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AVOIDINGmeNtAlmeltDOwN
Meet MoMnext door
PUBLISHED BY
thrivespring 2012
DesIGNer eDucAtION
Justdance
c reating a customplan for your child
special n e e d s resources
145
A resource for fAmilies living with leArning differences And speciAl needs
Kristy Brooks & daughter Juliana
Helping autism with movement
d f w t h r i v e m a g a z i n e . c o m / s p r i n g 2 0 1 2 3
Take No Te5 Dancing Queen6 In Tune6 Give Me (a Tax) Break6 Jump, Jump!
Real Mo Ms9 Mom Next Door: Kristy Brooks
12 Nailed It12 Miss Knits 12 Retail Therapy
14 Mommy Diary: A Day in the Life of Shelly Burman
k id Cul TuRe23 Our Opinionated Guide to This
February, March & April
diReCTo Ry24 Directory of Special-Needs Resources
features departments
column30 HumorMe
words Sharon Fuentes
16
16 Your child’s education: fullY customizable Families with children receiving special education services know just how complicated choosing the education path for their child can be. The more we know about the options available to us, the better schooling our children will get. words Julia Garstecki
20 preventing parental burnout Why it’s important to take care of you. words Wendy Helfenbaum
staff box
Thrive is published quarterly by Lauren Publications, Inc. Address: 4275 Kellway Circle, Ste. 146, Addison, TX, 75001. Phone: 972/447-9188. Fax: 972/447-0633. Online: dfwthrivemagazine.com. Thrive is distributed free of charge, one copy per reader. Only Thrive authorized distributors may deliver or pick up the magazines. Additional or back copies of Thrive are available for $2 per copy at the offices of Lauren Publications, Inc. 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. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Thrive. Thrive is ©2012 by Lauren Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without express written permission prohibited.
AVOIDINGmeNtAlmeltDOwN
Meet MoMnext door
PUBLISHED BY
thrivespring 2012
DesIGNer eDucAtION
Justdance
c reating a customplan for your child
special n e e d s resources
145
A resource for fAmilies living with leArning differences And speciAl needs
Kristy Brooks & daughter Juliana
Helping autism with movement
2016
524
9
pages
photography Nick prendergast
Publisher/Editor-in-ChiefJoylyn Niebes
EditorialLifestyLe editorChristi B. steckel
eNtertaiNmeNt editoradrienne Ludwig
CoNtriButiNg editorJulie Lyons
ArtCreative direCtorLauren Niebes
graphiC desigNersusan horn
desigNermary dunn
AdvertisingsaLes deveLopmeNt direCtoralison davis
aCCouNt exeCutivessusan hasselCynthia henzl Nancy mcdaniel sandi mcKean Jenn Whiddon
CLassified saLesJill Kelley
ad CoordiNatorLexy davis
PromotionsmarKetiNg + eveNts direCtorKirk turner
AdministrationCirCuLatioNLeah Wagner
thriveNo. 10spring 2012
9 2020
4 d f w t h r i v e m a g a z i n e . c o m / s p r i n g 2 0 1 2
Followus on
Tel 972-584-0284 Fax 866-323-1955
ALWAYS SEEKING GREAT THERAPISTS
Occupational, Physical & Speech Therapy services just for kids
Sensory Integration Certified
We come to you!
Insurance& Medicaid accepted
ConTaCT uS Today
www.dynamictherapy.net
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hen Beatrice, a 7-year-old with autism, ἀrst joined the adaptive dance class at Chamberlain Per-forming Arts in Plano, she wanted
to talk about anything and everything when it was time to skip and chasse. But a year later, after being paired with Lauren Halverson, a Cham-berlain Company dancer who volunteers her time, Beatrice (not her real name) can maintain her focus through an entire 45-minute dance class and is performing “at her full ability,” says Cassi MacQueen, who teaches the class as part of Chamberlain’s Shining Stars dance program. “She just wants to be a dance princess.”
Beatrice is one of a growing number of North Texas children with autism who are beneἀting from programs that use movement and dance to develop social skills and open up their often-insular worlds. Through adaptive dance classes such as Chamberlain’s and dance and movement therapy by certiἀed practitioners (Texas doesn’t license dance therapists yet, as do many states in the Northeast), children with autism can learn to move in new ways.
take/note
W
Dance therapy and adaptive dance classes help children with autism open up their world
Dancing Queen
w o r d s s t e p h a n i e m o r r i s - g r a v e s
resourcescassi MacQueenChamberlain Performing Arts Shining Stars programchamberlainperformingarts.org
suzy rossol MathesonCertified dance/movement therapist and counselorDallas; [email protected]
Lynn Moon schellenbergCertified dance/movement therapistAutistic Treatment Centers of AmericaDallas; [email protected]
The Dance council of North Texasthedancecouncil.org
American Dance Therapy AssociationLists all dance therapists in areaadta.org
Chamberlain offers two weekly classes for children and young adults with special needs for $10 a class – walk-ins accepted – as part of its out-reach programs. MacQueen has seen children with autism improve their physical ἀtness, increase their social capabilities, dance with a partner-volunteer and even perform in front of their parents.
Suzy Rossol Matheson, a certiἀed dance/movement therapist and counselor in Dallas, has led dance therapy programs for children with autism for more than ἀve years and has witnessed the beneἀts. Children get stuck in patterns, and dance teaches them to relax and not be as tense, she says. Matheson’s program, offered in small classes, is built on group experience to encourage socialization. Many of the dances require a part-ner – which is signiἀcant, because to a child with autism, linking arms with someone else can be terrifying. She uses scarves, Octabands and other props to encourage children who are reluctant to try new movements or touch other people. “We start on the floor with stretches and our toes touching to eventually standing up,” Matheson says. “I love to do the chicken dance because you
have to do it with a partner, and we just do the same thing until it’s mastered.”
Dallas-based Dr. Carolyn Garver is a renowned researcher, international speaker on autism and director of the Autism Treatment Centers of America. She works with the severely autistic and has observed the beneἀts of dance therapy. “It’s calming and it gives another avenue for expres-sion,” she says. “The structure and movement can be very helpful.” Lynn Moon Schellenberg has led dance therapy classes for Garver at the treatment center in Dallas for more than 15 years. “Students are able to use their creativity,” she says. “They are initiating their own movements, which is empow-ering for them because they’re used to being told no and don’t do that.”
Dance could be an enhancement to traditional therapy for a child with autism – and, as Garver notes, “Anyone can give it a try.” t
ABoVe / Dance/movement therapist Suzy Rossol Matheson leads a ritual ending with children at Chamberlain Performing Arts’ Shining Stars Program.
Phot
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of Su
zy R
osso
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6 d f w t h r i v e m a g a z i n e . c o m / s p r i n g 2 0 1 2
take/note
After watching their son with autism struggle with one-word drills in therapy yet sing along with ease while music was play-ing, Fort Worth parents Will and Arlyn Kantz combined their professional practices to create
Precision Songs. Arlyn, a certified autism in-
terventionist, and Will, a licensed counselor, broke down practical information such as “How old am I?” and put it to
music on their first CD, Sing to Greet
the World Around Me. The Social Questions track
is personalized for your child and comes with a workbook of ex-tension activities for each song. The songs have second ver-sions that leave out the answer to the question, encouraging your child’s response and slowly bridging singing into speaking. The Kantzes have also entered the App world with their free Tuneville App for iPads, which makes the listen-and-learn les-sons interactive. These enhance-ments to typical therapy sound like music to our ears.
There are actually ἀve seasons – the fifth, tax season, is looming ominously on the horizon. Are you taking full advantage of Uncle Sam? Yes, he and his tax codes can work in favor for families of children with special needs. You may not realize it, but certain tax rules allow medical deductions for “diagnosis, cure, mitigation, or treatment … primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental defect or illness” (IRS publication 502). Deductions may also be taken for additional therapies, but most treatments must be prescribed by a doctor or licensed healthcare professional. There is
small print to this tax break, however, limiting the amount of medical ex-penses deducted. You can deduct only the amount of your medical and dental expenses that exceeds 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income (AGI). The IRS gives this example: “Your AGI is $40,000, 7.5 percent of which is $3,000. You paid medical expenses of $2,500. You cannot deduct any of your medical
expenses because they are not more than 7.5 percent of your AGI.”
For more information, contact a professional
tax advisor or attorney to help you under-stand this often-over-looked deduction.
In Tune
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USA
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the phrase “bouncing off the walls” is one that parents are accustomed to. all that bouncing can actually be a good thing for children with autism and sensory integration disorders. Using a trampoline as a therapy tool, children practice connecting their sensory systems through the repetitive stimulation of bouncing. Dallas businessman John Jenkins discovered that the trampolines he sold were helping children at asobo kobo Workshop in Japan – a workshop for children with special needs. Jenkins launched autism trampo-lines and play products after learning from his client at asobo kobo about the specific benefits children got from the trampolines. the trampolines come in various sizes; enclo-sures are also available for added safety. order your trampoline from anywhere in the DFW area and have it shipped directly to your door for a jumping good time.
Jump, Jump!cD and workbook,
$39.95precisionsongs.com
tuneville app, free for first song, $3.99 for additional songs available on iTunes
list of deductible medical expenses
irs.gov/publications/p502
get more information from the special needs
alliance specialneedsalliance.com
gi v e me(a tax)
bre ak
autism trampolines & play products, $159 and up
214/342-9829autismtrampolines.com
d f w t h r i v e m a g a z i n e . c o m / s p r i n g 2 0 1 2 7
Dr. Sandra Armstrong, Dr. Amy Watts & Associates
Board Certified in Pediatric Dentistry
2915 E. Southlake Blvd, Suite 200 • Southlake, Texas 76092 (817) 488-3533 • www.catchawinningsmile.com
The comfort of children with special needs goes hand-in-hand with the importance of their dental health in the office of Dr. Sandra Armstrong and Dr. Amy Watts. Both Dr. Armstrong and Dr. Watts are board certified pediatric dentists and focus on the unique dental needs of all children.
We understand that sensory overload can make things difficult for some patients. We offer the option of a quiet room. This room allows us to enhance patient comfort by adjusting the lights, sounds and smells associated with dentistry.
Through advanced training and courses, our entire staff receives comprehensive instruction in the care of patients with special needs. The techniques we employ combined with a fondness for children make our patients calmer, more comfortable and more confident when visiting our office. As an added benefit, we also offer “green” dental materials that are free of Bisphenol A, additives and colors.
Let us serve you by providing dental care that facilitates the best possible dental experiences!
Special Needs Children Receive Special Care!
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3550 Hulen St., Suite D, Fort Worth, TX 76107PH: 817-377-2535 FAX: 817-292-0572 WEB: www.pedi-rehab.com
Weatherford Location Coming Soon!
ccupational Therapy
hysical Therapy
peech-Language Therapy
Accepted insurance plans: Medicaid-Texas STAR, BlueCross-BlueShield, Aetna Medicaid, Aetna Commercial-Speech Only, CIGNA-Out of Network, Unicare Medicaid, CookChildren Health Plans-STAR and CHIP Superior Health
Helping children to be successful in the many “jobs” of childhood, including play, self-care, school performance and social interactions; sensory processing disorders; autism
Our highly skilled physical therapists specialize in evaluation, consultation and treatment to improve the child’s balance, muscle coordination and posture control; restore or improve motor function; manage abnormal muscle tone
To achieve each child’s goal of becoming successful communicators, a program specific to his/her needs is tailored to any or all of the following areas:
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Key School3947 E Loop 820 SFort Worth, TX 76119817/446-3738www.keyschoolfortworth.orgEmail: [email protected]
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Diagnostic ad OL.pdf 1 6/13/2011 11:58:28 AM
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f you’re curious what hope looks like, just look into the eyes of Juliana Brooks. She’s a 5-year-old girl who’s smart and beautiful. She has so much to say but can’t say
it … yet. After developing nor-mally for the first year of her life, she was diagnosed at 2 ½ with Rett Syndrome, a neu-rological disorder typically found in girls that affects her ability to walk and talk. She and her family – mom Kristy, dad Roger and sister Olivia, 3 – live in Irving, enjoy -ing each day as they await a cure.
How was Juliana diagnosed? When she was born, everything was perfect. She was always happy. At nine months she was bab -
bling and crawling. Life was great. She started to miss a few milestones, but the pediatrician
told us it’s OK – some children are slower to develop. We waited a few months lon -
ger, and when she was a year old, it felt like overnight she stopped
talking, stopped crawling. We went to a neurologist and got a very discouraging report. We asked what we could expect, and he said on a good
note, she may be able to sack groceries; on a bad note, you’ll
be taking care of her for the rest of your lives. We were sent to a
geneticist to test for Rett Syndrome, and when we got the positive results we were just
shocked. The ground went out from beneath us. We went through a depressive state for a
while, but that is when we found Girl Power 2 Cure. We have a lot to be hopeful for; they’ve been able to reverse this condition in mice, so a cure is possible. She has a local neurologist and also works with Dr. Sasha Djukic, the director of the Rett Syndrome Center at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in New York. Meeting with her changed our lives. She gave us new tools for communication. We were really at a loss for how to communicate with her, and she introduced us to the Eye Gaze computer that Juliana controls with her eyes to speak.
wHat is your involvement witH girl Power 2 Cure? Girl Power 2 Cure (girlpower2cure.org) was our savior at a time when we were really down and uncertain with what to do. They are all going through the same thing we are. Roger serves as the chairman of
real/moms
The Mom Next Door
ABOVE / The Brooks family in their back yard: mom Kristy, dad Roger, and kids Olivia, 3, and Juliana, 5.
“Its a four-way partnership. Every-one in this family does their share, and it’s not a job
to us.”
Iw o r d s C H r i s t i b . s t e C k e lw o r d s C H r i s t i b . s t e C k e lp h o t o g r a p h y n i C k P r e n d e r g a s t
kristy brooks
10 d f w t h r i v e m a g a z i n e . c o m / s p r i n g 2 0 1 2
real/momsthe mom next door
the board, and I serve on the mom advisory board. The mission of Girl Power is raising awareness and funds for Rett Syndrome research. Our big fundraiser is a golf tournament on April 21 at the Indian Creek Golf Club in Carrollton.
Hardest Part of tHe Journey? Initially looking at what the future was going to look like was very, very difficult. We had to learn to look at the progress she makes. Now she’s thriving and she’s 5, but it’s really hard because she’s starting to understand her limitations. She’s a typical 5-year-old girl, except her body doesn’t do what she wants it to do.
Proud mom moment? I got a note from Juliana’s teacher that said, “Everything I asked Juliana to do, she said no. She refused to participate.” I put on my serious face and told Juliana that is not OK – we’re going to look on your computer and find “I’m sorry,” and when you get to school tomorrow, you say you’re sorry to your teacher, and she said yes. So I wrote in her notebook to her teacher, “When you open Juliana’s computer, she has something to say to you.” So her teacher wrote back, “I turned on her computer, but I was really confused because all she kept saying was, ‘I was just kidding.’” That little stinker didn’t want to say her sorry. We were excited she did something a typical 5-year-old would do.
wHat is Her relationsHiP like witH Her little sister? It’s beautiful. Olivia sees nothing wrong with her. Juliana is her big sister, and she wants to do everything Juliana does. It’s still difficult when people ask what’s wrong, and it breaks your heart to have to explain every time. One morning, one of Olivia’s friends asked, “Well, if she’s 5, why doesn’t she talk?” I immediately froze and thought, what do I say, what do I say? And Olivia, with -out missing a beat, said, “Yes, she does talk. If you ask questions like, ‘Juliana, do you want juice?’ and if she says yes, she turns her face like this, and if she says no, she goes like this, and she has a computer and can pick all kinds of things to say. She can talk.” I thought, this 3-year-old child explained it so easily. I’ve stolen her answer several times when people ask.
How do you HelP olivia understand Her sister’s Condition? We haven’t really had to explain it. She’s grown up with her. She sees the things we do for her, and she wants to do the same. If we go outside and I put their juices out, she gets Juliana her juice first. She’s very helpful and knows no different.
wHat is Juliana’s Personality like? She is a fighter. She never complains; she’s very patient. She’s hilarious – she can make you laugh, she has the most contagious giggle.
i Can tell you and roger are a great team. talk about How your marriage HelPs you tHrougH tHis CHallenge. I don’t know that I could do it without him. We complement each other. Juliana loves her daddy; she’s a daddy’s girl. It’s a four-way partnership. Everyone in this family does their share, and it’s not a job to us.
one tHing you’re tHankful for … I’m very grateful for her doctors and the people conducting this amazing research to find a cure. This condition may very well be the first neurological condition that is completely curable and reversible. The wonderful thing is, her brain is completely intact, it’s not degenerative and she’s not getting worse, so whether this cure comes tomorrow or in five years, she’s going to be cured. t
Mustard Seeds provides a 5 star therapy center for pre-school &elementary school children who have Aspergers Autism or PDD
The overall focus of our therapy is ABA based in a naturalisticenvironment, but we also provide Equestrian, Aquatic,
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THRIVE01-20-20123.5x4.688”
1600 Gendy St. . Fort Worth, TX 76107 . 817.255.93001600 Gendy St. 1600 Gendy St. .. Fort Worth, TX 76107 Fort Worth, TX 76107 .. 817.255.9300 817.255.9300
GROSSOLOGY Exhibit created and produced by Advanced Animations, LLC, in collaboration with Science World British Columbia.
Explore why your body produces mushy, oozy, crusty, scaly and stinky gunk in this
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name. Full of hands-on experiences, challenges and just plain fun, Grossology is,
well, engrossing to say the least!
Get tickets and information at fortworthmuseum.org
Serving childrenwith special needs and
chronic diseases417-476-2565
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6000 Custer Road, Building 7, Plano, Texas 75023972-517-7498 ext. 103 www.greatlakesacademy.com
Great Lakes academy
REPORT CARDEnglishMathScienceReading
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• Frequently receive negative phone calls from your child’s school/teachers?
• Experience daily battles with your child regarding homework issues?
• Struggle with your child to turn in his/her assignments on time?
• Struggle to make your child’s teachers understand your child’s academic and social needs?
DO YOU AS A PARENT...
• Struggle socially and/or academically?
• Become easily distracted in his/her current school environment?
• Experience daily battles with his/her teachers for talking out of turn and/or impulsive behaviors in the classroom?
• Struggle to turn in his/her assignments on time even when completed ahead of schedule?
DOES YOUR CHILD...
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It’s the end of a long day, and it’s the first chance you’ve had to think about yourself. Put down the dirty
dishes – yes, they really can wait – and pick up knitting needles. Knitting is a hobby that many consider therapeutic.
The practice of using your hands to create one-of-a-kind scarves or hats keeps you focused and gives you a sense of accomplish-
ment. Knitting boutiques around the DFW area offer classes and workshops to get you started and keep you motivated. Jenning Street Yarns in Fort Worth offers one-on-one classes to fit your schedule for $20 an hour or Saturday classes starting at $25. In the Dallas area, get your knit on at The Shabby Sheep. Beginner classes start at $25, and they offer group classes if
you want to get your girlfriends together. If you’re already an experienced knitter and are looking for some social knitting, drop
into one of the many classes offered at Yarn & Stitches in North Dallas for $20. They also have kids’ classes if you’ve got little ones tag-
ging along. —Christi B. Steckel
real/momshelpreal/momshelp
Food and décor-centric Henderson
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ety with the addition of Milk and Honey. The wallet-friendly
boutique, founded by Waco native Brittany
Thomas, sports a bit of an Anthropologie-esque vibe with boho-inspired
dresses, cozy sweaters and a slew of interesting accessories. We left with
two spot-on tops and a few wear-everywhere
bangles. —JT
sometimes it’s the small-est things that make the big-gest impact. Case in point, the orangey red manicure that had me smiling every time I caught a glimpse of my nails. Now I’m upping the ante on “happy nails” with a glam, gold glitter-infused hue from Butter London – aptly named west End wonderland. worn on the shortest of nailseal, the
look manages to read modern and
chic. added bonus: the polishes are dpB- and formalde-hyde-free,
making them, dare
we say, just a little bit virtuous.
—Joslyn taylor
Nailed It
Jenning street yarnsFort Worth; 817/878-2740
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the shabby sheepDallas; 214/953-0331 theshabbysheep.com
milk and HoneyDallas; 214/826-1700
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call us: 972.312.8733email us:[email protected] visit us:www.behaviorexchange.com
Are autism spectrum disorders, behavioral issues, developmental delays or other special needs keeping
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A Day in the Life of
Shelly Burman is a devoted mother to her biological children Madelaine, 14, and Ethan, 5, as well as her adopted
children from Ukraine: 7-year-old triplets Owen, Evelyn and Hudson, who all have
Down Syndrome; Carrington, 4, also with Down Syndrome; and Reagan, 6, who suffers from spina bifida, bilateral club feet and hydrocephalus. She and
husband Brian live in Mansfield.
begin school with the other children. since we homeschool children with different abilities, we have different cur-ricula and times that we do things.11AM while I make lunches, I try to get at least a couple phone calls made.12PM Now it is lunch for the little ones, and I set up g button feeds again for owen and Carrington.12:30PM diaper change No. 3 for the little ones, put them down for naps and make a quick snack for me to eat, return any calls, make appointments, etc.1PM during this time I like to help Madelaine with her schoolwork, because it is usually just the two of us, and we can work without too many interruptions.2PM this is my time to do any major housework and get ready for the chil-dren’s physical therapy.3PM at this time my husband gener-ally gets off duty from the sheriff’s department and brings me a much-needed diet Coke from sonic, and I will wake the little ones up from their naps, get snacks, change diapers and set up g button feeds all while therapy is taking place.4PM If we do not have any doctor appointments, I will work on school with the little ones with down syndrome one at a time, since each of them are at a different level.5PM one of us will start getting supper on the table for the little ones first. 5:30PM therapy ends, and everyone comes to the table (in their own way) to eat. a lot of times dinner is when we all share a bit about the day and plan for what tomorrow brings.6PM after dinner ends, we start baths and kitchen clean-up.6:30PM with everyone in pajamas and teeth brushed, they can sit down to watch one show of signing time.7PM one of us will start the night feed for owen and Carrington while the other administers night medicines.7:30PM It is finally bedtime for the little ones. we are now at the point where they can each get to their own bed, and we tuck them in, turn on the sound machine and switch off the lights.8PM Quickly throw one more load of laundry in, and then it’s off to get Ethan and reagan ready for bed. sometimes we have a slight detour to read a book or two or clean up what seems like 1,000 Legos off of someone’s bedroom floor before the vacuum devours them.
ThE night BEfOrE prepare all breakfasts, meds and clothes for the next day. My children are not the size of typical children, and they
don’t have the same ability of a child with down syndrome born in the United states. the triplets are the size of 3-year-olds and are functioning at about 2-year-old level. Carrington is the size of a 1-year-old and is very much like an 8-month-old.7AM My alarm goes off, and when I wake up my feet hit the ground running. 7:15AM I quickly jump in the shower, get dressed and give hudson his med-icine, get Evelyn out of bed and bring hudson his walker so he can come get ready. Evelyn and hudson attend Cloverleaf academy in arlington, which is a private school for children with special needs.7:20AM while I’m thinking of the days’ events, I start getting Evelyn and hudson dressed and then usher them to the table for breakfast. as they eat, I get lunches ready and put in backpacks. sometime in between I throw the first load of laundry in so it will be ready for the dryer by the time I leave.7:30AM Most mornings I try to put sup-per in a crock pot to help minimize the stress of what’s for dinner.7:45AM Breakfast over and time to help put shoes and backpacks on.7:50AM run back to kitchen to get breakfast on the table for the other children, set up gastric button feed for owen and Carrington.8AM head out the door with Evelyn and hudson to Cloverleaf.9AM If I have any errands to run, I try to do them on the way back from Cloverleaf so when I get home I can
real/momsmommy diary
shelly burman
d f w t h r i v e m a g a z i n e . c o m / s p r i n g 2 0 1 2 15
8:30PM Now it is time for lights out for reagan and Ethan.8:45PM Most of the time, I try to clean up the house with a quick sweep of the floors, put away lost shoes and arrange wheelchairs and walkers for the kids for quick retrieval in the morning.9:30PM Now it is usually my time, and I will try to answer emails. we have two blogs we maintain, so I keep those up and also check in with vari-ous activities we do (carringtonscour-age.blogspot.com and atorchfortea-gan.blogspot.com).10:30PM depending on the night, I may climb into bed and finish proj-ects or read a book, and then hope-fully it is lights out for me until morn-ing (that is a rarity). I have a bit of quiet time in which I have the chance to reflect on the day’s events and think of each one of my children and thank god for the blessings. t
all about shelly
favorite book: Bendigo shafter, by Louis L’amour
dream vacation: one with my family to a place where we can see anything amazing. we have never really been on a vacation together.
mommy must-have product: steam mop for wood floors
what gives you energy: My children
nickname for the kids: Mg for our oldest, princess for Carrington and professor for hudson
Can’t-miss tv show: Extreme Makeover: home Edition
meal you’re known for: taco soup
what’s in your bag: Feeding sup-plies for g buttons, gum, coupons, snacks and Legos
Diaries are penned by moms (and dads) in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The authors vol-unteer to share a day of their choosing and are not paid or endorsed by thrive. Send your diary to [email protected]. All submissions are subject to editing and may be cut for space.
favorite book: Bendigo shafter, by hafter, by hafter
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What’s the best classroom setting?
There are many possible settings for your child’s education, from being integrated with students in a general education classroom all day to highly segregated, in which schooling takes place in a special care facility specific to the needs of your child.
Depending on the disability, many support services can take place right in the general education classroom. For example, the presence of an aide might be enough to help your child stay on task. The aide could also offer minimal support during instruction time, helping the student re-read directions, breaking tasks into smaller steps or taking notes for the
student and helping them organize their materials. The aide might be in the classroom for as little as 45 minutes a day or the entire day, depending on the needs of the child.
If your child requires more specific instruction, a special education teacher might be placed in the general education classroom to “co-teach.” This is different from having an aide in the class, because the special education teacher (sometimes called an Itinerant Specialist) will modify how the material is presented and adapt the information or assignments to meet the specific needs of the student. While the general education teacher is the content expert, the special education teacher is the strategy expert.
Another possibility is that a student may leave the general education classroom during designated times, reporting to a “resource room.” Resource rooms are used to teach the same information as the general education students but are helpful when the student needing special services can benefit from smaller groups or individual instruction without the disruptions of general education classrooms. The student should not miss any academic instruction that is occurring in the general education classroom, because they are receiving instruction parallel to their peers. In the best-case scenario, the special education and general education teacher plan together to coordinate
instruction. For example, if a specific novel is being taught and your child is pulled out to the resource room during language arts, your child will study the same novel – including vocabulary, plot points and themes – as the children studying the novel in the general education classroom. They are simply taught in a smaller group, with more support or different instruction than they might otherwise receive. If the student receiving services has severe reading or math deficiencies, parallel teaching might not be in the best interest of the student. Instead, they might pursue skills needed to help close the gap between their academic ability and the grade-level expectation.
For many parents, choosing the educational path for their child is a simple task. We live in neighborhoods with quality schools, meet with teachers for conferences and do our best to keep up with the new strategies used to teach math or writing.
Families with children receiving special education services know there is a lot more to it than that, and the more we know about the options available to us, the better schooling our children will get. Adopting a passive attitude will not bring the best result.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act makes it clear that all children are entitled to the best education available. More specifically, the concept of Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) is in place to ensure that, to “the maximum extent appropriate, chil-dren with disabilities … are educated with children who are not disabled.”
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Another option is that students may receive instruction in a special education classroom, with a special education teacher, but in a school with “typical” students. The class size may vary according to the needs of each student but will be smaller than those in the general education classroom. Depending on the disability, students may eat lunch with their peers, partake in specials such as gym or art classes or take electives with their typical counterparts. The amount of time students with special needs spend with their peers is determined by the needs of the student. It may be that students socialize only with their general education peers at lunch, recess, or school-wide events such as assemblies or dances.
Moving to a more restrictive environment, another option for educating students with special needs is placement in a special day school. This allows multiple schools to share resources. Day schools are environments on a different campus from a general education school and are used for students who have more severe needs that cannot be met in a typical school. Students attending a day school still live at home, unlike a residential school. According to expert Spencer Salend, these schools offer “comprehensive medical and psychological services students might need.”
On the extreme scale, some students may still be educated in hospitals or institutions. While this placement still exists, institutional schooling should be considered only as a short-term option, and while it might be necessary for some students, the emphasis should be placed on moving the student to a less restrictive environment as soon as possible.
One more restrictive option is homebound instruction. In this case, students are usually recovering from illness or surgery.
Teachers may come to the home and provide instruction there. Like institutional schooling, the goal is to make this as short-term as possible.
With so many options, it can be overwhelming, especially when the needs of your child may constantly be changing.
getting the right mix
Cindy Miller, a parent of a child with special needs, teaches special education in the Arlington School District and believes the Least Restrictive Environment is critical to ensure the correct placement for your child. “As a parent, I have always wanted what would best meet my child’s needs emotionally, physically and intellectually in just about that order,” she says. “I looked at LRE as a way to protect my son from environments that I felt were too overwhelming or too stimulating for him. In those instances, my request was that he receive adaptive PE and music therapy, which would be more beneficial and better able to address his goals and objectives.”
As an educator, however, Miller is careful when determining the Least Restrictive Environment for a student. She talks with parents to determine what their goals are for their child, both now and in the future. She warns parents that students who are engaged in special education courses may not end up with the same credits as their non-disabled peers, resulting in a different diploma. “If the student is college-bound, this can cause issues with admission or disqualify them for admission to a college at all,” Miller says.
Miller also reminds parents that although it is tempting to have an aide spend the day with our students with special needs, it isn’t always in the child’s best interest. The hope is that our students with special needs gain more independence, and
if an aide is constantly with them, this might not happen.
As students grow older, their needs may change, and with this, the Least Restrictive Environment will change as well. While parents can view this as disruptive, Spencer Salend reminds teachers and parents that this is a good thing. To move from a highly segregated environment to one that more resembles those of their nondisabled peers means the student is evolving in one or more area. At the same time, some students that may not be having success in a mainstream classroom might do better in a more restrictive setting.
no do-oversBecky Hughes is a mother
who had to make this difficult decision yet knows it is the right one for her daughter Sarah. She remembers sitting in her daughter’s sixth-grade ARD (Admission, Review and Dismissal) meeting with a group of teachers, as well as the district special education coordinator, and hearing their recommendation to put Sarah on the pre-vocational track. It would mean changing schools, as her junior high school did not offer these services.
As any mother of a child with special needs can attest, hearing that your child’s needs are not being met is devastating. Learning that Sarah might need to change schools tested Becky’s resolve, and while she understood the teachers wanted what was best for her daughter, Hughes needed time to adjust. Sarah had been looking forward to attending the same school as her older sister, but this decision would mean changing junior high schools to one that offered different courses that could meet her needs.
Before making the decision, Becky requested to see a pre-vocational class. The special education coordinator arranged for a visitation the very next day. The experience
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couldn’t have gone better. The teacher greeted Sarah and her mother at the door and spoke with Sarah as she gave a tour of the classroom. Comforted by the compassion and excitement various staff members showed her daughter, Hughes became cautiously optimistic.
When Sarah heard about the end-of-year trip to Hurricane Harbor, she made up her mind that this was the school for her. Hughes needed more time to think, though after much discussion, the Hughes family decided this alternative placement was in Sarah’s best interest. The decision itself would change the course of their daughter’s education plan, and as Miller mentioned, it could mean limited college and career opportunities. The potential consequences were put in black and white when Becky was required to sign a form stating that she and her husband understood that the diploma Sarah would receive would not be “normal.” Hughes cried, because she felt “This was the death of my dream for the future I saw for her.”
More than a year later, however, Becky is happy to report that Sarah is doing well. “What I thought was the death of a dream was really an unforeseen curve in the road, but not the death,” she says. “Sarah feels accepted by her peers; the district is working with the local community college to have some college courses – she can and will get a job that our joyful girl will find joy in when the time comes. We are all glad that we went this route now, but it was an emotional journey getting here. I do believe that we made the right choice.”
So what should you as a parent do for your child’s education? Ask questions. Research. There are no easy answers in education, but if your child is receiving special education services, decisions should not be taken lightly. As Hughes learned, the long-term outcome of decisions made even in elementary school will have lasting effects.
Miller sums it up this way: “You as the parent are the consumer, even of an educational career for your child. Your job as a parent is to get involved, find out what supports are in place for your child and investigate what the Least Restrictive Environment looks like for your child.” Ask questions, she adds – and follow the progress of your child’s IEP. If no progress is being made, find out why. If there don’t seem to be challenges, ask why. Is your child in the right program? What else is available?
“You don’t get any do-overs for your child and their school career,” Miller says. “Make this one count by being the most informed about your child’s Least Restrictive Environment.” t
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Ten years ago, after her husband’s death, Keller mom Alissa Auer struggled to hold her family together. Her son Chris, now 14, has bipolar disorder, ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome.
“I’d have to lay with him for over an hour each night because he couldn’t get his mind to quiet down enough to fall asleep,” Auer recalls. “If I was stressed, he’d feel it and not fall asleep, so I had to learn to say, ‘It is what it is’ – that helped me a lot. After my husband died, my counselor wanted me to do things just for me on a regular basis. So I got a massage each month, or I’d go paint at a pottery place.”
Auer received five hours of subsidized respite care a month and also practiced yoga each week while her brother-in-law looked after Chris. Attending Texas Parent to Parent’s conference in Austin each year through a scholarship enabled Auer to meet like-minded parents and find support.
For parents like Auer who have children with special needs, caregiving is often a lifetime commitment. Extreme sleep deprivation is a normal state of being. “Me time” is an utterly foreign concept. And frankly, when you’re on-duty 24/7, preventing parental burnout may seem like a luxury you cannot afford.
Your effectiveness as a caregiver, however, greatly diminishes when you don’t take care of yourself first, says Dr. Sylvia Gearing, a Plano-based clinical psychologist who believes that developing coping mechanisms to deal with ongoing stress and finding ways to recharge your batteries greatly impact your overall health.
“You are you own best defense against stress, and effectiveness in any adversity depends on adequate self-care,” Dr. Gearing explains. “If your body, your mind and your resources are not intact, you’re going to be less effective in the long run. You have to be able to sustain your effort, because it’s so continuous.”
acceptance equals reliefFor some parents, mental baggage
represents a huge source of stress: an overwhelming sense of hopelessness, frustration or guilt over not being able to change their circumstances.
“Parents of children with special needs would give their lives for them. However, there’s a certain amount of natural disappointment that people have to integrate, understand and process – dealing with the fact that this is not the way they thought things would work out for their child, themselves and their family,” Dr. Gearing says. She often counsels patients to engage in radical acceptance, a term from
dialectical behavioral therapy that involves moving toward accepting what you cannot change. “The freedom that comes from acceptance means that you suffer less and can be more effective in your caretaking duties.”
Parents understandably find it difficult to shift their perspective while purposely focusing on what they can control, Dr. Gearing notes. “Parents get so tired and pumped up by the adrenaline of the situation; they really think they should have more control over things, and they don’t. They must continually recommit to accepting reality as it is.”
Acceptance helped Auer turn a corner in caring for Chris.
“A lot of what I learned as a young widow really helped me cope: Take care of you, be kind to yourself and get involved in support groups. It’s so good to hear parents talk. You’re not a bad parent if your child needs help,” says Auer, who remarried about four years ago. Cook Children’s Healthcare System has a monthly meeting for parents of children with mental illness that Auer found helpful, and she also attended National Alliance for the Mentally Ill’s support group for parents of adults with mental illness.
Give yourself a break Many parents keep pushing
beyond their exhaustion, thinking
they cannot afford to take a break. They resort to sleeping in shifts, if at all. And that is another recipe for disaster, Dr. Gearing says.
“Basically, the brain is hijacked when it’s tired. A tired brain is a vulnerable brain, and people who have any kind of stressors need immediate rest,” Dr. Gearing says. Because that is easier said than done, turning to community resources such as organized respite care or asking family members to help out should not be considered a luxury.
Sometimes, Dr. Gearing says, parents need a mental break that only they can provide to themselves. “We ask a lot of our parents to really practice self-soothing skills, allowing their emotional brain to reconnect to their analytical brain, so they can think better in the moment and they’re not so overwhelmed,” she says.
Denton mom Lee Self’s son Joshua, 12, has a range of physical and cognitive challenges including Asperger’s, dysgraphia, ADD, low muscle tone, delayed social skills and executive function issues. To reconnect with each other, Self and her husband Kevin devote each Monday to themselves: They attend a marriage enrichment group, go to dinner and a movie or participate in a support group for parents of kids with special needs. They also buy season tickets to a local theater each year.
W O r D s W e n d y H e l f e n b a u m i l l u s t r a t i O n m a r y d u n n
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Self also spends time with other parents who understand. “Get a group of friends in the same situation and work through the book Building a Joyful Life With Your Child Who Has Special Needs, by Nancy J. Whiteman and Linda Roan-Yager,” she suggests. “Find ways to do little things for yourself regularly too. I get a massage every month, am in a study group and I try to have lunch with one friend a week. Laugh any chance you get, and cry when you need to.”
Dr. Gearing agrees with Self’s strategy, because time spent with a partner is an invaluable way to get support and strength. “Turning to the love of our partners is essential. With all the challenges couples face, when they can bridge together and see themselves as a team working toward a common goal, it makes all the difference in the world,” she says.
a full HouseSince adopting their first child 22 years
ago, Patti and Deahl Rooks have fostered more than 30 children with special needs and adopted 10. When they could not find a support group in Cleburne, they started their own, Small Blessings Ministry, which offers respite and foster care, monthly support meetings and parent training. Today, the Rooks household includes 12 children ages 5 to 18 who are coping with post-traumatic stress disorder, blindness, deafness, Asperger’s, ADHD, fetal alcohol syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and missing limbs.
“Parental burn-out is rampant in foster and adoptive care, because of all the mental
health issues we deal with,” Patti Brooks says. “We tell parents: Recognize when you need a break, take time for yourself and work closely with your spouse. Build a network of therapists, doctors and others who can help you.”
WHen to seek HelpHow can you tell when being tired
and cranky has morphed into a full-blown burnout that requires immediate attention? One of the signs Dr. Gearing looks for is being regularly and overwhelmingly vulnerable to your emotions.
“I warn parents that when emotions become huge waves that influence and consistently disrupt your day, critical decision-making then becomes emotionally based," she says. "Stress is the precursor to depression and anxiety. With this, the brain can lock down. Literally, fewer parts of the brain react normally. As a result, you’re not making the right decisions or saying the right things, and you’re less effective in your environment and with your child.”
Ultimately, parents should strive to do their best but forgive themselves for not doing the impossible, Dr. Gearing says. “That’s where a therapist might come in and help a parent get that perspective encrypted into their minds,” she says. “This is a marathon, not a sprint, so the sustainability of emotional effectiveness is essential to delivering the kind of care your child needs.”
resourcesTexas ParenT To ParenT512/458-8600txp2p.org
ParenTs on CallVolunteer parents who provide support and information to other parents of children with special needs or disabilities.Contact: Deneesa [email protected]
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A:What is a Special NeedsTrust?If your child with special needs receives money or assets
(resources) over $2,000, he/she could lose eligibility for life-sustaining benefits such as Medicaid and SSI. With an SNT, you can provide for your child while protecting his/her government benefits. The trust can be funded during your lifetime, or through your will or life insurance.
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A will allows you to make choices, instead of the government
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It’s finally time to start coming out of hibernation mode to enjoy the last days of winter … and celebrate the arrival of early spring! Spend time with the family and your community indoors or outdoors at these events geared toward families with learning differences or special needs.
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EggstravaganzaGo on a search for eggs during Especially Needed’s second annual Easter Egg Hunt. The fun event features thou-sands of eggs, bounce houses and a petting zoo. There may even be a special appearance from the Easter Bunny. on April 7 from 1–4pm at The Ballfields at Craig ranch in McKinney. Free.
McKinney214/499-3439especiallyneeded.org
True BlueBring awareness and support to families in the autism spectrum during the Light It Up Blue 2012 campaign. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, spread the word throughout April by wearing blue clothing, purchasing blue light bulbs for outdoor light-ing, raising funds and other activities. Free.
dallas/Fort worth area972/960-6227autismspeaks.org
Information GaloreCalling all parents! on March 7 from 11am–2pm, venture over to Elliott Hall at Highland Park Presbyterian Church for the Learning Difference Resource Expo. Find out about local therapists, summer camps, social skills classes and more for kids with special needs. For parents. Free.
dallaspclda.org
A Charming TaleTake a trip to Canada while watching the AsL-interpreted performance of Anne of Green Gables. Join the spirited and bright Anne shirley as she moves from an orphanage to a farm-house and makes new friends along the way. on April 1 at 4:30pm. At the dallas Children’s Theater. Tickets start at $16.
dallas214/740-0051dct.org
R-E-S-P-E-C-T on the morning of March 31, throw on your athletic shoes for March for Respect. The walk, which is hosted by agency members of the developmental disabilities Network of North Texas, is around one-and-a-half miles and suitable for all ages. Begins at 9am. The walk is at 11am. At the dallas west End. Free.
dallas972/323-1220marchforrespect.org
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add & adhdADD/LD Support Group of Collin County 972/396-1216; fumcallen.org/NurturingSupport/ADD_LD.html. Confidential group provides emotional support and information about parenting a child with attention deficit disorder and other learning differences.
CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) Dallas, 972/406-1833; North Richland Hills, 817/269-8654; chadd.net. The nation’s leading non-profit organization serving individuals with ADHD and their families.
Mesquite Chapter of the Atten-tion Deficit Disorders Associa-tion (ADDA) – Southern Region Mesquite. 972/240-3259; adda-sr.org. Support group for families with chil-dren with ADD/ADHD. Group meets
at St. Stephen United Methodist Church every other month. Does not meet in the summer months.
asperger’s & autismAutism Society of Collin County Plano. 214/925-2722; autism-ascc.org. Seeks to increase public awareness about daily issues, to advocate for appropriate services and to provide the latest information about autism.
Autism Society of Greater Tarrant County Fort Worth. 817/390-2829; Seeks to increase public awareness about daily issues, to advocate for appropriate services and to provide the latest information about autism.
Autism Speaks Dallas. 972/960-6227; autismspeaks.org. This organi-zation is the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization
and offers resources, support and advocacy for families in the autism community while increasing aware-ness of autism spectrum disorders.
Dallas Asperger’s Network (D.A.N.I.S.H.) Richardson. 972/690-6700; aspergerinfo.org. Support group for families with Asperger’s syndrome; meets on the fourth Thu. of each month.
Families for Effective Autism Treatment North Texas (FEAT-NT) North Richland Hills. 817/919-2228; featnt.org. This nonprofit organiza-tion provides resources, support, education and advocacy for families in the autism community.
Our Children’s Circle (OCC) McKinney. deltos.com/occ. Our Children’s Circle is a support group consisting of parents, educators and community leaders who strive to
e D i T e D b y a d r i e n n e l u d w i g
wE uNDERSTAND THAT wHEN IT COMES TO yOuR CHILDREN, you want to provide the best care possible. While raising a child with learning differences or special needs, it’s not uncommon to have concerns and be left wondering where to find the answers. In an effort to provide you with some peace of mind, we’ve done extensive legwork to create an all-encompassing directory of support groups, respite care, recreation and more. We hope that these resources are able to make your life just a bit easier. Our dedication continues on our website, where you can find even more resources on our directory’s webpage, dfwthrivemagazine.com/directory. Notice anything missing from our directory? Submit a listing to DFW Thrive at dfwthrivemagazine.com/sndir-submit.asp.
thrive/directory
24 add & adhd24 asperger’s & autism 25 celiac25 cerebral palsy 25 cystic fibrosis 25 developmental disabilities 26 down syndrome26 dyslexia 26 epilepsy26 fragile x26 hearing impaired26 helpline26 juvenile diabetes26 medical27 mental illness27 muscular dystrophy27 obsessive- compulsive27 parent education 27 recreation 28 respite care29 special needs29 tourette’s syndrome29 vision impaired
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ABOVE / Have a good time at Special Olympics Texas’ year-round sports training and competitions.
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provide resources for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders.
Parents of Children with Autism Support Group Mesquite. 214/641-4420; parentsof-childrenwithautism.org. Parents of Children with Autism is a monthly support group that helps parents reach out and be resources for each other. Monthly meetings are held on the last Sat. of each month.
Special by Design Arlington. 817/468-7729; rushcreek.org/greenoaks/node/108. Support group for parents to encourage one another and share resources. Meets on the second Fri. of each month from 7–9pm at the Green Oaks campus of The Church on Rush Creek.
Spectrum Kids of Lewisville Lewisville. meetup.com/Spectrum-Kids-of-Lewisville/. Play and support group for parents and kids with autism spectrum disorders.
celiacLone Star Celiac Sprue Support Group 51 Dallas. 214/274-6094; dfwceliac.org. Nonprofit organization devoted to sharing and providing information to help those who have celiac disease.
North Texas Gluten Intolerance Group North Richland Hills. 817/967-2804; northtexasgig.com. increases awareness of gluten intolerance diseases by providing up-to-date information and education, and provides support to individuals strug-gling with gluten intolerance disease and their families.
Raising Our Celiac Kids (R.O.C.K.) Wylie. 972/442-9328; dallasrock.org. Support group for parents, families and friends of kids on the gluten-free diet because of celiac disease, gluten intolerance, autism, ADD/ADHD, allergies or personal preference.
cerebral palsyAbility Connection Texas Dallas. 800/999-1898; abilityconnectiontexas.org. Offers a variety of programs to ensure that people with cerebral palsy and similar disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully and equally in all aspects of society.
cystic fibrosisCystic Fibrosis Foundation N.E. Texas Chapter Dallas. 214/871-2222; cff.org/Chapters/netx. Works to cure and control cystic fibrosis.
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation N.E. Texas Chapter – Fort worth Office Fort Worth. 817/249-7744; cff.org/Chapters/fortworth/. Works to cure and control cystic fibrosis.
developmental disabilitiesArc of Dallas, The Dallas. 214/634-9810; arcdallas.org. Strives to improve
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Has Your Child Been Diagnosed With Autism Or ASD?
1966 Inwood RoadDallas, TX 75235
Now enrolling! The nationally recognized UT Dallas Callier Center for Communication Disorders has openings in its Early CLASS preschool program.
Early CLASS helps children who have been diagnosed with ASD become better communicators and addresses problem behaviors that interfere with learning and relationships. The program is open to children ages 2½-5.
Learn more about this tuition-based program by visiting the Callier website: http://www.utdallas.edu/calliercenter/events/. Or call 214-905-3140.
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thrive/directory
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quality of life for tens of thousands of North Texans with intellectual and related developmental disabilities.
Arc of Denton County, The Denton. 972/436-8471; arcofdentoncounty.org. Nonprofit volun-teer organization committed to expanding op-portunities for people with any developmental disability to exercise the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as their fellow citizens.
Arc of Greater Tarrant County, The Fort Worth. 817/877-1474; arcgtc.org. Committed to helping those with developmental disabili-ties to exercise the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as their fellow citizens.
Denton County Mental Health and Mental Retardation Denton. 940/381-5000; denton-mhmr.org. Provides services to individuals with behavioral health care needs.
Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services Austin. 800/628-5115; dars.state.tx.us. Works in partnership with Texans with disabilities and families with children who have developmental delays to improve the quality of their lives and to enable their full participation in society.
Easter Seals North Texas Fort Worth. 817/332-7171; ntx.easterseals.com. Services include client intervention, outpatient thera-pies, CLASS, respite care and support.
Easter Seals of Greater Dallas Carroll-ton. 972/394-8900; dallas.easterseals.com. Provides exceptional services, education, out-reach and advocacy so that people living with autism and other disabilities can live, learn, work and play in their communities.
Mental Health Mental Retardation of Tarrant County Fort Worth. 817/569-4300; mhmrtc.org. Provides services to individuals with behavioral health care needs.
down syndromeDown Syndrome Guild of Dallas Richard-son. 214/267-1374; downsyndromedallas.org. Offers parent-to-parent support to families with new babies, young children, school-age children and adults with Down syndrome through personal visits, information packets and/or quarterly informative gatherings.
Down Syndrome Partnership of Tarrant County Fort Worth. 817/390-2970; dsptc.org. Supports people with Down syndrome, their families and caregivers.
dyslexiaDallas Dyslexia Information Group Dallas. 214/351-1985; dbida.org. Provides information and resources concerning learning differ-ences to parents, educators, LD professionals and anyone who wants to be more informed about dyslexia; meets the second Mon. of the month at 7pm at The Winston School.
Impacting Dyslexia Educational Awareness and Support (IDEAS) Plano. ideasplano.org. Promotes awareness and connects parents,
caretakers and teachers with resources and information to aid children with dyslexia.
International Dyslexia Association Dallas. 972/233-9107; dbida.org. Nonprofit, scientific and educational organization dedicated to the study and treatment of dyslexia.
Texas Dyslexia Services Fort Worth. 817/989-0783; texasdyslexia.com. education-al center dedicated to serving children and adults with dyslexia with a main focus on the Davis Dyslexia Correction Method.
epilepsyEpilepsy Foundation Texas Addison. 214/420-2737; eftx.org. Nonprofit organi-zation that strives to improve the lives of children and adults with epilepsy.
fragile xFRAXA Dallas. 972/599-0573; fraxa.org. Mission is to push progress for more effective treatments, and ultimately a cure for Fragile X.
Texas Fragile X Association Dallas. 972/757-8939; fragilex.org/html/texas.htm. Group meets bimonthly, providing resources and education on Fragile X issues.
hearing impairedDeaf-Blind Multihandicapped Association of Texas Dallas, 972/285-5912; Fort Worth, 469/774-9920; dbmat-tx.org. Strives to improve the quality of life for all Texans who are deaf-blind multihandicapped, deaf multi-handicapped and blind multihandicapped.
helpline2-1-1 Texas: Finding Help in Texas Austin. 211 (Texas only); 211texas.org. Free confiden-tial information and referral line answered by nationally certified specialists 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When callers dial 2-1-1, they are connected to area information centers in their region.
juvenile diabetesJuvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Greater Fort Worth/Arlington Chapter Fort Worth. 817/332-2601; fortworthjdrf.org. Strives to keep families informed about juvenile dia-betes and raises funds for research into a cure.
Juvenile Diabetes Research Founda-tion Dallas Chapter Dallas. 214/373-9808; jdrfdallas.org. Dedicated to helping families understand juvenile diabetes and raising funds to find a cure.
medicalChildren’s Hemiplegia & Stroke Associa-tion Arlington. chasa.org. Provides informa-tion to families of children who have hemiple-gia or hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
VCFS Texas Inc. Dallas. 214/731-9393; vcf-stexas.com. Provides support and resources
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to individuals with velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) and their families.
warren Center ECI Garland. 972/490-9055; garlandisd.net. Group for any parent of a child with medical needs or a developmental delay; promotes early intervention.
mental illnessDallas Area Northstar Authority Dallas. 214/366-9407; dansatx.org. Local behavioral and mental health authority for Collin, Dallas, ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro and Rockwall counties.
National Alliance of Mental Illness Collin County Plano. 214/908-6264; namicco.org. Provides support and education to families and friends of people with a serious mental illness.
National Alliance of Mental Illness Dallas Dallas. 214/341-7133; namicco.org. Provides support and education to families and friends of people with a serious mental illness.
National Alliance of Mental Illness Denton County Lewisville. 469/671-0421; namicco.org. Provides support and education to families and friends of people with a serious mental illness.
National Alliance of Mental Illness Johnson County Cleburne. 817/295-7849. namicco.org. Provides support and education to families and friends of people with a serious mental illness.
National Alliance of Mental Illness Southern Sector Dallas Dallas. 972/401-3834; namicco.org. Provides support and education to families and friends of people with serious mental illnesses.
National Alliance of Mental Illness Tarrant County Fort Worth. 817/332-6600; namicco.org. Provides support and education to families and friends of people with serious mental illnesses.
muscular dystrophyF.A.C.E.S. of North Texas Dallas. 214/766-5987; parentprojectmd.org/FACeS. Families Advocating, Connecting, educating and Sup-porting is a new group, part of Project Muscular Dystrophy.
Muscular Dystrophy Association – Dallas Area Dallas. 972/480-0011. mda.org. Provides medical services and research into muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular diseases.
Muscular Dystrophy Association Fort Worth. 817/338-1049; mda.org. Provides medical ser-vices and research into muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular diseases.
obsessive-compulsiveOCD and Anxiety Support Group bedford. mysite.verizon.net/resxrm5m. Support group for families and friends of individuals with OCD and/or any other anxiety disorders. Meets twice a month (except on holidays and in July).
parent educationDallas Association for Parent Education (D.A.P.E.) Mesquite. 972/699-0420; dallaspar-
ents.org. Offers support to parents of special needs children (ages birth–12).
Region 10 Education Service Center Richard-son. 972/348-1700; region10.org. educational consultants who provide information and train-ing for school districts and parents.
recreationAmon Carter Museum of American Art Fort Worth. 817/738-1933; cartermuseum.org. Museum of American art featuring specific acces-sible facilities and programs to help visitors with disabilities enjoy its exhibitions. it provides free wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis as well as complimentary assistive listening devices.
Angel League Special Needs Baseball Program Rockwall. 972/722-6001; angelleague.org. baseball program for boys and girls with physical or mental disabilities ages 4–15 and adult league for individuals with mental dis-abilities ages 16–60.
Aqua-Tots Swim School Rockwall. 214/771-3133; aqua-tots.com/tx-ridgerockwall.php. Of-fers the basic survival swim program to children up to 6 years and a beginning stroke develop-ment class for older ones.
Artreach Dallas Dallas. 214/219-2006; artreach-dallas.org. Seeks to ensure access to the arts and cultural events of Dallas for low-income children and adults, individuals with disabilities and senior citizens by providing tickets to spe-cial events and performances.
ASI Gymnastics multiple locations; asigymnas-tics.com. Offers Gymmie Kids, a recreational gymnastics program designed to enhance motor skills, social interaction and self-esteem of children with special needs.
Bachman Recreation Center Dallas. 214/670-6266; dallasparks.org/facilities/recreation.aspx. Provides an accessible facility for all individuals ages 6 and up with disabilities.
Best Buddies Dallas. 214/442-1621. bestbud-diestexas.org. Provides opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrating people with disabilities into their communities.
Buddy League Garland. 972/414-9280; bud-dyleague.org. Offers baseball, allowing children with disabilities to learn team sports with their non-disabled peers, or “buddies.”
Buddy Sports Flower Mound. 972/539-9622; lewisvilleymca.org. A specialized program for athletes ages 5–18 with learning and physical disabilities. Athletes meet once a week to have fun, exercise and, most important, be part of a team in an understanding atmosphere.
Challenge Air Dallas. 214/351-3353; chal-lengeair.com. Offers motivational and inspi-rational experiences to physically challenged children and youth through aviation.
Chamberlain Performing Arts Plano. 214/412-8589; chamberlainperformingarts.org. Weekly creative movement class for special needs students offers a chance to explore personal creativity in a safe and nurturing environment.
CHAMPS Park Cities. 214/526-7293; pcymca.org. A community designed for special needs children and volunteers to play organized sports while meeting new friends.
Coppell Family yMCA Coppell. 972/393-5121; coppellymca.org. Offers a father-child program for children with special needs.
Dallas Children’s Theater Dallas. 214/740-0051; dct.org. Professional theater for families, including stage productions, a national touring company and educational and outreach pro-grams. Offers American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances.
Dallas Museum of Art Dallas. 214/922-1200; dallasmuseumofart.com. Offers a variety of art exhibits and kid-friendly workshops and activi-ties; all public galleries are wheelchair-friendly.
Dallas wheelchair Tennis Club Dallas. 972/317-7972; dwtc.org. Strives to create opportunities to improve the physical and emotional qualities of life for people with disabilities.
Emler Swim School various locations; iswimemler.com. Relax as you observe your child actually having fun while learning a life-saving skill: swimming.
Fort worth Museum of Science and History Fort Worth. 817/255-9300; fortworthmuseum.org. Hands-on science and history exhibits, Omni Theater and Noble Planetarium; all facili-ties are wheelchair-friendly.
Grisham Farms Therapy Zoo McKinney. 214/544-7255; grishamfarms.org. Safe, private place for children and adults with special needs to come and learn about and spend time with all types of animals.
Holford Recreation Center Garland. 972/205-2772; ci.garland.tx.us. The center houses several athletic courts, playing fields and more and offers a wide selection of classes deemed “therapeutic recreation” for children with special needs.
IASIS Learning Center Lewisville. 214/395-3045; iasislearningcenter.com. Helps children practice and gain social skills through drama lessons.
Irving Parks and Recreation – Therapeutic Recreation irving. 972/721-8090; cityofirving.org. Provides year-round therapeutic pro-gramming for individuals with special needs and disabilities through after-school pro-grams, arts and more.
Keller ATA Black Belt Academy Keller. 817/337-9493; kellerata.com. Offers a special abilities class to children with special needs, adapted to their abilities and conditions.
McKinney Magic McKinney. 972/896-8774; mckinneymagic.org. Nonprofit organization providing year-round sports training, athletic opportunities and competition in a variety of sports for people ages 8 and older with intel-lectual disabilities.
Metroplex Adaptive water Sports Dallas. 214/803-9955; youcanski.org. Nonprofit, volun-teer-driven organization dedicated to providing
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opportunities for persons with all types of disabilities to experience water sports.
Miracle Fields of DFw Arlington. 817/296-3356; mldfw.org. Provides children who have physical and/or mental challenges with an opportunity to play baseball.
Miracle League of Frisco Frisco. 214/295-6411; friscomiracleleague.org. Offers baseball, soccer and bowling, with attainable goals set and as-sistance provided by a buddy or volunteer.
Miracle League of Irving irving. 972/986-8898; irvingymca.org. Provides children with disabilities, regardless of their ability, the op-portunity to play baseball. each child dresses in an official uniform, makes plays in the field and rounds the bases just like his or her peers.
Paralympic Sport Arlington Arlington. usparalympics.org. Offers a disability sports program for individuals ages 5 and up with physical disabilities, meeting at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Plano Parks and Recreation – Thera-peutic Recreation Plano. 972/941-7272; plano.gov. Provides year-round therapeutic programming for individuals with special needs and disabilities.
RISE Adventures irving. 469/762-5075; riseadventures.org. Helps promote indepen-dence for individuals with physical disabilities through sports, recreation and other outdoor events and programs.
Russell Creek yMCA Plano. 972/378-9622; russellcreekymca.org. Puts Christian values into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.
Soaring Eagle Center DeSoto. 972/223-2450; soaringeaglecenter.org. Serves young adults with developmental disabilities and their fami-lies through Special Olympics, social activities, educational classes and a day program.
Southwest wheelchair Athletic Associa-tion (SwAA) Hurst. swaasports.org. Provides wheelchair basketball, track, soccer and other sports for disabled persons.
Special Needs Gymnastics North Richland Hills. 806/438-3227; specialneedsgymnastics.org. Coaches work individually with students who have disabilities to allow athletes to achieve success at their own levels.
Special Olympics Texas Dallas, 214/943-9981; Fort Worth, 817/332-3433; Plano, 972/596-2487; sotx.org. Provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with intel-lectual disabilities.
Sports Extravaganza Richardson. 972/348-1634; region10.org/ssvi/Sports_extravaganza.html. Offers students with visual impairments the opportunity to compete in sports and to be active.
Texas Adaptive Aquatics Huffman. 281/324-4653; taasports.org. Nonprofit sports training program featuring an adaptive waterskiing program that allows people with physical or
mental disabilities to experience waterskiing, sailing and kayaking.
TOPSOCCER Plano. Designed to bring the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, ages 4–19, who has a mental or physical disability.
Turning Point – North Texas Chapter Terrell. 972/524-4231. turningpointnation.org. Nonprofit organization that provides en-couragement and support for individuals with physical challenges by fostering involvement in activities such as fishing, boating and other outdoor adventures.
university Little League Challenger Divi-sion Fort Worth. 682/556-2940; fwull.com. The Challenger Division was established as a sepa-rate division of Little League to enable boys and girls with physical and mental challenges, ages 4–18, to enjoy the game of baseball.
wet Zone waterpark Angels Playtime Rowlett. 972/412-6266; wetzonewaterpark.com. Holds an open swim for members of the community with special needs and their families.
yMCA of Frisco Frisco. 972/335-3222; friscoymca.org. Puts Christian values into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.
yMCA of McKinney McKinney. 972/529-2559; mckinneyymca.org. Puts Christian values into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.
yMCA of Metropolitan Dallas irving. 214/561-1518; ymcadallas.org. Puts Christian values into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.
respite careAchievement Center of Texas Garland. 972/414-7700; achievementcenteroftexas.com. Provides daytime respite care and reha-bilitation services for children and adults with disabilities and/or other special needs.
Adventure Kids Playcare Dallas, 214/295-5877; Frisco, 972/668-5990; McKinney, 214/491-4088; Plano, 972/612-5400; adven-turekidsplaycare.com. Offers hourly drop-in child care that is inclusive of children with special needs.
APT G: A Place to Go, FuMC Allen Allen. 214/385-8850. Monthly respite night for youth with special needs, grades 6–12, and their siblings; held on the third Sat. of each month (excluding June and July).
Bryan’s Buddies Grapevine. 817/488-9141; firstmethodistgrapevine.org. Monthly respite care for children with special needs and their siblings held at First United Methodist Church.
Bryan’s House Dallas. 214/559-3946; bryan-shouse.org. Provides respite care, child care and support services for children affected by HiV or AiDS and their families and children with other special health needs.
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“When fear was edging out hope, St. Timothy’swonderful ministry was the answer we needed.”
A Christian School for Studentswith Learning Differences
Serving Grades K-9Individualized Instruction
Low Student-Teacher RatioPositive, Nurturing Environment
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Calab Inc. Arlington. 817/633-8511; calabinc.com. Provides quality individualized child care that encourages independence in individuals with disabilities.
ChildCareGroup Dallas. 214/630-5949; childcaregroup.org. Works with local child care programs to ensure quality care and early child-hood development, including the development of children who have special needs.
Christ Chapel Bible Church Fort Worth. 817/546-0184; ccbcfamily.org. Free respite night for children with special needs (ages infant–21 years) and siblings (ages infant–12 years) eight nights per year.
Clubhouse for Special Needs, The bedford. 817/285-0885; theclubhouse.org. After-school programs, school holiday programs, summer programs and Fri. and Sat. evening programs for young adults (ages 13–22) with special needs.
First Friday Program at FuMC Arlington Ar-lington. 817/274-2571; arlingtonmethodist.org. Offers a free respite care program for children with special needs and their siblings.
Evening Stars Colleyville. 817/281-4158 ext. 225; fbccolleyville.com. Respite program for children with special needs (and siblings ages birth–12 years) meets on the fourth Fri. of every month.
First Friday Program at FuMC Arlington Arlington. 817/274-2571; arlingtonmethodist.org. Offers a free respite program for children with special needs and their siblings.
Friday Night Fun (Parents Night Out) Rock-wall. 469/698-2310; lpkids.com. For children with special needs (6 months–13 years old) and their siblings.
Friday NITE Friends Plano. 972/618-3450 ext. 24; fridaynitefriends.org. Respite program for families with special needs and medically fragile children (ages birth–15 years) and their siblings (up to 12 years).
FunZone Frisco. 469/252-5348; stonebriar.org. Crafts, playground time, movies and plenty of games for children with special needs and their siblings, held on the second Sat. of every month (Sep–May) for members of Stonebriar Community Church.
Gary’s Angel Plano. 469/385-1814; stan-drewumc.org. Sensory activities, a quiet room and Sunday school activities for children with special needs and their siblings; meets at St. Andrew UMC.
Harvey’s Kids Carrollton. 972/492-2432; hcumc.org. Arts and crafts, food and other activities for children with special needs and their siblings every second Sat. of the month. Reservations required.
HIS Kids Lewisville. 972/436-2533; fumc-lewisville.org. Monthly care program for children with spe-cial needs and their siblings at FUMC Lewisville.
Kids Night Out Plano. 972/941-7327; pla-noparks.org. Respite night for children ages 6 months-10 years with special needs and their siblings; meets monthly at Liberty Recreation Center. Reservations required.
Loving Hands Ministry Coppell. 972/462-0471; fumccoppell.org. Respite care for special needs children one Sat. every month; a registered nurse is on hand to offer support during activities.
Mary’s House Arlington. 817/226-1022; maryshouseinc.com. Provides day care and day habilitation services for children and adults with disabilities.
Night Lights Dallas. 214/706-9535; raysoflight-dallas.org. Arts and crafts, computer games, live entertainment and more from 6–10pm every first and third Fri. of the month (no program-ming Jan or July) for children with special needs (6 months–18 years) and their siblings (up to 13 years). At Lovers Lane United Methodist Church.
Night OwLS Dallas. 214/523-2284; hpumc.org/pages/Night_Owls. Respite program for children with identified special needs and their siblings.
Overflow Plano. 972/618-3450; crumc.org. Monthly respite night for kids ages 12–18 with special needs at Custer Road UMC. $5 for pizza and snacks.
Reaching For The Stars Training & Activ-ity Center Arlington. 817/277-1996; reach-ingforstars.org. Day habilitation, after-school program, summer program and evening respite on the second Fri. of each month for ages 13 and older.
Respite Night, Irving Bible Church irving. 972/560-4610; irvingbible.org. Provides respite night once a month for children with special needs.
REVIVE at Northwood Baptist Church Keller. 817/581-6249; northwoodchurch.org. Crafts, playground activities, bounce house and board games offered two Fridays a month from 6–10pm.
S.S. Noah Playcare Center Allen. 214/495-8870; ssnoahplaycare.net. Offers an hourly drop-in child-sitting service.
Saturday Night Alive (Parent Night Out) Rockwall. 972/771-5500; fumcrockwall.com. Re-spite care led by trained volunteers for children with special needs and their siblings ages 6 months–13 years; usually offered the first Sat. of every month from 6:30–9:30pm.
Shaun’s Place Dallas. 214/376-7050. Non-profit child-care facility provides educational programs for all children, including those with special needs.
special needsEmpowered Professionals and Parents of Special Needs Kids Denton. meetup.com/empoweredgroup. Support group in Denton County for parents of children with special needs.
Especially Needed McKinney. 214/499-3439; especiallyneeded.org. An organization that builds a strong sense of unity for individuals with special needs. Offers family-friendly events throughout the year.
Floortime Repository Lewisville. 817/733-9807; floortimerepository.com. Support
group and social network for Developmental, individual-Difference, Relationship-based (DiR)/floortime therapy.
Higher Dimensional Fellowship Garland. 972/205-9810. Nonprofit agency focuses on the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of individuals with disabilities.
Joni and Friends Dallas. 972/941-4525; joniand-friends.org/dallas-ft-worth/. Disability outreach ministry committed to accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community.
LifePath Systems McKinney. 972/562-0190; lifepathsystems.org. Provides quality treatment, support and planning assistance to North Texas residents with special needs.
SAGE (Special and Gifted Education) Frisco. 972/977-9380; friscosage.com. endeavors to provide education and support to families of diverse learners.
tourette’s syndromeNorth Texas Tourette Syndrome Support Group Dallas. 214/207-5019; tourettetexas.org. Serves North Texas families with Tourette’s syndrome and its associated disorders.
Tourette Syndrome of Texas Richmond. 281/238-8096; tourettetexas.org. Raises funds to directly assist Texas families and children in crisis, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
vision impairedAmerican Council of the Blind Garland. 972/278-2031. acbtexas.org. Strives to improve the well-being of all blind and visually impaired people by serving as a representative national organization of blind people and seeking to increase their independence, security, equality of opportunity, and quality of life.
American Foundation for the Blind, South-west Dallas. 214/352-7222. afb.org. Provides information and referrals to blind and visually impaired persons and their families.
DARS Division for Blind Services (DBS) Dal-las. 800/687-7017; dars.state.tx.us/dbs. Works with Texans who are blind or visually impaired to help them get high-quality jobs, live inde-pendently or help a child receive the training needed to be successful in school and beyond.
Lighthouse for the Blind Dallas, 214/821-2375, dallaslighthouse.org; Fort Worth, 817/332-3341, lighthousefw.org. Provides hope and opportu-nity to blind and visually impaired persons.
Lions Sight and Tissue Foundation Dallas. lstf.org. Nonprofit organization dedicated to sight preservation and sight restoration for residents across North Texas.
Prevent Blindness Dallas, 214/528-5521; Fort Worth, 817/332-8125; preventblindness.org/TX. Works to prevent blindness, preserve sight and enhance and extend the quality of vision life for all Texans through free programs.
30 d f w t h r i v e m a g a z i n e . c o m / s p r i n g 2 0 1 2
humor/me
Aw o r d s S h a r o n f u e n t e Si l l u s t r a t i o n m a r y d u n n
Shooting Craps
ἀer school one day while waiting for my kids, I happened to get into a discussion with another mom of a child with special needs. I told her how pick-up
time is my least favorite part of the day. It’s not just because it means the house will suddenly become crazy with noise and chaos, although that surely does play into it. No, the real reason is because I sit there with a horrible pit in my stomach, waiting to see if my son Jay had a good day or a crappy day.
The teacher coming out to talk to me? Well, that usually indicates crappy.
The mother I was talking to shook her head in agreement. She understood in a way that only another mom of a child with special needs pos-sibly could.
Then it dawned on me: Waiting for Jay at the end of the day is a lot like playing craps. Now I’m not a big gambler, so I apologize in advance if I get some of the details wrong, but from what I know about the game, there are many similarities. Here’s what I mean.
The craps table can be a confusing place for the newcomer, with so many betting spaces, a compli-cated layout, the fast pace, loud noise, bright lights and a language all its own. Hmm … sounds a bit
like the world of special needs, doesn’t it? Getting a diagnosis, referrals to specialists, dealing with insurance companies, IEPs, teacher conferences, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists … not to mention your child.
There is something called casino craps etiquette. It is a rules book, so to speak, filled with do’s and don’ts of the game. Kind of like a Social Story, but for big kids with money to throw away. And so many of these rules would work for our kids – with just a few modifications, of course.
Do know and follow the rules of the game … Do know and follow the rules of the class.
Don’t lean on the table … Don’t lean on anyone.Don’t criticize or comment on any bets made
by other players, even if you know they are unwise or just plain stupid … Don’t criticize or comment on any remarks the teacher says, even if you know they are unwise or just plain stupid.
Do tip your dealer … Do tip the teacher. (Hey, bribery goes a loooong way!)
The first roll of the dice is called the come-out roll. Everyone else sits around waiting. Well, that’s me, sitting there waiting for Jay to come out of school so I can see if his day was a “7” or if he crapped out.
When all bets are down, the shooter rolls the dice across the table so that it hits the wall on the
opposite end. I wait to see if Jay hits any walls throughout his day, and if he did – odds are that he will – how big of a hole did it leave?
Knowing the mathematical odds of the possible outcomes of a roll of the dice is the essence of the game. Gamers need to analyze their odds. Moms of kids with special needs do this all the time.
“Let’s see, he had a good night’s sleep, no problems getting ready for school, he ate a good breakfast, he actually smiled and kissed me good-bye when I dropped him off. The odds would seem to favor that he would have a great day … ”
But unfortunately, craps, like life in general, doesn’t always work that way. Thus the root word for the casino game: CRAP!
If it was a good day, there is a payoff. It might not be a stack of chips. But our rewards are better: a smile, a hug or even the pride he has in getting a happy-face sticker. These are the things that keep us coming back to the table to play some more.
Now if I can just find a joint that offers free cocktails while we play our special-needs game, I’d be set!
Humor Me columnist sharon Fuentes is a freelance writer and mom to Jay, who has asperger’s, and daughter Gracie. she blogs at blog.mamasturnnow.com
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