Special Needs Children

Motivating a Blind Toddler to Walk
Blind Babies May Walk Later
My blind toddler loved to explore, but she cruised for a year before being willing to let go of the furniture or the wall. She went everywhere, as long as there was something for her to hold onto. Getting her to the point of letting go was a huge challenge for her early intervention teachers and me. It finally happened when she was two-and-a-half years old. She loved to cruise around the kitchen cabinets, crawl over to the island, cruise around that, then crawl over to the patio door. One da...

Raising a Blind Child
Tips for Parents of Blind Children
Raising a blind child is an experience filled with adventure! Some days are hectic, others are peaceful. Somedays you are surprised at how far you and your child have come, and other days you are surprised by how far you still have left to go. Somedays you celebrate your child's achievements, and other days you cope with bad news concerning your child's medical condition. One thing parenting blind children is not: It is never dull! This lens is written by the mother of a blind child. My daug...

Bonding With Your Blind Baby
Form a Secure Attachment With Your Blind Baby
A secure attachment is vital to a baby's development; but, without eye contact, parents may find bonding with a blind baby to be challenging. Parents who adopt a blind baby may find it necessary to focus on attachment and bonding very intentionally, especially during the first two or three years the baby is home. Even parents who give birth to a baby with vision problems may find bonding challenging, especially if their baby has been hospitalized a lot. Bonding with a blind baby who has been...

Parents of Blind Children
Meeting Parents of Blind Children
Being the parent of a blind child can be very isolating. You may not know any other blind person, much less another blind child. Blindness is a low-incidence disability, so there are not a lot of blind folks around. It can be hard to meet people who can give you pointers and tips in helping your child overcome her visual impairment and live a full and productive life. You may have questions about your child's ability to have a good quality of life. The behaviors of young blind children can ...

Would you like to be a part of a support circle for parents blessed with special children? NEW!
My Virtual Support Circle
There are many kids out there who are born with or later develop certain special needs or disorders. There are also many parents out there who have felt scared or alone because they have never known anyone with such a condition. I am a mother blessed with a special child. My 3 year old son has Epilepsy. If you are a parent blessed with a special child, I am telling you that you are not alone. We shouldn't be scared to talk to one another and provide tips and information about what we each ...

Free Braille Books for Children
Where to Find Free Braille Books for Children
Looking for free braille books for a blind child? Here are some sources! Access to interesting and fun reading material is just as important to blind children as sighted. While most public libraries do not keep braille books in their stacks, there are a number of sources where you can order free children's books in braille format. It is essential for blind children to develop their literacy skills and become good braille readers. According to the National Federation of the Blind, the unempl...