When we filed our due process hearing request about a year ago, I was quickly dismissed from my part-time employment by the State Department of Education. I was a parent representative on what was called a “Focus Monitoring Team”. We traveled throughout the state, going to school systems with underperforming special education departments to investigate what was going on and what could be changed. I had just finished my second year of doing this. But the clause in my contract was that I couldn’t be involved in any legal actions against any school... more

A horrendous news story out of Albany, NY yesterday: A 13-year-old severely autistic boy died while being transported from his state-run developmental center. The same boy was the subject of an abuse investigation at another state-run school facility in 2004. Jonathan Carey died after being improperly restrained by two workers in a van Thursday night.

Here’s the tragic part:

The two men drove around for 1 1/2 hours after the boy stopped breathing said Colonie Police Chief Steven Heider in an afternoon press conference. They went to a Hess... more

In December, we received notice from our insurance company that we needed to start filling the prescriptions that LuLu takes via mail order. The good news is that she’s been so stabilized on the same meds that the doctor has prescribed them at the same dosage for 6 months straight – which raised a red flag in the mail order pharmacy computer that we were mandatory candidates for filling 90-day prescriptions.

The touted benefit of mail order 90-day prescriptions versus a 30-day supply through our local pharmacy is savings. So, it was with great excitement that I opened... more

I was surprised to read an article that stated that 15-30% of families with a disabled child in the United States probably have one or more unclaimed tax benefit. So, if you fall in that group, it’s time to learn what you need to know to start claiming the benefits your family qualifies for.

Medical Expenses are the big one. Included in those medical expenses is the cost of any special school that has a program specifically designed for your child’s disabilities... more

Yesterday’s cover story in the Atlanta Journal Constitution was an investigative report of Georgia’s state mental hospitals and that neglect seems to be leading to several suspicious deaths. The first installment of a series is about a 14-year-old girl named Sara Crider.

I couldn’t help but notice the similarities, the possibilities that this could be my child. The report starts by explaining that Sarah had been diagnosed as autistic when younger and been placed in... more

Michael’s mom is hopping mad…and who wouldn’t be? Yes, I’m talking about Michael J. Fox and the asinine things Rush Limbaugh had to say about a campaign ad Michael did recently. Before any of you get your political back up, let me inform you that I was born and raised in Missouri…by staunch Republicans. And much to the chagrin of more moderate or liberal friends…I often stick to my conservative roots.

But this isn’t about politics! As the mother of a child with a disability, I have to say that publicly ridiculing a disabled person... more

Lest any of you think I’m blowing this out of proportion…schools arresting special needs kids that is, consider this report by the Center for Law & Education, entitled “When Schools Criminalize Disability: Education Law Strategies for Advocates.” This downloadable document outlines strategies that parents, advocates and attorneys can use to defend students who find themselves being charged by the school system with a criminal offense.

Don’t get me wrong…children... more

When Zero Tolerance policies run head-on into IDEA it’s not surprising to learn that special needs children are being arrested (handcuffed and removed from school) at an ever-increasing rate. Some parents are reporting that children as young as 5 (kindergarteners) are being handcuffed and removed from schools by police. Many with known (documented) disabilities such as autism, Tourettes and ADHD.

It’s a scary possibility, and one that seems to be on the rise. A child with a disability gets frustrated, melts down, gets out of control. School personnel are unable (or... more

Are you and your child suffering through hours of homework every night? Is it helping him to become a better student? Many experts and parents are starting to question that. An article in last week’s Time Magazine (September 4, 2006) listed some startling facts:

• A study done in 2004 showed that the amount of time spent on homework was up 51% since 1981. • The study showed that children ages 6-8 had an average of 52 minutes’ worth of homework every week in 1981... more

“Mom, if we didn’t have dyslexia, would we be rich?” Now there’s a question for you! (Read it on an online support group today.) The truth of the matter is that children with special needs often put a true, intense financial burden on their families. Parents scramble to find funding for the many therapies and interventions their child needs. Sometime insurance will cover pieces of it. Sometimes not. Sometimes schools will provide therapies; sometimes not. Sometimes the child qualifies for government assistance; sometimes not.

Parents of children... more