Autism & Special Needs

Caring for a Disabled Child: How to Manage Your Stress

Every parent will need to master stress management when caring for a child; however, this is essential if you are raising a son or daughter with a physical or learning disability.

In addition to dealing with typical parental stress, you might also need to handle the unique challenges of parenting a child who has additional needs.

There is, however, no shame in admitting to yourself or others that you are feeling the strain. You also need to learn how to manage your stress levels to live a happier life.

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Dental health is imperative for everyone, but for non-verbal children, parents everywhere might have a hard time instilling these crucial habits. Even those parents whose children only exhibit moderate or light symptoms of being on the spectrum can find visiting the dentist difficult, which is why if you have an autistic child it is best to follow this guide today.

Importance of Dental Health 

Dental health is critical in children and adults. Healthy teeth indicate good health, but more importantly, the saliva acts as a defence against bacteria. Brushing too little or brushing too hard can complicate the process and result in an abundance of bacteria that impacts your health or your gums.  

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There is no hard and fast rulebook for moving abroad with children with Asperger’s.

Why?

Because no child with Asperger’s is the same as the last. And, well, neither is any international move!

However, while there are certainly things that can cause a bit of pre-departure anxiety when prepping for an international move with your child—like breaking that well-established and hard-won routine, for a start—there are also solutions. There are always solutions.

So, take a deep breath and read on to see some of the potential stumbling blocks and how to resolve them…or at least scramble over them. Because knowledge is power, right? (Right?!)

Disclaimer: children with Asperger’s are not problems that need solving. However, their Asperger’s (especially when combined with an international move) can cause ‘problems’ to which there are some pretty simple resolutions.

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Arah Iloabugichukwu is a former Water Cooler Gossiper turned Helicopter Parent. She’s also a Gym junkie, holistic medicine buff, and alternative parenting specialist. Arah writes about life from the perspective of her kitchen window. That’s where she keeps the wine.

9 Things You Need To Know About Childhood Apraxia of Speech

9.) What Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)?

Not to be confused with Acquired Apraxia which typically affects adult trauma victims, Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a rare neurological speech sound disorder in which the brain struggles with oral motor planning. Now talking may seem like a fairly simple process to those of us who’ve never struggled with a speech impairment, but the process is actually quite intricate, First, you subconsciously start with an idea of what you want to say. Then in the blink of an eye, you piece together a manual consisting of particular sounds and syllables, muscle movements, force needed to activate each muscle, appropriate timing, and a host of other specifications. This manual is what we’ll call a speech movement plan. The final step is to transmit the entire speech movement plan to the mouth, and Houston, we have lift off. It is believed that children with CAS struggle with the inability to transmit, create, and recall speech movement plans.

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Today I have a couple of videos to share as part of the Now Here Me campaign, set up by NHS Scotland to raise awareness and understanding of people using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

These videos explain very well in the AAC users own words, so are definitely worth a couple of minutes to watch.

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