hooping on the lush green grass in bare feet – what an awesome sensory experience! Marisa loved it! It was during one of these jams that I taught her how to “arm hoop”.

As she practiced, I could see her confidence growing.

She eventually learned to get the hoop started on her arm without any help from me. I watched as she slowly transferred the spinning hoop from one arm to the other without interrupting the spin. Wait! Did she just teach herself a hoop trick? Did she just cross mid-line? Could I have actually just witnessed her use two body parts simultaneously as she pulled-off an awesome gross motor skill feat? She was so very proud of herself and I was one proud Mom!

“I wanted to put together a group where our kids could socialize & feel total acceptance, encouragement, & freedom to be themselves.” tracted but at the hoop jam she was engaged for an hour and a half – start to finish – all with a smile on her face. She never got discouraged and never wanted to quit and go home.

I checked the Columbia Hoop Hounds’ schedule and made sure that we attended the very next session.

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Over the next few months, our schedule became busier and we were unable to attend the hoop jams, but we continued to hoop at home. I began to think of a way that we could hoop with a group but on a schedule that fit our lives better. I had recently started a new job as Business Man-

ager at The Therapy Place, Inc., a non-profit pediatric therapy clinic for children with special needs. As I became acquainted with the amazing children who came to our clinic, I realized that most of them, like my daughter, had very few social opportunities. I wanted to put together an informal group where our kids could socialize and feel total acceptance, encouragement, and freedom to be themselves – a group that would bring smiles to their faces, laughter to their hearts, and joyful movement to their bodies - and I had the perfect plan, hooping!

Dawn Darby, my supervisor and co-founder of The Therapy Place, Inc. decided that the clinic would be a great place to have the group meet since it has always been part of the clinic’s mission statement to offer extra-curricular activities for kids and the special needs community. I was off and running with the idea in a flash and The Therapy Place Hoopers-In-Motion was created. I made the class a drop-in style so that no one would feel pressured to be there right on time or feel bad about having to leave early. Our everyday life is hectic enough; I didn’t want this to be another stressor for our families.

Our first hoop jam was held in the back gym at The Therapy Place and was attended by fourteen people

including our uniquely-abled kids, their friends, siblings, and parents.

It was a blast. I began teaching an adorable little boy named Nolan, who was diagnosed with an Atrial Septal Defect, how to arm hoop. He loved it! While I helped him, his mom took advantage of the brief respite, picked up a hoop, and gave it a spin herself – instant smiles! I knew we were on to something. Another one of the kids at our first hoop jam was my supervisor’s son, Cooper. Cooper has Cerebral Palsy and was never expected to walk, yet here he was, hooping with us.

During the second hoop jam, I worked on arm hooping with my little friend Nolan some more. I would hold his hand and help him rotate his arm to keep the hoop spinning. “Okay, buddy,” I eventually said. “I’m going to let go and it’ll be all you! You can do it! Keep it spinning!” I let go of his arm, the hoop went flying, and the laughter started! We kept trying and the hoop kept flying. Finally he got it on his own and he was so proud of himself. I even received a call from Nolan’s mom thanking me for organizing the hoop jams and letting me

know that they were thoroughly enjoying themselves at each and every one! Boy, did that make my day! Our hoop jam was officially a success!

Before our third hoop jam, I made specific hoops using irrigation tubing from the hardware store and colorful duct tape to match the needs of each child. Some needed heavier hoops, while some needed mini hoops. I wanted them all to have hoops of their very own to take home. I made a mini hoops with Spiderman duct tape for Nolan and Joshua, and one with Hello Kitty duct tape for a little girl named Jasmine.

We were also lucky enough to have two guest hoopers – Haley Huestess, 2012 Little Miss South Carolina, and Jordan Cushman, Young Miss Chester County – and their moms join us at the third hoop jam to show their support of The Therapy Place and our amazing kids. It was official…we were spreading the “hoop love” out into our community and getting our kids the recognition and attention they deserved all while having a great time and providing them with an opportunity to socialize, make friends, and be themselves!

Hula hooping involves multiple senses – tactile, auditory (hooping to music or listening to verbal cues/ instructions) and visual. It strengthens the core muscles, increases body awareness, and stimulates the vestibular system. It activates joints, builds aerobic capacity, and can improve one’s mood. It has even been observed to increase focus, attention, and eye contact in some children on the autism Spectrum. Our hula hooping group has given my daughters, their peers at The Therapy Place, and their friends and families a place to hang out and have fun. The Therapy Place Hoopers-In-Motion hoop group is building friendships, strengthening community, and spreading the “hoop love”. Come join us!

Want to start a Hola Hoop Group in your Area? Find us on facebook.

Hula hooping involves multiple senses –

tactile, auditory and visual.

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The Upside of Downs

The Upside of Downs

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Conscious Art A Gallery for Artists with Special Needs Benefitting Anna’s Angels Foundation for Down syndrome Research

A Special King

Anna’s Angels Foundation, a North Carolina-based nonprofit under Duke Children’s Hospital has raised over $1 million for Down syndrome research. Our vision focuses on improving the cognitive and communicative ability of individuals with Down syndrome.

Our newest and most exciting event will showcase the art of individuals with special needs and we are currently looking for inspiring original submissions of any medium to display at our event. Art must be designed solely by an individual with special needs.

These beautiful Art pieces will be auctioned at the event, proceeds benefitting Anna’s Angels.

By: Kellie Lee

Michael Holton, a 19 year old Senior at South Effingham High School in Guyton, GA, was crowned homecoming king after receiving 97% of the votes. Michael has Down Syndrome and has and continues to surpass any obstacle that is set before him.

Michael was crowned Homecoming King on Saturday, October 6 at the Homecoming Dance.

Earlier in the day, Michael was honored at the Buddy Walk in Savannah, GA as a former recipient of the Night of Champions award. Paula Deen led the walk and was left speechless when Michael proposed to his “girlMichael accepting his crown friend” on stage. Michael has also won many gold metals in the Special Olympics Horseback Riding.

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ADDITIONAL Information on this story: Paula Deen and Michael Holton youtube.com/watch?v=fbdx_y-HGFA&feature=share ABC/Fox news affiliate thecoastalsource.com/news/local/story/ Down-syndrome-student-named-homecoming-king/8PtX18QSrkanxFyaSvgYJA. cspx NBC affiliate http://www.wsav.com/story/21209534/ student-with-down-syndrome-honored-ashomecoming-king

The evening will be designed to highlight talented artists with special needs and include music, entertainment, heavy hors d’oeuvres and of course, a display of magnificent art. We would love to include pieces from you or your organization!

If you are able to submit a piece, please contact me via phone or email, per the information provided below, at your earliest convenience. All submissions will be considered and artists will be contacted within two weeks of submission date. Deadline for submissions is September 1st.

Contact Information: Michelle Pfeiffer Anna’s Angels Foundation annas-angels.org 919-604-3350 michellepfeiffer@nc.rr.com

Photo by: Jamie Lackley Photograpy

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Special Places

Homes & Gardens

Special Beaches By: Katrina Laygo & Stephanie Spurrier

Savannah’s Beach, TYBEE ISLAND The pier, the shops, the eateries, the Marine Science Center — it’s all for the taking on Tybee Island! Come on out, spend a few nights, and enjoy.

My kids had the best time at the Marine Science Center on a rainy day, and several restaurants on 14th and 15th have gluten-free foods. Tybee Island has a variety of beach houses and condos available for rent. One of our favorite things to do was flying kites in the evening after a day on the beach. It was awesome to watch the fishermen and hear the bands play on the pier.

The best part: Tybee will host Surfers for Autism for the THIRD year in a row in September! Visit their site at: surfersforautism.org.

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By: Amy Williams – Woodland Trust

As summer arrives and the weather warms up, this time of year is ideal for engaging young ones with nature and creating the perfect environment for inspired, adventurous learning.

Naturedetectives.org.uk, a website run by The Woodland Trust, offers over a thousand nature-based activities available for families to download completely free.

Each resource provides hours of fun that incorporates learning, nature and creativity, and can be adapted to suit children of all ages and learning abilities. Many of the downloads are ideal for children with special needs and learning difficulties as they are based around the sensory elements of being outdoors or visiting woodland, and can allow all children to enjoy and be inspired by nature and natural beauty.

Here’s our top pick of fun-filled Nature Detectives downloads

FOLLY BEACH Folly has it all — food, music, and let’s not forget the surfing! There’s always something going on! Surfers Healing, a surfing camp for children with autism, is visiting Folly in August — sign up at their website: surfershealing.org. Make sure to check out BLU, a dog-friendly restaurant on the beach, where your pets can sit with you during the meal. The city is mere minutes from downtown Charleston, which houses the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry. Children with special needs and their families can get FREE access to the museum, without crowds or over-stimulation. On the second Sunday of every month, the museum opens its doors to special needs children from 10AM–12PM. Although the program is free, registration is required. Please contact program director Jason Dodd with your name and number in your party: jason@explorecml.org.

Nature Detectives

Tybee Island additional information: • •

Condos for rent: tybeevacationrentals.com surfersforautism.org

folly beach additional information: •

surfershealing.org

•

follybeach.com/vacation-rentals.php

•

Activities: Visit the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry for camps

One of our favorite things to do was flying kites in the evening after a day on the beach.

Color bingo cards:

the sunny spots to the shade, or from grass to soil. This activity is great for engaging children’s senses and seeing them smile.

Butterfly I-dial: This activity allows the family to print, make and take outside a beautiful butterfly I-dial to ID butterflies with. It includes a range of weird and wonderful species including the speckled wood, orange tip, peacock and comma brimstone butterfly. Print off and help the children make the Idial, then together look at the difference in colour and pattern between species. Take the I-dial outside and embark on a brilliant butterfly hunt, how many can you spot?

Summer coloring sheets: These printable wildlife art outlines are not only great for colouring in, painting, making collages and tracing, they’re also great for making children aware of the things they might see or hear this season. Let them colour the templates however

they please and encourage them to think and talk about each species and their particular attributes. These colouring activities are particularly good for a rainy or cool day.

Creepy crawlies spotter sheet: This tick list of the most common creepy crawlies will provide hours of entertainment and can be used both for spotting insects outdoors and as a platform for educating young ones on creatures they may not yet be familiar with. The list includes a variety of bugs ranging from a grasshopper, to a snail, to a centipede, and includes vibrant real-life images.

‘In the woods’ hunt: This easy-to-use tick list with real photographs includes spots such as butterflies, frogspawn and pine cones and is ideal for slipping in your pocket before venturing outside. Challenge the children to see who can spot things first, tick them off as you go and bring sweet treats or prizes as incentives. Encourage them to talk about what they can see, smell and hear and ask them what they know about each item in question.

How many colours can your child spot in nature? Print the game cards, head outside and let children play Nature Detectives ‘colour bingo’.

Encourage them to spot the green in the leaves, the brown of mud, or challenge them to find something harder that’s pink or orange. There are two choices of bingo game cards: quick or long, so choose the best set wisely depending on the abilities of your child and the time you have.

Blindfold exploring: Find a sunny woodland glade, local park or community garden – anywhere with interesting areas to explore is perfect. With or without a blindfold, lead your child around the area to any obstacles or holes. Ask them to touch, listen or smell, depending on what there is to explore.

As you carefully guide your child around each spot, see they can tell or signal to you when they move from

The Nature Detectives team at the Woodland Trust, is UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. Since the first woodland purchase back in 1973, the Trust has planted over 16 million trees.

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Homes & Gardens

Homes & Gardens The Mobile Gardener classes offer the opportunity for its participants to learn adaptive techniques for plant propagation through seeding and plant cuttings, transplanting, re-potting plants and mixing soils. The Mobile Gardener group has the opportunity to go on a field trip to Church Creek Nursery where they will get to tour the nursery and to participate in caring for plants that are over wintering there. The Mobile Gardener group has also had the opportunity to give back to our community by participate in a volunteer gardening work day at various city park with The Charleston Parks Conservancy and The Stewards of Hampton Park.

This past year the Mobile Gardeners have pulled weeds, pruned perennials, installed flowering annual beds and planted over a 1,000 bulbs.

The Charleston Horticultural Society’s Mobile Gardeners By: Catherine McGuinn

What is The Charleston Horticultural Society’s Mobile Gardeners Adaptive Recreational Horticulture Program?

On August 9, 2011, the Charleston Horticultural Society launched the Mobile Gardeners Adaptive Recreational Horticulture program, specifically designed to enrich the lives of Lowcountry children and young adults with special needs. Enabling the launch was a grant from the Mark Elliott Motley foundation, followed by a generous gift from the Bakker Family Fund.

The Horticultural Society and the City of Charleston’s Alternative Recreation program with additional support from Nancy Hart, the owner of Church Creek Nursery collaborated to make this program a success. The Mobile Gardeners is the only program of its kind in the greater Charleston area.

The program was designed to create a comfortable recreational learning environment, allowing the participants to socialize and have fun while learning adaptive horticultural techniques. Additionally, as part of the Mobile Gardener program, once the participants learn the necessary skills, collectively the Mobile Gardeners become a volunteer horticultural crew and contribute to the beautification and maintenance of our city parks. Providing an opportunity for our participants to take part and give back to their community as a volunteer is an essential part of the Mobile Gardener program.

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Who are the participants?

The Mobile Gardener participants are Charleston area adults, and young adults with special needs. At present our group is between about 8 and 15 participants ranging in age from 25 to 53. But our group is open to any person with special needs who has an interest in, or who might benefit from participating in an adaptive horticulture group.

Why is this program important?

Gardening is a wonderful form of gentle exercise that is beneficial to all individuals and requires little conditioning, so it is easy to begin.

Secondly, it can be an excellent way to increase general mobility and can provide an opportunity to work on prescribed therapeutic exercises (involving anything from fine motor skills to sequencing and following directions.) It also allows the individ-

ual with special needs an opportunity to learn an excellent vocational skill that they might be able to use to find a job, or that they could use to participate in a volunteer service group. Lastly, most communities offer several opportunities for a young child with special needs to integrate with their peers, while in general there is a void in our society for older individuals with special needs to participate in recreational programming.

This program seeks to fill that void through offering these recreational adaptive horticulture classes and volunteer gardening opportunities, and has the added benefit of providing a social venue which can help to ease the concerns of individuals with special needs of becoming, or feeling isolated.

What do the Mobile Gardeners actually do?

The program culminated in an opportunity for the participants to combine their gardening and marketing skills when they sold the plants that they propagated at PLANTASIA, the Horticultural Society’s highly anticipated annual plant sale. By tending their booth at Plantasia the participants had the opportunity to display their horticultural knowledge to the public and through the funds raised, contribute to the continued success of the Mobile Gardener program.

Is there any other information you would like to share?

that will utilize their budding outdoor adaptive garden being built by a cooperative of several of the area garden clubs. Additionally, the adaptive horticultural activities will incorporate the Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) and Transitional Education Plans that the teachers at P.A.C.E. have prepared for the students participating in the Mobile Gardeners-P.A.C.E program. As the adaptive horticulturalist I am hoping to use the horticultural activities to increase mobility and reinforce fine motor skills, dexterity, and activities that utilize sequencing and sorting. My fabulous teaching assistant, Kathee Dowis, and I will be meeting regularly with the participating teachers to make sure that this adaptive horticulture program continues to meet the students’ needs by being both fun and functional.

Who are you and how do we get in touch with you?

I am the program founder and coordinator, Catherine McGuinn. I have a Master’s of Science Degree in Horticulture and a teaching credential in Vocational Horticul-

ture and Physical Education with an emphasis in Adaption. I work with the Mobile Gardeners on the first Saturday of every month at CHS’s Educational Center in West Ashley or we meet at the City Greenhouse facilities. For more information about this program you contact the Executive Director of the Charleston Horticultural Society, Kyle Barnett.

The Charleston Horticultural Society offers horticulture classes & volunteer gardening opportunities, for individuals with special needs.

To learn more about the society visit the website chashortsoc.org

Mobile Gardeners is hoping to expand this fall to include the Mobile Gardeners-P.A.C.E. program.

This additional program will provide adaptive gardening classes to be held at Pattison’s Academy for Comprehensive Education, a Charleston County Charter School serving students with special needs. Mobile Gardeners-P.A.C.E. will bring the adaptive gardening concept into the classrooms of Pattison’s Academy for Comprehensive Education (P.A.C.E.), and will initially follow the school year. The program will include seasonal adaptive horticultural activities

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Special Care

Get Fit at the

Beach By: Anytime Fitness Website: anytimefitness.com/ gyms/2460/savannah-ga-31410 Phone: 912-897-1499

Family day at the beach? Take the opportunity to get in a workout.

Target Areas: These exercises will work your glutes, hamstrings, quads, abdominals, arms, shoulders, and even your back!

How to: Get into the push-up position on the ground, bend your elbows 90 degrees so that your weight is resting on your forearms. a) Make sure your elbows are in line with your shoulders and your body should be straight and off the ground. b) Squeeze and contract your abs. c) Try and hold for at least 30 seconds or more. d) Repeat 3x.

e Extrem d San e Exercis

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walk on the beach to warm up the muscles. Swing arms the last five minutes of the walk, until you're strong enough.

3

2) Partner Sit-Ups:

3) Assisted Sit-Ups

a) Take a seat facing one another a few feet away. b) One person holds the ball while lowering themselves onto their backs. c) Each person sits up at the same time and once in the sitting position the person holding the ball will throw it to the partner. d) Do a set of at twenty; repeat 3x. Tip: Contract your abdominals during this exercise.

a) Lie on the ground, bend your knees and keep feet flat on the floor. b) Your partner will sit on the floor holding your feet down. c) Place your hands behind your head, like you would for crunches. d) Lift your head, then shoulders until you are at a 95° angle. Hold position for a second then lower to the floor. e) Do 10 to 15 reps; repeat 3x.

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5) Inclined Push-Ups:

a) Start with your feet shoulder width apart. b) Take a step forward, bend the front and back knees, dropping straight down. c) Your front thigh should be parallel to the ground and your knee directly over the foot. Keep your back straight and your shoulders pulled back. d) With the weight on your front foot, push through with your heel and the ball of your back foot, into the standing position. e) Switch legs. Repeat 10x each side.

Start: Take a brisk 15 minute

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4) Lunges:

Something Special

A bench or even a rock will do for this exercise. a) Place your hands flat, about shoulder width apart. b) Keep your torso and legs in a straight line with your feet on the ground. c) Bend your arms and slowly lower your chest just a few inches away from the rock. d) Straighten your arms and repeat 10-15x for 3 sets.

Get Fit: Achieve your goals with these great beach (and kid) friendly exercises. It’s easy to get a great workout at the beach. Get the kids involved by making it a contest to see who can hold their plank the longest! You can even try writing letters in the sand with your toes – great stretch and tone for your calves!

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Advertise with Something Special Magazine.

Warm-Up: It’s important not to forget to warm up before you workout. It helps prevent injuries and also get your muscles warm and loose.

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1) Plank:

All of my clients are

Lyn McCuen, ABR, CRS, GRI

Associate Broker Cell (912) 224-0927 | Fax (912) 356-3622 Email: lyn@coldwellbanker.com www.lynmccuen.com

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Kumon of Savannah 10010 Abercorn Ave., Ste. 5A, Savannah, GA 31406

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NewHorizonsTherapy.net info@newhorizonstherapy.net Office: 843-573-2111 2587 Ashley River Rd. Charleston, SC 29414