DFWChild Special Needs Spring 2020

S P R I N G 2020

5 EVENTS FOR FAMILY FUN THIS SPRING! MOM NEXT DOOR DESIGNER SHELLY ROSENBERG

CAMPUS LIFE

HIGHER ED FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES PUBLISHED BY

DFW

V O L . 12 I S S U E N O. 1

TRUE LOVE WHEN YOUR CHILD FINDS A PARTNER

Special Needs D F WCH I L D

formerly Thrive Magazine

TABLE OF CONTENTS S P R I N G 2 02 0

Departments TAKE NOTE

5 College Bound

6 In Brief

There’s a new college program for students with IDD—is it right for your child?

Howdy Homemade’s Coleman Jones on his ad campaign, an inspiring fifth grader and a new study on autism interactions

9 ABOVE // Inspired by her own family, Shelly Rosenberg is launching a new business to help special needs parents.

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Feature

16 Can’t Fight This Feeling

What do you do when your child falls in love? words Sundey McClendon

This Dallas designer navigated a difficult road; now she’s using her experience to help others 12 5 Things / Paying It Forward

Advice from our Mom Next Door, plus her favorite charities to support 14 Routines / Francheska Medina As a special needs mom, wife and nursing student, she stays busy—18 hours a day ID CULTURE K 21 Five Things To Do This March,

April & May

DIRECTORY 22 Special Needs Resources

Column

30

REAL MOMS 9 Mom Next Door / Shelly Rosenberg

30 Confessions / Mom Truths

Listings every family should have at their fingertips

Funny, heartwarming and more real-life parenting moments

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ROSENBERG FAMILY: KORENA BOLDING SINNETT; CAN’T FIGHT THIS FEELING: EMILEE PRADO; MOM TRUTHS: MARY DUNN; IN BRIEF: REX CURRY/FOLEY & LARDNER LLP

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Korena Bolding Sinnett

staff box Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Joylyn Niebes Creative + Content Director Heather Vance Devers Editorial EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Carrie Steingruber

MANAGING EDITOR

Alexis Patterson

FREELANCE ASSISTANT EDITOR

Maya Butler

CALENDAR EDITOR

Elizabeth Smith DIGITAL EDITOR

Sydney Blalock Ritchie EDITORIAL INTERN

Emily Yearwood Art

CONTRIBUTING EDITORIAL DESIGNER

Lesley Busby

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Susan Horn, Ariana Leyva

CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT LARGE

Lauren Niebes Advertising

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Alison Davis, Becca Hobby, Nancy McDaniel, Diana Whitworth Nelson, Sandi Tijerina

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Alli Renner

PR/Marketing

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Candace Emerson

DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR

Tram-Anh Le Administrative

BUSINESS MANAGER

Leah Wagner

ACCOUNTING

Jeanie Vance

OFFICE MANAGER/BOOKKEEPER

Ann Mathai

DFWChild Special Needs is published four times a year by Lauren Publications, Inc. Address: 4275 Kellway Circle, Ste. 146, Addison, TX, 75001. Phone: 972/447-9188. Fax: 972/447-0633. Online: dfwchild.com/specialneeds. DFWChild Special Needs is distributed free of charge, one copy per reader. Only DFWChild Special Needs authorized distributors may deliver or pick up the magazines. We reserve the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed.

We cannot be responsible for the return of any unsolicited material. DFWChild Special Needs is ©2020 by Lauren Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without express written permission prohibited.

dfwchild.com

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NEWS

take note

ETC.

Courtney says. “You just mature, and you get to find who you get to be in college.”

A GOOD CHALLENGE

Texas A&M freshman Courtney Osburn meets fellow students who will help her with study and life skills.

College Bound

Texas’ first inclusive university program for IDD WORDS CARRIE STEINGRUBER

OSBURN: HEATHER MOSES/COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AT TEXAS A&M

C

OURTNEY OSBURN COMES

from a dyed-in-the-maroon-wool Aggie family.

“Growing up, I had this gut feeling: You will be here someday,” she shares about the Texas A&M campus.

Courtney, 27, has cerebral palsy, and sometimes it takes her awhile to push the right words out. But she remained confident in her destiny.

As the years passed, her mom, Beca Osburn, was less sure. “I thought, Oh my god, honey, I don’t know if we can make this one happen.”

Unbeknownst to them, A&M was preparing to launch Aggie ACHIEVE, a certificate program for young adults like Courtney.

Aggie ACHIEVE is the only four-year inclusive, residential program in Texas serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Gena Koster, executive director of special education for Keller Independent School District, says she has already had a family inquire about it for their daughter in elementary school.

That’s not too early to be thinking about life after high school, according to Koster. By the time your child hits the teen years, make note of programs and eligibility requirements; for Aggie ACHIEVE, these include third grade reading comprehension, basic math skills and a reliable communication • Learn more about Aggie method (verbal or otherwise).

ACHIEVE and upcoming open To gauge whether a prohouses at aggieachieve.tamu.edu. gram is the right fit, Koster • The E4Texas program at the suggests “looking at the rate University of Texas at Austin that your student grows prepares students to become personal care attendants; stueach year and then project dents also have the option to that out”—e.g., what will audit some regular UT courses.

Aggie ACHIEVE is “as much their reading level be in high disabilitystudies.utexas.edu/e4texas school? While giving your as possible meant to mirror the • Tarrant County College has college experience for a typical child something to strive transitional skills programs to student,” explains Carly Gilson, toward can be beneficial, “you prep students for work or colthe program’s faculty director. don’t want to set unrealistic lege. tccd.edu Each semester, Courtney and goals and cause more frustra• To find other programs for her peers enroll in selected tion,” she adds. students with disabilities, check inclusive courses on a pass/ Don’t forget about your out thinkcollege.net, a database fail basis. They’re surrounded child’s emotional state—even with various search filters. by other Aggies, though the typical students combat anxiassignments might look difety and stress when leaving ferent—like PowerPoints and the nest. “An individual with podcasts instead of research papers. Student an intellectual disability can have some of those partners volunteer an hour or two each week to feelings intensified if put into situations that help Aggie ACHIEVE students study, cook and are outside the scope of what they can handle,” manage time, or just hang out and have dinner.

Koster says.

The ultimate goal: equip students to Then there’s the cost: Aggie ACHIEVE thrive independently and contribexceeds $10,000 per semester, plus $10,000 ute to the community through annually for room and board (numbers in line inclusive employment. Job with similar programs). Gilson is applying for a coaches help first- and federal designation that would allow students to second-years complete onaccess federal financial aid, and she’s working campus internships; thirdon scholarships.

Beca Osburn says the price tag is worth it; and fourth-years are conshe’s already seeing the returns in Courtney. nected with opportunities “Just her confidence, her advocating skills, her off campus. independence,” Beca notes.

After college, Courtney Courtney confirms that she’s being stretched. wants to be a sports trainer “The program challenges you mentally,” she for the A&M football team says. “But it’s a good challenge, like getting used … and ride the planned bulto new courses and how to study, balancing your let train back to North Texas to free time with your friends.” embolden kids with similar dreams.

In other words, the same trouble spots every “Of course it’s going to be ups and downs, college freshman has to navigate. but it’s going to be the best time of your life,”

Get Schooled

dfwchild.com

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BRIEF

W O R D S A L E X I S PAT T E R S O N + C A R R I E S T E I N G R U B E R

Chasing His Goals

You may have seen COLEMAN JONES’ confident smile in a sponsored Facebook video or a full-page newspaper ad—he was chosen by Chase for a recent marketing campaign highlighting small businesses.

The 23-year-old, who has Down syndrome, is the vice president of Dallas ice cream shop Howdy Homemade, locally loved for hiring adults with special needs.

“We’ve had people contact us and say, ‘It just has encouraged us so much with our child with special needs seeing what has happened with Coleman,’” reveals Lendy Jones, his mother. We asked Coleman about the ad experience and what he dreams of doing next.

How did you get this advertising gig with Chase? When Howdy Homemade opened …

Chase lent [founder] Tom [Landis] a check to help him open Howdy.

How did they choose you for the ads?

I think it was a God-given talent, and I think that’s how it happened.

What was the shoot like? Personally, I

Quotable:

Living a Dream In a five-minute speech, 11-yearold Dallasite COLIN HARRIS galvanized an audience with reflections on what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream for America would be in 2020. With his inspiring words, Colin won the annual Foley & Lardner MLK Jr. Oratory Competition. It’s an amazing accomplishment for any child—and especially poignant considering that at 3 years old, Colin could speak only five to six words and was “Violence isn’t the diagnosed solution to anything. on the autism Violence only breeds spectrum. more violence. I After speech don’t know about therapy, Colin soared. you, but I’ve had “He’s excited enough of that.”

—Excerpt from to bring awareness Colin’s speech to autism,” says his mom, Jasmine Buschbacher. “There have already been people from all over the country, from Canada and Florida, reaching out saying, ‘Our son is 4 and he’s not talking yet.

This has really given us hope.’”

Read more about Colin on our website, dfwchild.com. Search for “Colin Harris.”

AUTISM INTERACTIONS A University of Texas at Dallas study is giving new insight into how adults with autism interact differently, but not necessarily dysfunctionally. Researchers asked 125 participants to have a five-minute chat with another person, then evaluate the conversation. The study results suggest that successful social interactions for autistic adults depend more on their compatibility with a conversation partner than their own conversation skills. UTD’s NOAH SASSON, Ph.D., notes that autistic adults preferred future interaction with others who have autism. “If autistic people were inherently poor at social interaction, you’d expect an interaction between two autistic people to be even more of a struggle than between an autistic and non-autistic person,” Sasson says. “But that’s not what we found.”

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spring 2020

COLEMAN: JPMC; HOWDY: CENTRAL MARKET; COLIN: REX CURRY/FOLEY & LARDNER LLP; SASSON: UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS

ABOVE // Coleman Jones hopes the ad campaign inspires more hiring of special needs adults.

loved it. It was great doing it with Chase. My favorite part was when I was dipping the ice cream, and I also liked it when Tom and I were walking with the [ice cream] cart together. I thought that was cool.

Was this your first time being on camera?

No, ma’am, it was not my first time. My first time was a buzzer-beater at the Midlothian [Special Olympics basketball] tournament.

That was my first time being on YouTube and getting a lot of likes. (Editor’s note: Google “Coleman Jones buzzer-beater” next time you need a pick-me-up.)

What do you hope the ad campaign accomplishes? Hiring more special needs adults.

What are your future plans professionally? Do you see yourself at Howdy Homemade for a long time? Yes, I do plan to stay with Howdy, but I also have a dream I want to go after too. So my dream is to—if I have enough money, first off—to buy … a Christian video company that started in 1993, I believe, and to continue with it. It’s called Big Idea Productions, and what their product is, is VeggieTales.

They’re half-an-hour videos that go through all these biblical times.

And looking at Howdy and all the adults who I got to work with … what I thought of was seeing a suit of armor around the world. I thought that could really help not just me but also my friends and the employees at Howdy, to really give them a voice and to give them a chance at, like, actually seeing the world and having the chance to see what their abilities are. That’s why I see a suit of armor around Howdy, and around the world, just to protect them.

Do you have any advice for kids with special needs who are chasing after their own dreams? Personally, I would say keep faith, and also dream big.

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LOCAL

real moms

STORIES

Shelly Rosenberg embraces life as a mother to Ronen (at right) and Brinson and Campbell (below).

Mom Next Door Shelly Rosenberg W O R D S K E L LY W O O L E Y PHOTOGRAPHY KORENA BOLDING SINNETT

F

ROM THE OUTSIDE looking in, Shelly Rosenberg has led a charmed life. Most people see a successful writer and interior designer, a dream home in Lakewood, a loving husband and three beautiful children. All of that is true, but a threehour conversation with her reveals so much more.

THE SPECS

Between her three children, Rosenberg has seen nine diagnoses ranging from anxiety to Down syndrome. She raised her two daughters solo for five years after her first marriage ended.

Later, when a sonogram revealed that her son Ronen would have Down syndrome, she took it hard. “I just thought to myself, Why can’t anything ever be easy?” she says. “My girls are wonderful, but they’ve never been easy because all of the things they’ve struggled with.”

Instead of playing the pity card, Rosenberg is using her experience as a designer and a special needs mom to not only better her own children’s lives but also to pay it forward—in addition to launching a new business venture aimed at special needs families, she volunteers for a variety of charities and advocates for special needs

moms everywhere through informal support networks she’s helped to create.

Admittedly, her “on paper” resume is pretty intimidating, but spend five minutes talking to her and you’re instantly put at ease by her lack of ego and down-to-earth nature. (In fact, you might even find yourself asking if you can be her new best friend.)

After your divorce, how was life as a single mom? It

was a really dark and hard place for the first couple of years. The girls were 1 and 3 and I worked full time.

How did the girls accept your husband Barry in their life?

When Barry and I started dating, it was actually Brinson who told me he was “the one.” She said he felt like a real dad who just wanted to spend time with them instead of trying to buy their affection like some of the

AGE 48 BORN IN Fort Worth LIVES IN Lakewood ALMA MATER Texas Tech University SIGNIFICANT OTHER Barry, her husband of almost 12 years WHERE THEY MET At a UT vs. Ohio State football game, while Rosenberg was on a date with someone else OFFSPRING Daughters Brinson, 21, (who has anxiety, dyscalculia, ADHD and a reading disorder) and Campbell, 18, (who has anxiety, depression, ADHD and a reading disorder and was just recently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder) and son Ronen, 7, (who has Down syndrome)

dfwchild.com

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rm: M O M

NEXT DOOR

AUTISM TREATMENT CENTER ABA | SPEECH THERAPY | OT

ABOVE // Rosenberg with Barry and Ronen. OPPOSITE // “I don’t think he has a clue that he’s different, and even if he did, I don’t think he’d care,” Rosenberg says of Ronen.

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other men [I dated] had.

When Barry proposed, he proposed to all three of us.

Did you and Barry plan to have kids together? We

did, but knowing both of our ages, we knew it would be tough. We had two miscarriages before having Ronen.

How did you react when you found out about Ronen’s diagnosis? Honestly, it was

“WE WERE HAVING THIS BABY NO MATTER WHAT, AND WE’D DEAL WITH WHATEVER WE HAD TO.”

just such a blow. I was angry.

Barry immediately began researching, making calls and learning everything he could. I went into survival mode. I knew this was going to be my last baby, so I threw my energy into focusing on how I was going to love and connect with Ronen as much as I could. I really didn’t care about the details, because I knew I would learn as I go. The tough times would come, and I just wasn’t ready for that yet.

Did you both grieve Ronen’s diagnosis?

Yes, definitely. I think we both cried for two or three days straight. But once I accepted it, I felt like this was my destiny. Not only could I do it, I was meant to do it.

How was your pregnancy with Ronen? It was terrifying. Throughout the pregnancy, they suspected several other issues like club feet and water on his brain. It got to the point where I finally told them to stop telling me. We were having this baby no matter what, and we’d deal with whatever we had to.

Has Ronen changed you as a person?

Absolutely. He has refined me and honed me.

In every way, I’ve become so much softer.

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What does the future look like for Ronen? While

there’s uncertainty in any child’s future, I have no reason to believe that he can’t live a normal life and even live on his own someday. There’s such a movement and shift in thinking these days about this special population of adults.

They were once thought of as such a burden on society, but people are finally realizing what an asset they are to companies because they’re dependable and such hard workers.

What does life look like now for Brinson and Campbell? Brinson is cur-

rently a junior at TCU majoring in psychology. She probably hasn’t completely caught up with her neurotypical peers, but she’s doing great. Campbell has had more challenges. She doesn’t drive and is perfectly content to be at the house most of the time but has found a social life online, which we’re totally OK with.

Campbell recently got diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. What led to such a late diagnosis? I’d always kind of suspected

that Campbell was on the spectrum, but since she didn’t present with the typical signs of autism, people always kind of brushed it off. But as she got older, I was really tired of getting feedback from friends who were bold enough to tell me they thought she was rude, unfriendly and just a lazy Millennial. It was partly ego on my part so I could prove I wasn’t a bad mom. I wanted some validation that she was just wired differently.

How does Campbell feel about her diagnosis? In her typical sarcastic, rebellious teenage way, she was like, “Mom, do you feel better now?” But I do think it was validating for her, whether she’ll admit it or not. She did end up going to beauty school and graduated from there in December and also got a small part-time job.

How has your experience as a special needs mom shaped who you are today? It’s taught me what’s truly important in life. I just want to

do right in the world and raise beautiful human beings. Despite our trials and tribulations, I feel it’s my duty to pay it forward for all of those parents who may not have the means to do what we’ve been able to do for our children.

You’ve recently made a shift in your design career toward working with special needs families. What led to that? I was working

with these high-end clients and it just wasn’t bringing any joy to my life. Once we had Ronen, keeping work and home life separate just became impossible, and I felt like I was living in this world that didn’t understand me anymore. The passion [for design] is still there, it’s just morphed into what I call functional, adaptive design. A lot of times as special needs parents, we have to sacrifice beauty for function, so I’m focused on helping families create spaces that combine the two. I want these families to know that we can still have the pretty!

Tell us about your latest venture, acornandoak.com. The initial thought was to work individually with families who needed help creating adaptive living spaces in their homes, but that didn’t feel big enough. So it morphed into a website with a public blog and then a membership site. I’ll use my design expertise to help families adapt their homes to reduce stress and meltdowns and create more successful results for the entire family. Our launch day is March 21, World Down Syndrome Awareness Day. Interior designer, writer, special needs advocate, volunteer, wife and mom—how do you have time for everything? I struggled through

a chapter of life where I was a single parent with minimal help, and it was a dark place. Now, years later, I’m lucky enough to have the means to afford full-time help, but it doesn’t mean I don’t feel guilty about it. It does mean less time with the kids, but at the end of the day, I know I’m doing something for the greater good.

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5 THINGS

Paying It Forward Shelly Rosenberg talks happy hour dates, self-care, life lessons and how she’s giving back INTERVIEW KELLY WOOLEY

HER FAVORITE PHILANTHROPIES

The Ashford Rise School of Dallas,

1

HER ADVICE FOR OTHER MOMS

REALIZE THAT YOUR CHILD’S DIAGNOSIS DOESN’T DEFINE THEM. EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT, AND IT’S YOUR JOB AS THEIR PARENTS TO DO WHAT’S BEST FOR THEM. “You’ll be faced with people who judge and question your decisions, but you’re the one who knows your child best.”

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an inclusive early childhood program for ages 6 months to 6 years // ymcadallas.org/riseschool Dwell with Dignity, which designs complete home interiors for families escaping homelessness or poverty // dwellwithdignity.org Beyond Capital, a nonprofit investment fund that supports social enterprises in India and East Africa // Catalyst Resources International, beyondcapitalfund.org

which partners with Guatemalan pastors and foreign mission teams to meet the needs of people in Guatemala // catalystresources.net

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HER FORMULA FOR MAKING TIME WITH HER SPOUSE

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“YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL BUT NOT ALWAYS AT THE SAME TIME. THERE ARE MANY CHAPTERS IN LIFE, EACH FILLED WITH THEIR OWN LIFE LESSONS. SET YOUR GOALS AND YOU WILL GET THERE, ONE DAY!”

4 HER SELF-CARE ROUTINE

“We’ve perfected the art of the happy hour date. Dive Coastal Cuisine and Hudson House are a couple of our favorites.”

“About once a week I go to Foot Therapy for a relaxing massage. It’s not fancy, but I love it!”

DIVE COASTAL CUISINE // 3404 Rankin St., Dallas; divecoastal.com HUDSON HOUSE // 4933 Belt Line Road, Addison; 4448 Lovers Lane, Dallas; hudsonhousehp.com

FOOT THERAPY // 10910 N. Central Expressway, Suite 250, Dallas

ROSENBERG: KORENA BOLDING SINNETT; ROSENBERG AND FRIENDS: DWELL WITH DIGNITY; CATALYST RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL: JAVIER HERNANDEZ

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HER BEST CAREER ADVICE

free, fun, and reimagined!

Sensory Explorations Saturday, April 25 10 a.m.–noon

A program for children of all ages on the autism spectrum and their families.

For details or to be notified when registration opens up, email education@cartermuseum.org CARTERMUSEUM.ORG FIND US ON SOCIAL #CARTERART @THEAMONCARTER

dfwchild.com

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ROUTINES

A Day in the Life of

Francheska Medina

To say Carrollton mom Francheska Medina has a full plate is a bit of an understatement. She’s a full-time nursing student at West Coast University, wife to Matthew (a nurse at UT Southwestern Medical Center) and mother of 9-year-old Christian, who was diagnosed with moderate to severe autism at age 2 ½. From dawn till late night hours, Medina is on the go.

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AM Matt has already left for work; Christian and I wake up. We still co-sleep since it’s always been difficult with Christian sleeping through the night. We cuddle and play in bed for about 15 minutes, and then we are off to start the day.

6:30AM Christian takes his morning medications and asks for screen time on his phone using his iPad’s Proloque app. (Christian is nonverbal.) I allow him to access his phone, and he runs off to wake up his grandparents and snuggle in bed with his grandma while I start on breakfast.

7AM Start breakfast for Christian. It’s his usual: three eggs scrambled, crumbled turkey sausage and gluten-free pancakes.

“Breakfast is ready, Christian!” I yell, and he comes running to the breakfast table.

My mom, Maria, sits with Christian while she has her morning coffee. I run off to get dressed.

7:45AM Christian gets dressed and brushes his teeth while I pack his lunch and gather his things for school.

8AM We are ready to head out!

Grandma always walks Christian to the car to say bye and wish him a great day.

Christian just started school for the very first time last August. He has been in full-time therapy since he was 3 years old. He absolutely loves school!

8:15AM We arrive at school, and he jumps out of the car, excitedly running to the entrance as I chase after him. He kisses me on the cheek and says, “Buhbye”—waving me off as if saying, “Bye Mom, I’ve got this”—and walks off to

class like a big boy.

8:20AM I head to school myself but first make a quick stop at Starbucks. I just started back to school to pursue my Bachelor of Science in Nursing this past October. I had to take a break from school when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2017.

9AM I arrive at school and rush to my anatomy lecture.

12:30PM Finally out of lecture, I race to pick up Christian from school.

1PM Pick up Christian. Teacher says he had an amazing day! We speak about what he accomplished and mastered today and anything we need to work on at home.

1:30PM Christian has occupational therapy, and for the next 45 minutes, I catch up on emails, phone calls, scheduling doctor appointments, etc.

2:15PM Get in the car and head to speech therapy. Christian has severe apraxia, on top of autism. He needs special therapy for this called PROMPT speech therapy, so we see a speech therapist that is trained in this type of therapy, along with a speech therapist that specializes in communication through the iPad. 3:15PM Christian is done with speech therapy, and I discuss his session with his therapist and different things I can do at home to support his speech.

3:45PM We arrive back home and have a snack. We play some games, work on his programs on his iPad and work on writing.

4PM Mrs. Tia with Cuts on the Fly arrives for Christian’s haircut. Mrs. Tia has been a huge blessing. She goes to families’ homes to cut their special needs children’s hair. Lots of children on the spectrum have sensory issues, which makes things like getting their hair cut difficult, so going to a salon is almost impossible. We have been with Mrs. Tia for about four years now. She has worked wonders for Christian! He can now go to any salon to get his hair cut with no issues. I do still use Mrs. Tia out of convenience and because she has become like family to us.

4:45PM We see Mrs. Tia off and head to take a bath. Christian loves the bath and plays for a while, and I get started on dinner.

5:30PM Time for dinner. We sit down with my parents to have dinner together.

Spaghetti squash is on the menu tonight.

6:15PM Need to do a little housework. I clean up the kitchen, empty the dishwasher and load it.

6:30PM Christian takes his sleep medication and says goodnight. He heads off to his bedroom with Grandma.

MEDINA FAMILY: SUSAN CROSBY PHOTOGRAPHY

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All About Francheska

PARIS: ©ISTOCK; HONEY BUN ILLUSTRATION: ARIANA LEYVA

FAVORITE INDULGENCE Honey buns WHAT SHE’S READING My human anatomy book FAVORITE DATE NIGHT SPOT Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar BEVERAGE OF CHOICE Coke, unless I’m at Whiskey Cake—then it’s a Guava Gimlet! FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH Kirk Cameron. Gosh, I’m really showing my age here. FAVORITE SCENT Thieves essential oil blend from Young Living BEST PURCHASE EVER A bidet—hahaha SHE’S REALLY GOOD AT Selfies! I’m the selfie queen. On a more serious note, I am good at taking care of others. SHE’S REALLY BAD AT Drinking water, eating regularly and putting myself first HABIT SHE CAN’T QUIT Posting on social media and taking pictures of my son WHAT SHE’S WATCHING I DVR everything and watch when I can. I love New Amsterdam, This Is Us, Grey’s Anatomy and Homeland!

NO. 1 ITEM ON HER BUCKET LIST To go to Paris WHAT SHE DOES WHEN LIFE GETS STRESSFUL Yoga, search out friends, have a nervous breakdown, haha LOOKING FORWARD TO Graduating nursing school!

She is helping me out tonight by putting him to sleep so that I can have a much-needed night out.

6:45PM I take a quick shower and get dressed to head out to a TACA (The Autism Community in Action) moms night out. Matt gets home from work and heads into Christian’s room to say hi, give lots of hugs and say goodnight.

7:30PM I am having a blast with my tribe! We laugh and enjoy catching up.

10PM I arrive home. Wash my face, change into PJs and chat a bit with Matt about our day.

10:30PM Matt goes back to relaxing and watching ESPN, and I get on the computer to finalize some assignments I’d been working on.

12AM I head to Christian’s room to go to bed. Christian feels me getting in the bed and puts one of his legs on mine. He always has to be touching me to know he’s not alone.

DFWChild.com Directory Helping parents successfully navigate the childhood years is kind of our thing. Explore our not-so-secret weapon, the online directory, at dfwchild.com.

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Can’t Fight This Feeling YOU CAN’T SHELTER YOUR CHILD FROM LOVE AND DATING FOREVER—BUT TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THEIR FEELINGS, YOU HAVE TO SET ASIDE YOUR OWN FEARS WORDS

SUNDEY MCCLENDON

PHOTOGRAPHY

EMILEE PRADO

G

LORIA MCGUIRE AND SANDY HIGGINS are looking forward to being mothers-in-

law. McGuire’s daughter Elise, 25, and Higgins’ son Carter, 25, are engaged—they’ve been dating for seven years after clicking at a Special Olympics outing to the circus.

“That night, I remember they were laughing together and being very playful,” Higgins recalls, joyfully, “and from there they just wanted to spend time together more, and over the years it grew and eventually they started talking about getting married.

“Carter loves Elise with all of his heart, with this pure, sweet, innocent love. It’s beautiful.”

Both Elise and Carter have Down syndrome, and McGuire says she had always hoped Elise would experience a love like she has with Carter.

“When Elise was born, my hope for her was that she could of course have the same experiences and joy I’ve had,” McGuire says. She believes her daughter has found that with Carter. “They really love to spend time together as much as possible, and they FaceTime every night,” she reveals.

Carter’s father, Russ Higgins, sits on the board for Dallas-based nonprofit 1st Life Planning, an organization that provides housing for adults with special needs. He points out that the need for love and connection is universal, and it is vital for parents of children with special needs to realize that in this way, their child is no different than anyone else.

“They want the same thing as everyone else wants,” he explains, “so why wouldn’t they deserve to have it? It’s a huge part of life.”

OPPOSITE: Elise McGuire and Carter Higgins’ relationship Russ Higgins expresses what many parents of children with blossomed after an outing to the disabilities feel: a desire for their child to know the joy of being seen circus seven years ago. Today and loved as a whole person, to be chosen and accepted in a way that they’re engaged and regularly goes beyond friendship, to experience the soul recognition of being spend time together. “I would tell parents to embrace the utter joy” loved by a partner who is happy to see you, to know you, to spend of their children falling in love, says time with you—and, as in Carter and Elise’s case, to choose to spend the rest of your life with that person.

Carter’s mom, Sandy. dfwchild.com

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This might require parents to overcome some fears and practical worries. For the McGuires and the Higginses, it was simply a matter of choosing to focus on the basic fact that Carter and Elise are fulfilled by their companionship, and then finding ways to support that through communication, logistics and the occasional work-around.

“When they started talking about marriage, for instance, Russ said they needed to wait until they were 31 because that’s the age he was when he and Sandy were married,” Gloria McGuire recounts. “So that gave us some time to figure things out like logistics.” For example, the families are still working out a housing situation that would be the most comfortable for everyone. “But it’s all worth it,” McGuire says. “It’s worth it to us for them to have each other.”

NOT A SPECIAL NEED— A BASIC NEED

When Abraham Maslow created his hierarchy of needs, he said that after basic needs like sleep, food and safety, the need to feel love and develop a sense of belonging in relationships is fundamental. Susan Wood, the executive director of the Hope Center for Autism in Fort Worth, says she sees this need in the young adults she mentors.

“Most every one of these young adults reach a place in their development where they recognize love as a need,” Wood says. She helps her young adults uncover unspoken social rules that we all need to manage day-to-day life, and as her mentees mature, relationships can become part of that social learning.

“Many of them experience feelings of love in different ways,” she explains. While none of her

License To Wed

young adults are in successful relationships currently, she says in their own ways many of them have expressed a desire. “Many of the adults I have worked with are lonely,” she notes. “Their parents are a couple, their brother and sister-in-law are a couple, and they want that companionship for themselves.”

For some parents, the idea of their child dating or falling in love may seem scary because it requires a lot of vulnerability. But Russ Higgins says that as a father, the experience is not different from when Carter’s neurotypical siblings started dating.

“It’s like everything else with being a parent, this dating stuff,” he says. “It has been happening since the beginning of time. We just have to let them fall on their face sometimes and experience things. That’s what life is about.”

THE TALK

Yet teens and young adults with disabilities often lack key conversations about love, dating and sexuality, says Jessica Stone, assistant director for the Office of Disability Access at the University of North Texas. In her previous job, Stone helped young adults with special needs as they transitioned to careers. “My job was to help people with disabilities with work-related issues, but I spent so much time talking to them about relationships because their parents had sheltered them so much,” she confides.

Parents may be tempted to overlook topics like sexuality, safe sex practices and online dating because they have a hard time seeing their adult children with special needs as individuals with the same biological and emotional needs as their typical peers. Plus,

One obstacle to marriage for couples with special needs: the possibility of losing federal benefits. A year ago, Rep. John Katko of New York introduced the Marriage Access for People With Special Abilities Act (HR 1529), a bipartisan bill that would ensure marriage doesn’t affect eligibility for supplemental security income benefits. At press time, the bill was idling in committee. No Texas representatives have co-sponsored the bill; if you want to show your support, find your representative’s contact information at house.gov.

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“We just have to let them fall on their face sometimes and experience things. That’s what life is about.” “the talk” might require a different approach to make sure their kids fully understand.

Wood’s discussions with young adults with autism begin at a place of friendship. “I ask, ‘Are you interested in being friends with him or her?’” she says. “We start there because if they can’t be friends or if their friendship skills are not developed enough, the relationship will be superficial.”

She explains that for individuals with autism, conversations about love and dating might involve explaining social norms or other people’s perspectives. “For instance, I was talking to a boy who seemed interested in a girl at work, and he was frustrated because he said nothing was happening,” she says. “When we walked back through their last interaction, the girl said hello to him and he said hello back. I asked what he did

next, and he said he walked away.

So we had to talk about how the girl may have perceived that, what she may have thought.”

Stone agrees that pushing past the discomfort of having these conversations about dating and especially sex is critical because parents are often the sole source of information. “Yes, we may have to explain things in a different way or even use something like appropriate pictures to explain it, but we still have to have those conversations,” she says. “Their neurotypical counterparts have so many more opportunities to observe how relationships go, but in kids with cognitive disabilities or even other disabilities like being visually impaired, they aren’t having those chances to observe and learn that way. Someone has to tell them.”

Ignoring the issue and not addressing things like sex can cause

long-term problems, according to Stone. “You cannot ignore that, biologically, this is going to be an urge,” she says. “I counseled many individuals with even mild cognitive processing who got pregnant and when we talked about it, I was shocked to hear how little sex education they had.”

For McGuire, talking to Elise about dating happened over a series of conversations that started as Elise and Carter became better acquainted. “Elise and Carter’s mental development is different than ours,” McGuire says, “so we talked a lot about what is appropriate and what’s not, about respect and how we treat each other.”

McGuire says the open dialogue made it easier to have more difficult conversations about sexuality. “They are alone together sometimes, and I may have wondered if it was OK at first, but ultimately it was talking to Elise that made me more comfortable,” she says. “They like to snuggle and show affection, but Elise knows the boundary and has no problem saying that, and because Carter’s parents talked to him, he knows to respect it.”

A SUPPORTING ROLE

The McGuires and Higginses agree that their job is to support Carter and Elise’s relationship but also give it room to grow and be what it is, instead of trying to interfere and direct it. That support involves handling logistics and honoring their kids’ desire to be married by figuring out how to make it work in a way that is realistic but still meaningful.

They say that teaming up with other couples to provide a weekly date night is a great way to support the connection. Carter and Elise have a regular group date with two other couples; the parents take them to do something fun together every Friday. “One thing they can’t do is drive,” says Russ Higgins, “so we have to provide means for them to get where they want to go. We work well with the other families, and that has been good.”

As Carter and Elise’s 31st birthdays approach, their parents also have to think about how the

couple can experience marriage in a way that works for their needs.

Sandy Higgins says that communication between the families has been very helpful. For instance, Carter wishes to have children one day. Though that might not be biologically possible, the families knew they needed to address it.

Gloria McGuire took the lead and talked to Elise about the responsibility of having a child. “Elise can be bossy,” she says with a laugh, “so we knew that she would probably set the tone for that. I just told her that having a baby is painful and a huge responsibility, and she said she didn’t think she would like that.”

“Gloria talked to Elise, and then we told Carter that it would have to be something he and Elise would need to talk about,” Sandy Higgins adds. “Elise is pretty clear that she does not want to [have children] for the reasons she and Gloria discussed, so we were able to help them navigate that themselves by just talking to them and letting them talk to each other about it.”

Stone says that the McGuires and Higginses have the right idea—helping overcome barriers that make dating more difficult, but then standing back and allowing for a relationship, or even a breakup, to happen.

WHEN HEARTBREAK HAPPENS

Though Carter and Elise are completely committed now, when they first started dating, Russ Higgins could see how much Carter adored Elise and worried about what might happen if they broke up.

“With any child, you don’t want to see your child’s heart broken,” he says. “I did think about it and felt unsure how I would explain it to Carter if that happened.”

“It’s hard to date as a person with a disability, and I can say that from personal experience,” Stone reveals. In addition to counseling people with disabilities, Stone herself is blind. “But breakups are part of life and we all experience them,” she continues. “Parents just have to explain why people break up, and that most people have multiple relationships that don’t

Save the Date!

Elise and Carter’s parents tout the group date as a wonderful way to allow your child space to date and get to know their romantic interests in an easy and laidback setting. The pair go out weekly with friends; parents take turns driving and planning events that range from elaborate to low-key. Here are some great ideas to start you off.

Bowling: This is affordable and simple, allowing for interaction in a structured—but fun—environment.

Movies: A sensory-friendly movie showing is a great first group-date idea—because it allows everyone to get accustomed to being together without being overstimulated

through a lot of interaction. Many AMC theaters offer sensory-friendly showings for people who don’t do well with too much stimulation, and Alamo Draft House hosts “Alamo for All” screenings.

Baking: For a more advanced date that incorporates some life skill practice, try a baking class. Williams Sonoma, for example, offers baking parties at its locations. An instructor will walk your daters through baking and decorating cookies or cakes and may offer additional helping hands if needed.

Home dates: Fix some snacks and have a craft, game or karaoke night at home! Just be sure to give your daters enough space to make it their own.

work out before they get married.”

Parents may also have to do emotional damage control before any relationships begin.

“I have one young man who thinks he will be alone forever,” Wood says sadly. “He wants a girlfriend and he talks about it all the time, but he worries he will never find one. We talk about it often.”

Wood emphasizes the importance of discussing the joys and concerns that go along with romantic relationships—or even unrequited crushes. She says communication is key in helping people with autism understand what they are feeling and why.

“Many [of the young adults I coach] have had crushes that did not pan out,” she says, “and it’s very hard on them. I tell them that’s sort of the first step: You have a crush that does not work out, and that’s why they call it a crush.”

Stone says that of course feelings of sadness and loss are normal, but parents should also

trust their instincts and look for anything beyond the pale. “If they seem depressed, the sadness continues for longer than it probably should, they become fixated, then it may be time to look at how you are helping them to understand and process it and to find a counselor who can help them to process it,” she advises.

Yes, the thought of a child experiencing this kind of sadness is scary, but parents should not get bogged down in the potential for heartbreak. Both parents and experts agree that dating and finding love is a beautiful thing for a person with a disability, as well as for their family.

“I would tell parents to embrace the utter joy of it,” says Sandy Higgins. “It’s truly an amazing and happy thing to sit back and watch, and of course provide support and guidance. It has been a really neat thing for us to see how Carter and Elise love and support each other.” dfwchild.com

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GO

kid culture

F IVE March, April & May

things to do this

P L AY

WORDS ELIZABETH SMITH

Sculpture Rocks

Miracle Eggstravaganza

Whether or not your kids play baseball with the Miracle League of Southlake, you can join the teams and other local families to hunt your share of eggs on the Texas Rangers Miracle League Field at Bicentennial Park on Sunday, April 5. Meet on the outfield for epic Easter egg scrambles exclusively for those with special needs, plus photos with the Easter Bunny, fun balloon creations and crafts. FREE Southlake; experiencesouthlaketexas.com

Crawl inside sensory tents set up in the Nasher Sculpture Center garden, comb the grounds on a scavenger hunt and join art activities on Thursday, March 26, during this family fun day for children with sensory processing challenges and their siblings. Registration requested. Be sure to download the social story online to read to your child and help prepare them for the day. A sensory quiet room will be staffed with occupational therapy students from Texas Woman’s University. FREE Dallas; nashersculpturecenter.org/engage

EASTER: MIRACLE LEAGUE OF SOUTHLAKE; SCULPTURE: NASHER SCULPTURE CENTER; MUSICAL: EVAN ZIMMERMAN/MURPHYMADE; FISHING: C.A.S.T. FOR KIDS; SCIENCE: EXPLORIUM DENTON

ASL Jesus Christ Superstar

The 1970s rock opera musical gets a remake with this new production at Music Hall at Fair Park—where on Saturday, May 9, Dallas Summer Musicals offers American Sign Language interpretation. Call the subscriber hotline or go online to select seats in the orchestra section B for the best sight lines of the interpreter and inquire about assisted listening devices through the Hear Us Now! program. Check online for ticket prices. Jesus Christ Superstar is recommended for age 10 and older. (ASL interpretation is offered the second Saturday matinee for the entire season of shows.)

Dallas; dallassummermusicals.org

For more events tailored to you, subscribe to our Special Needs Weekend Guide at dfwchild.com/ newsletter.

Sensory Friendly Science

This week in science: Explorium Denton Children’s Museum now welcomes curious kids 12 and younger who have sensory processing differences to join exclusive, science-focused events the second Saturday of each month. Stop by at 9am on March 14, April 11 and May 9 to conduct mini experiments, discover basic scientific principles and explore the museum with the lights turned low before the public arrives at 10am. $5.

Denton; exploriumdenton.org

C.A.S.T. for Kids

Follow the party out onto the waters of Lake Benbrook on Saturday, May 30, for a day of fishing and boating with the C.A.S.T. (Catch A Special Thrill) for Kids Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to enrich the lives of children with special needs and their caregivers through the sport of fishing.

Each participant ages 6–18 receives bait, a tackle box and a fishing pole to keep, plus a personalized plaque to commemorate the day. Register online in advance. FREE Benbrook; castforkids.org dfwchild.com

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CHILD CARE

Achievement Center of Texas Nonprofit day care and day habilitation center for children and adults with disabilities or other special needs. Also offers arts exploration, educational assistance and community inclusion. Garland; achievementcenteroftexas.org Brighter Day Academy Fully inclusive day care for nonaggressive children with special needs, infant to age 12.

Medications and breathing treatments can be given on-site if necessary.

Children accepted case by case. Dallas; 214/265-8585 Calab, Inc. Provides quality individualized child care that encourages independence in individuals with disabilities.

Multiple locations; calabinc.com The Clubhouse for Special Needs Afterschool programs, school holiday programs, summer programs and all-day programs for teens and young adults (ages 13–22) with special needs.

Bedford; theclubhouse.org

Unbridled Horse Therapy in Flower Mound helps special needs riders reach their full potential.

WE KNOW SHOPPING FOR RESOURCES PROBABLY ISN’T AT THE TOP OF YOUR DAY-OFF TO-DO LIST, so we’ve packed this handy directory with as many local support groups, recreational activities and respite programs in DallasFort Worth as we could find. If you know of something we missed or have an idea for a new listing, send your recommendations to editorial@dfwchild.com.

ADD & ADHD

Attention Deficit Disorders Association (ADDA) Southern Region Designed as a resource network to support individuals with ADHD and/or related conditions and to advocate for community resources. Support group meets from 7–8pm (the second Tuesday of the month in February, April, September and November) at the new Mesquite ISD Professional Development Center.

Email opal.harris@att.net or kesmith@ mesquiteisd.org for more information.

Mesquite; adda-sr.org Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) Works to educate and empower others with information about ADD/ADHD by providing parents with tools and information to help their child reach their full potential. Tarrant County support group meets the fourth Monday of each month from 7–9pm at the White’s Chapel United Methodist Church (inside the Adult Education Building) in Southlake. ntxchadd.com 22 s p e c i a l n e e d s

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ASPERGER’S & AUTISM

AUsome Moms A nonprofit that provides support, social opportunities and education to Dallas-Fort Worth families with children on the autism spectrum. Flower Mound; ausomemoms.org Families for Effective Autism Treatment North Texas (FEAT-NT) Provides resources, support, education and advocacy for families in the autism community. Richland Hills; featnt.org #MomStrongFW A Fort Worth-based support group connecting moms raising children with autism, providing opportunities to share resources and friendship. Search #MomStrongFW on Facebook to join.

Our Children’s Circle Support group of parents, educators and community leaders that strives to provide resources for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders. McKinney; Find information on Facebook.

Easterseals North Texas Child Development Center Provides an ABA therapy program in a preschool setting for children who have autism (ages 6 weeks–6 years) and typically developing children to learn alongside one another. Carrollton; easterseals.com/northtexas Emma’s House Provides functional, vocational and life skills to promote independence and self-sufficiency for teens and young adults with disabilities. After-school and summer programming is also available. Irving; emmashouse.net KinderFrogs School at TCU Early childhood program (ages 18 months–6 years) designed to accommodate children with Down syndrome and other developmental delays. Fort Worth; kinderfrogs.tcu.edu Mary’s House Provides before- and after-school care (Monday–Friday), day habilitation, activities and therapeutic options for teens ages 13 and older as well as adults with disabilities.

Dalworthington Gardens; maryshouseinc.org Mom’s Best Friend The nanny agency and babysitter service provides referrals for in-home care for children of all ages with special needs throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Carrollton; momsbestfriend.com

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Blue Caboose Children’s Fund Provides back-to-school assistance, a Christ-

SUPPORT

mas toy drive and a parent network for the families of children with cystic fibrosis. The adults-only support group meets on the second Monday of each month. Location varies; see Facebook page or email kiri@bluecaboose4cf.org for details. Dallas; bluecaboose4cf.org

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

The Arc of DFW Area An advocacy group for individuals with special needs and their families. The Arc hosts a quarterly conference, A Look Ahead, in partnership with the First United Methodist Church of Arlington and Families for Effective Autism Treatment North Texas. Get more information via email at info@thearcofdfw.org. thearcgmc.org North Texas FASD Network Support group for parents of children and adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Meets the fourth Monday of every month (except May and December) from 6:45–8:45pm in the Activities Center at First Baptist Richardson; email northtexasfasd@gmail.com for more information.

DOWN SYNDROME

Down Syndrome Partnership of North Texas Provides information, social and educational activities and events, and support for new parents, families and caregivers of those with Down syndrome. Fort Worth; dspnt.org

EQUESTRIAN THERAPY

Blue Sky Therapeutic Riding & Respite Provides a safe, happy and healthy therapeutic community that works to empower and propel citizens with special needs to their fullest potential through therapeutic horseback riding and respite as well as vocational and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Krugerville; blueskytexas.org Born 2 Be Therapeutic Equestrian Center Dedicated to safe and affordable horseback riding and carriage driving for children and adults with disabilities through smallgroup or private lessons.

Riders have the opportunity to participate in the Texas Special Olympics and in exhibitions, including the Chisholm Challenge for Special Riders Horse Show held in Fort Worth each January. Sanger; born2betec.org Equest Strengthens and rehabilitates children and adults with physical, cognitive, sensory, emotional and learning disabilities through equine-facilitated programs and therapies. Programs are taught by credentialed professionals and assisted by over 400 trained volunteers. Dallas; equest.org

UNBRIDLED HORSE THERAPY; THE CLUBHOUSE

directory

JOIN

Grace Lake Ministries, Inc. God-centered therapeutic riding program with the goal of developing wholeness in the lives of the people served. Riders include anyone in need of hope and healing, including children and adults with disabilities or social challenges. Anna; gracelakeministries.org ManeGait Therapeutic Horsemanship Provides a fun, enriching and supportive environment for riders to reach their potential. Offers group, semiprivate or private lessons taught by certified riding instructors with the assistance of volunteer aides. Riders participate in pre-mounted and post-mounted horse care as much as they are able. McKinney; manegait.org

CREATIVE + INTEGRATED approaches to speech + feeding therapy Speech | Orofacial Myofunctional | Feeding Therapy

New Hope Equine Assisted Therapy Provides therapeutic horseback riding services for people with a wide variety of disabilities. Program is designed to bring hope, healing and happiness to riders by encouraging the horse and human connection. Argyle; newhopeequine.com

We believe in a multi-sensory holistic approach to therapy to meet individual needs. We address lip tie, tongue tie, remediate tongue thrust to gain correct rest posture for breathing, sleeping and eating through myofunctional therapy. We move on to increasing nutritional intake and texture acceptance for our picky eaters/problem feeders then address the speech mechanism by reshaping the speech movements and phrases to aid in more effective communication through motivating play and social interaction routines.

Riding Unlimited Provides small-group and individual lessons for age 4 to adult. Students can participate in therapeutic horsemanship classes, hippotherapy, exhibition and drill teams, Special Olympics equestrian events and shows, such as the Chisholm Challenge for Special Riders Horse Show.

Ponder; ridingunlimited.org

Rebecca L. Dana, MS, CCC/SLP, PC, SIPT-C

Stable Strides Farm Therapeutic Riding Children age 2 and older and adults with physical or cognitive disabilities learn to become effective, competitive riders.

Students are encouraged to ride independently as soon as safely possible.

Riders participate in the Special Olympics and other competitions and shows.

Flower Mound; stablestridesfarm.org

7002 Lebanon, Suite 102 Frisco, TX 75034 469-408-4634 • F: 972-618-1051 walkeztalkez@gmail.com

Unbridled Horse Therapy Aims to effectively intercede and encourage unrealized potential for those with special needs and disabilities through the connection between horse and rider and the use of physical, speech and behavioral therapy. Email shelly@unbridledhorsetherapy.com for more information. Flower Mound; unbridledhorsetherapy.com

walkeztalkez.com

©

University of North Texas Speech and Hearing

Victory Therapy Center Cares for the physical, mental and emotional needs of children, adults, veterans, first responders and their families through the healing power of horses. Roanoke; victorytherapy.org

MENTAL ILLNESS

Mental Health America of Greater Dallas Works to stop the stigma around mental illness and build awareness of mental health issues while providing resources from providers in the community. Offers multiple peer-led support groups at varying times. Dallas; mhadallas.org

New Auditory Listening Clinic Specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) North Texas Provides support, education and a community for parents and caregivers of children or adolescents experiencing behavioral or emotional challenges. Offers monthly support group and free parenting classes. North Texas area; naminorthtexas.org

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE

OCD and Anxiety Support Group DFW Support group for families and friends of individuals with OCD and other anxiety disorders. Meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month (except on holidays) from 6:30–8pm at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford. Bedford; ocdsupportgroupdfw.wordpress.com

RECREATION

ACEing Autism Dallas Nonprofit organization that provides a weekly program to teach children (5–18 years) and young adults (19–30 years) on the autism spectrum the game of tennis while improving their gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination and social skills. Sessions are held in the spring, summer and fall.

Richardson; aceingautism.org/locations/dallas-tx Angel League Baseball Program Free baseball program sponsored by the Kiwanis Club and the City of Rockwall. The youth team accepts players ages 4–15 with

Ads with © are © of Lauren Publications, Inc. 2020.

OCD Support Group Professionally led support group serving the Dallas, Richardson and Plano areas for parents of children with OCD, adults with OCD, family members and friends of people with OCD, and teens with OCD. Meetings are held the second Monday of each month (except December) from 7:45–9pm at the Methodist Richardson Medical Center – Bush/Renner Campus, second floor, Education Room B. Email ocdparenthelp@yahoo.com for more information.

UNT, located in Denton, TX, is offering a multidisciplinary clinic for auditory assessments and interventions directed by Erin Schafer, Ph.D., CCC-A and Lauren Mathews, M.S., CCC-SLP. This clinic specializes in individuals who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as well as any child with normal hearing who experiences listening difficulties.

To schedule an appointment, please contact us at 940-565-2262 or speechhearingclinic@unt.edu dfwchild.com

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directory any disabilities; the adult team is for ages 16–60 with mental challenges. Seasons start in March and September. Register online. Rockwall; angelleague.org

Serves all people with different abilities from ages three through adulthood.

Aqua-Tots Swim School The Special Needs Adaptive Program provides customized swim lessons to meet the individual needs of children and address specific goals set for them by their parents. Multiple locations; aqua-tots.com Arlington TOPS Soccer Free soccer program for ages 5–25 with special or adaptive needs.

Fall league includes Saturday games and two groups (ages 5–12; 13 and up). Each player receives a uniform and end-of-season trophy.

Visit the Facebook page.

ASI Gymnastics Offers Gymmie Kids, a recreational gymnastics program designed to enhance motor skills, provide social interaction and build the self-esteem of children with special needs. Multiple locations; asigymnastics.com

HEROES Academy HEROES Academy is a community-based, year-round day program for adults who have aged out of the school system.

We provide the much-needed opportunity for individuals to become active and contributing members of the community.

JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES VOLUNTEERING LEARNING LIFE SKILLS: money management, cooking, shopping, social skills + more RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Buddy League Provides recreational opportunities for children with special needs, allowing children with disabilities to learn baseball with their typical peers, or “buddies.” Garland; buddyleague.org Buddy Sports at Cross Timbers YMCA Specialized program for athletes ages 5–18 with learning and physical disabilities. Athletes meet on Sunday afternoon from noon–2pm (younger kids) or 2–4pm (older kids) to have fun, exercise and be part of a team in an understanding atmosphere. The sport changes every six to seven weeks; sports include basketball, baseball, soccer and floor hockey. Registration is $25 per season. Flower Mound; crosstimbersymca.org Camp Summit Camp for children and adults with disabilities ages (6–99). Traditional camp activities are adapted to each individual, provided in 100% barrier-free facilities and implemented by trained, caring staff. Paradise; campsummittx.org Challenge Air for Kids & Friends Offers motivational and inspirational aviation experiences to children and youth with physical challenges.

Dallas; challengeair.com

Other programs offered: WEEKEND RETREATS + SLEEPOVERS PARENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT CONTINUING ED COURSES SEASONAL DAY CAMPS: Summer, Winter, Spring Break SIBSHOPS: Fun activities for siblings of brothers/sisters with disabilities

For further information or to schedule a visit, email info@heroesdfw.org

heroesdfw.org 972-663-5853 Like us on Facebook: HEROESCamp

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Cheer Academy Cheerleaders 5 and older learn basic cheer steps as well as tumbling moves as part of the academy’s special needs team.

Contact info@cheeracademy.com. Arlington; cheeracademy.com Coppell TOPS Soccer League Program by the Coppell Youth Soccer Association for boys and girls ages 4–19 with mental and physical disabilities.

Teams organized according to physical size and ability play 8–10 noncompetitive games throughout the season. Coppell; coppellyouthsoccer.com Crull Fitness Personal and group training for children and adults with various physical and cognitive disabilities through the Champions Challenge program. Richardson; crull-fitness.com Dallas Jr. Wheelchair Mavericks Basketball In this wheelchair league, kids are divided into two groups: two varsity teams and a prep team. Dallas; dallasjuniorwheelchairmavericks.org

ABOVE // Individuals with disabilities develop more independence through activities with RISE Adaptive Sports.

Dallas Sled Stars The Dallas Stars Foundation supports this sled hockey league that caters to athletes with limited mobility, amputees and typical athletes with leg and hip injuries. The youth league runs September through May. Contact dfwsledhockey@gmail.com.

Farmers Branch; dallassledstars.com Dana’s Studio of Dance Kids age 10 and up can join a special needs hip-hop class on Monday from 6:45– 7:45pm. Keller; danastudio.com Emler Swim School Teaches the lifesaving skill of swimming to children with special needs in a fun, positive environment. Multiple locations; emlerswimschool.com Encore School of Dance Offers No Boundaries, coed classes for dancers with special needs and abilities, age 5 and up. Sign up online or at the studio. Saginaw; encoreschoolofdance.com Especially Needed Builds a strong sense of unity for individuals with special needs by offering familyfriendly events throughout the year. McKinney; especiallyneeded.org Express Cheer Offers a Shining Stars cheerleading team for children with special needs. Practices are on Mondays from 5:30–6:30pm. For more information, email kiki@expresscheer.com. Frisco; expresscheer.com Irving Parks and Recreation Special Olympics Program Athletes age 15 and up can take part in basketball, volleyball, golf and bowling programs adapted to meet the needs of individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. Practice is scheduled on Tuesdays from 5:30–7pm but might vary. Email Emory Caballero at ecaballero@cityofirving.org. Irving; cityofirving.org Jumpstreet Hosts a semiprivate indoor trampoline event on the first Saturday of the month for children with special needs and their siblings. Multiple locations; gotjump.com Keller ATA Martial Arts Offers classes on Tuesday and Thursday at 4:15pm for children and adults with special needs and participates in tournaments that offer divisions for special abilities competitors. Instructors have experience working with students with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other conditions. Keller; kellerata.com Metroplex Adaptive Water Sports (MAWS) Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing opportunities for persons with all types of disabilities to experience water sports. Dallas; youcanski.org Miracle League of Dallas Provides opportunities for children and young adults of all abilities (ages 5–21) to

RISE ADAPTIVE SPORTS

Providing Lifelong Learning through Community Experiences

Aqua-Fit Swim & Fitness Family Wellness Center Offers swimming lessons for adults and children with special needs on Saturday and Monday in suite D2. Plano; aquafitplano.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BEST Summer EVER EPIC SUMMER PLANNING STARTS HERE Additional camps online at dfwchild.com/directory

ABA therapy makes happy campers out of everyone.

ABA therapy services combined with a fun curriculum of activities to bring about measurable improvements in the behavior of children with autism. We collect and analyze extensive data from each therapy session, so we can ensure every child is making progress on their goals. Our unique learning programs and proven ABA therapy techniques help children: Plano Hive: 6105 Windcom Ct. Suite 400, Plano, TX 75093

• Communicate better • Successfully participate in group activities • Get ready for school • Develop their social skills

971-312-8733 behaviorexchange.com

All in a colorful, caring, and engaging environment. Once you see the results, you can’t help but be happy. Reserve your spot today! Our programs, including Summer Camp, are covered by insurance in most cases.

270 Private Rd. 3475 Paradise, TX 76073 972-484-8900 camp@campsummittx.org campsummittx.org

Camp Summit is a one-of-a-kind camp for children and adults with disabilities. Campers enjoy a variety of activities adapted to their individual needs, including horseback riding, archery, swimming, ropes course, photography, arts & crafts and more. Weeklong overnight camp sessions are held throughout Spring, Summer and Fall for campers age 6–99.

Financial assistance is available.

Camp Summit is located in Paradise, Texas, just north of DFW on 460 acres of land. We are accredited by the American Camp Association and licensed as a Youth Camp in the State of Texas.

Frisco Hive: 8501 Wade Blvd. Building 12, Frisco, TX 75034

SUMMER CAMP FOR ADULTS 18+

Residential • Day Program • Camp • Respite 20250 FM 619, Elgin, TX 78621 512-856-0128 DownHomeRanch.org

Ranch Camp is designed for people with disabilities to build confidence by encouraging social connections and supporting the development of new interests.

Traditional camp activities are implemented by trained staff, maintaining a 1 to 5 staff/volunteer to camper ratio.

• Hayrides • Kayaking • Farm Animals • Archery • Fishing • … and more!

Located in Elgin, TX, just east of Austin at a year-round residential community for adults with disabilities.

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SEEKING PARENTS WHO UNDERSTAND SPECIAL NEEDS

directory enjoy playing, growing and learning through adaptive team sports. Basketball launched last fall; for more information, reach out via email to heather.gregg@ miracleleagueofdallas.com. Dallas; miracleleagueofdallas.com Miracle League of DFW Provides an opportunity for children with physical or mental challenges to play baseball. Arlington; miracleleaguedfw.com Miracle League of Frisco Offers seven sports for children and young adults (ages 5–22) with special needs, with attainable goals set and assistance provided by a buddy or volunteer. Seasons run from January–October. Frisco; friscomiracleleague.org Miracle League of Irving Provides children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to play baseball, regardless of ability level. The spring season runs March–July; fall season runs September–November. Irving; irvingymca.org

Make a difference in the life of a child by becoming a foster parent

Miracle League of Southlake Baseball league for ages 5 and up with all abilities and special needs, including high-functioning autism, vision impairment and limited mobility. Games last two innings and each player is assigned a typical buddy. Email tom@miracleleagueofsouthlake.com. Southlake; miracleleagueofsouthlake.com The Palaestra The developmental gymnastics program offers private lessons and group integration classes for tumblers of all ages with all mental disabilities and most physical disabilities. (Children who use wheelchairs might be limited.)

Farmers Branch; thepalaestradallas.com Plano Metropolitan Ballet – Pals Program A free, weekly ballet class tailored especially to children with special needs. PMB Pals have the opportunity to perform at the annual Plano Metropolitan Ballet Junior Company Jubilee. Plano; planometballet.org

LEARN MORE AT OUR MONTHLY ORIENTATION JPKIDS.ORG

972-303-5303 X214

Spring Break Wonders at the Modern

March 9–12

Two sessions each day; 11–11:45 am & 2–2:45 pm Take advantage of family programming at the Modern over the course of the week while your school-aged children are on Spring Break. Each unique session includes a tour and gallery project focusing on selected works in the special exhibition, Mark Bradford: End Papers. Arrive early, this program fills quickly. Attendance is limited to 45 children per session; admission is free.

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 3200 Darnell Street Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.738.9215

Free Spring Break Monday The Museum will be FREE and open to the public on March 9 from 10 am–5 pm.

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RISE Adaptive Sports Promotes independence for individuals with physical disabilities through sports, recreation and other outdoor events and programs.

Irving; riseadaptivesports.org Southwest Wheelchair Athletic Association (SWAA) Provides wheelchair sled hockey (at Farmers Branch location), fencing, track and other sports for people with disabilities. Multiple locations; swaasports.org Special Abilities of North Texas Supports adults with disabilities through programs and events, including a health and fitness program, creative arts program and opportunities to visit local attractions and sporting events. specialabilities.net Special Needs Gymnastics Coaches work individually and in groups with students of all ages and skill levels who have disabilities to help athletes achieve success.

In addition to gymnastics, the program offers art, music, swimming, cycling and life skills. Multiple locations; specialneedsgymnastics.com and lovesng.org Special Olympics Texas Provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The Unified Sports program brings athletes with and without disabilities together on the same team in order to promote inclusion in sports and everyday life. Statewide; sotx.org Special Strong Specialized health, nutrition and fitness services, including private training and boot camps for children and adults with special needs. DallasFort Worth area; specialstrong.com Spirit Xtreme Spirit Xtreme’s Rejoice is a coed special needs all-star team for athletes with an intellectual and/or physical disability who love to cheer, dance and perform. Contact melissa@spirit-xtreme.com. Southlake; spirit-xtreme.com Starcatchers Provides youth and adults with opportunities to shine through drama, music, dance and visual art. From large theater productions to intimate art summer camps, participants further the development of social, communication, motor and cognitive skills. Multiple locations; starcatchers.org Texas Cutez Serves children with special needs of all ages and abilities as they learn and make friends on a cheerleading team. Lewisville; texascutez.com Wet Zone Waterpark Angel Swim Open swim for members of the community with special needs and their families during summer months. Rowlett; rowlett.com/parksandrec YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas Puts Christian values into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Various club locations offer camps, swimming lessons and sports programs for kids with special needs.

Multiple locations; ymcadallas.org

Serving the needs of learning-different students for more than 30 years

• PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL • SMALL CLASS SIZES • SOCIAL LEARNING CURRICULUM AT ALL GRADE LEVELS • SENSORY MOTOR LAB • SPEECH AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ON SITE • SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH FIRST GRADE CLASSROOMS • TRANSITIONS SKILLS AND JOB READINESS • SUMMER CAMPS

Oak Hill Academy is dedicated to providing individualized academic and social-emotional learning programs not found in traditional learning environments. Through a multi-sensory instructional model, we take a whole-child approach, preparing our students for life after graduation.

9407 MIDWAY ROAD, DALLAS 75220 | 214-353-8804 | oakhillacademy.org

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directory RESPITE CARE

APT G Held the third Saturday of the month (September–May) from 7–9:30pm at First United Methodist Allen. Grades six and up. Free; register online by the prior Thursday. Allen; firstallen.org Arise Held one Saturday a month from 5:30–8:30pm at Irving Bible Church. All ages are welcome. Free. Irving; irvingbible.org Breakaway A respite night for kids with special needs (all ages) and their siblings (0–12 years) on the third Friday of the month, except June, July and December.

RSVP required; contact emmaw@christchapelbc.org. Fort Worth; ccbcfamily.org Bryan’s Buddies Takes place one Friday a month from 6:30–9:30pm at First Grapevine. Ages 3–18. The care is free; contact Joyce King at fumcdt@gmail.com. Grapevine; firstmethodistgrapevine.org

New Beginnings Start Here

Friday Night Respite Takes place the last Friday of the month from 5:30–8:30pm at First Methodist Manfield. Dinner provided. All ages welcome. Free; register online. Mansfield; firstmethodistmansfield.org

Friday NITE Friends A respite program for ages 0–15 and their siblings (up to age 12) on Friday evenings from 6–10pm. Plano; fridaynitefriends.org

We do everything we can to help get a kid back on track, whether that is in the family, social or school arena.

Cook Children’s Sib2Sib Program Free program for siblings of patients with a chronic illness or a life-changing injury. Crafts and games encourage communication. Groups for ages 5–7 and for ages 8–12 meet every other month; there are occasional field trips and camps for ages 13–24 and overnight camps for ages 13–18. Fort Worth; cookchildrens.org FEAT-North Texas Sibshops Sibshops held annually at the FEAT-NT Resource Center and Library. Books on sibling issues, autism and a range of other disabilities and related topics available for parents and children to check out. Richland Hills; featnt.org HEROES Sibshops Allows siblings of children with disabilities to participate in fun and exciting activities. Workshops take place one Saturday a month starting in March. Richardson; heroesdfw.org

TOURETTE SYNDROME

Tourette Association of Texas Serves area families with a loved one who has Tourette syndrome or an associated disorder. Irving; tourettetexas.org/dallas-northtexas

Kids Night Out For ages 1–11 and their siblings on the second Friday of each month (except June and July) from 5:45–8:45pm. $20 per family or $40 for four or more kids; reservations required. Email dianned@plano.gov to let her know if you will be bringing siblings. Plano; plano.gov

BPBC

Beckloff

Loving Hands Ministry Offers respite care during the school year for kids up to age 16 and their siblings up to age 10 from 5:30–8:30pm at First United Methodist Church. Check website for meeting dates. Coppell; fumccoppell.org

Pediatric Behavioral Center

17210 Campbell Road, Suite 200 Dallas, TX 75252

972-250-1700 www.drbeckloff.com ©

NightOWLS Happens on the second Friday of the month at Munger Place Church from 6–10pm for ages 6 months–12 years. At the Highland Park United Methodist Church, NightOWLS takes place on the first and third Friday each month at the same time for ages 6 months–12 years. Email sweeneyr@mungerplace. org and nightowls@hpumc.org, respectively, for more information. Munger Place Church:

Know of another listing or special needs resource that we should feature? Email us at editorial@dfwchild.com.

CAMP SUMMIT TEXAS; ANGEL LEAGUE

Night Lights Takes place from 6–10pm on the first, second and third Friday of every month (except January and July) at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church; the first Friday of the month at White Rock United Methodist Church; and the third Friday of the month at Christ Foundry United Methodist Mission (for Spanish-speaking families). Free; registration required. Dallas; raysoflightdallas.org

A Child, Teen & Family Counseling Center

spring 2020

SIBLING CLASSES

Harvey’s Kids Takes place the second Saturday of every month from 5–8pm at Holy Covenant United Methodist Church. Reservations required.

Carrollton; hcumc.org

where kids become kids again

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Dallas; mungerplace.org; Highland Park United Methodist Church: Dallas; hpumc.org

Parents’ Night Out Held by First Baptist Church Allen one Saturday a month during the school year. Open to kindergarten through sixth grade. Allen; fbcallen.org

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

services

a resourceful guide for your special needs We provide services to children and adults.

• 1-on-1 in center & in home ABA therapy • Social Skills • Community Outings • Naturalistic Teaching • Interactive Approach • Social Skills Group • Community Outings • Speech Therapy Available ABA Interactive Behavioral Therapy 817-849-5802 abainteractive.org

• Social-emotional counseling • Academic coaching, tutoring & learning support • Educational consulting & school placement • Schedule summer camp now to build executive functioning, study & social skills • Office or travel to student’s home is optional Sparkman Counseling & Educational Consulting, PLLC Laura L. Sparkman, M.S., LPC, NCC 6060 N. Central Expy. #222, Dallas, TX 75206 469-414-3424 laura@sparkmancounselingtx.com sparkmancounselingtx.com

A One-Of-A-Kind Camp Camp Summit is a residential camp for children and adults with disabilities where the emphasis is on the campers’ abilities rather than their disabilities. Traditional camp activities are adapted to each camper, provided in our barrier-free facilities, and implemented by trained, caring staff.

Campers are grouped by age, providing the opportunity to make friends within peer groups while experiencing new adventures.

Camp Summit 270 Private Rd. 3475, Paradise, TX 76073 972-484-8900 • camp@campsummittx.org campsummittx.org

Language Works/Rainbow Kidz Language Works/Rainbow Kidz provides low-cost, high therapeutic interventions and therapies both 1:1 and in small groups using the principles of ABA and the analysis of verbal behavior. We offer individual therapy, social skills classes, recreational classes, handwriting, sibling classes, Saturday classes and summer/holiday break classes at affordable prices.

Andrea Gamble M.Ed., BCBA 2155 Marsh Ln. Ste. 132, Carrollton, TX 75006 972-306-3189 • gamblea@yahoo.com www.languageworksllc.com

Increase communication.

Decrease behavior.

Improve quality of life.

Now enrolling new Dallas location at 635 and Hillcrest!

The Helm ABA Allen. Lewisville. Dallas. In-Home.

469-730-0925 www.TheHelmABA.com

ENROLLING NOW

ROCKWALL & GREENVILLE Our program includes an on-site therapy clinic, where students receive ABA Therapy throughout the day in addition to participating in an accredited educational program.

• ABA Therapy • Indoor Motor Lab • Speech Therapy • Social Skills Group • Occupational Therapy • Summer Camp Marigold Learning Academy ABA Therapy Center 401 W. Washington St., Rockwall, TX 75087 972-722-3892 • MarigoldLearningAcademy@gmail.com MarigoldLearningAcademy.com

To advertise in the Services section, call 972-447-9188 or email advertising@dfwchild.com

Sign up for our Special Needs Weekend Guide, a newsletter highlighting local events.

dfwchild.com/newsletter

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REFLECT

confessions

SHARE

C O M P I L E D B Y E M I LY Y E A R W O O D ILLUSTRATION MARY DUNN

WITH EACH WEDNESDAY NIGHT BIBLE STUDY, MY DAUGHTER HAS GAINED MORE INDEPENDENCE AND, EVENTUALLY, ASKED TO BE DROPPED OFF AND LEFT TO FIND HER WAY. WHEN I PICKED HER UP, MRS. DEBBIE TOLD ME THAT MARIA EAGERLY PARTICIPATES IN SONGS AND RAISES HER HANDS TO PARTICIPATE. SUCH A GRATEFUL MOMENT.”

—Whitney, Preston Hollow. Her daughter Maria, 12, has fetal alcohol syndrome disorder.

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Mom Truths Sometimes being a parent is one part funny, one part trying, one part exhausting—and all parts rewarding.

Here’s a roundup of our current favorites.

“Every week, our special needs son eats pasta, which consists of Heart Smart Prego, rotini noodles and meat. Dad accidentally grabbed the kind with colored noodles. Our son’s response: ‘Mom, I can’t eat these—they have crayons in them!’”

—Dianna, Dallas. Her son Nathan, 12, has autism spectrum disorder.

Got a humorous or heartwarming moment to share? We’d love to hear from you. Send it to editorial@dfwchild.com.

“My nonverbal son crawled up into our truck and locked himself in with the keys. We tried to get him to open the door, but he just sat there with his tablet waving at us. We had to call the fire department.

My son saw the fire truck, unlocked the door and quickly hopped out to get in the fire truck. The firemen even let him try out some gear.”

—Adri, Rowlett. Her daughter Harley, 4, and son Gauge, 7, both have autism. Her son also has ADHD and is nonverbal.

MY GREATGRANDSON AND I ARE IN THE CAR ONE DAY TRYING TO DECIDE ON A LUNCH SPOT. HERE’S HOW IT WENT. IAN: NANA, DO YOU LIKE HOOTERS? ME: SURE, I LIKE HOOTERS. IAN: ME TOO. BUT IT’S NOT BECAUSE I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND THERE OR KNOW ANYONE.” —Carolyn, Benbrook. She is the greatgrandmother of a 7-year-old with autism.

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