Unexpected Diagnosis

My name is Angela and I am 25 years old. I was born three months early weighing in at 2.7 pounds. I don't remember a whole lot of my child hood except I walked on my toes since the beginning. Anytime anything was wrong with me whether it was trouble walking or slow ness in school, they told my mom it was because I was a preemie and left it at that. At age six my doctor decided to help me walk better they would lengthening my tendons in my legs. A few weeks of physical therapy and they called it good. I always had a feeling in my gut that something more was going on.

Well a few months ago I started to lose strength in my legs and arms. I also lost the ability to move my left foot. I decided to go back to the doctor and see if they could help me this time. First I went to a foot doctor who told me he couldnt help me and shoved me out the door without explaination. Next I went to a limb specialist...this is the day my world changed. He asked me and my Mom who came with me if I had ever been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. My Mom and I both said no it had never even be suggested to us before. I left there having more questions then answers and not wanting to believe what he said. I was then sent to a Neurologist, who I loved. He ran every test and did a bunch of MRI's. He sat me down and said I have a Muscle Form of Cerebral Palsy and that there is no cure. I thought my world had ended right there. That is a lot to process and I wasnt sure if I was really ready for a diagnosis. I went to another doctor and got the same answer. It was time to face reality and realize that I was now part of the Special Needs community whether I wanted to be or not.



All of this has happened in the last few months. Doctors can't give me many answers to why this happened. They think I have always had it and that Doctors did not want to scare my parents and they assumed we would be better of not knowing. I still have a hard time with this and hold a lot of anger as I believe I have a right to know.

It's kind of funny really because I have always worked with Special Needs kids and love every minute of it. I guess I just bonded with them and I really never understood why. After the diagnosis I realized all the little things I do that could have been CP related. Like the way I walk (a constant source of hurt feelings for me, kids made fun of me as a kid) the way I hold my hands (they are folded up and close to my body) I had a hard time learning in school.... There is more but I won't go into all of it.

I currently still have trouble walking and moving my feet. My hands and arms have lost muscle tone. But I have hope with work I can strengthen them again. I go to physical therapy twice a week and we are trying to figure out the right meds for me now.

I finally feel content with who I am and where I am headed. I love taking care of others and sometimes forget about myself. I love to be a little different than everyone else. I enjoy going to concerts and dancing with my friends. I spend a lot of time working but hope to change that this year and having a little more fun. You can read more about my story on my blog, Welcome to the Roller-Coaster Ride.

Special Easter Basket Fillers

by Terri Mauro of About.com


You want to give your child a bright and fun Easter basket, but you're afraid of what sugar will do to your little hyperactive one; or you're avoiding colors and preservatives; or your child has diabetes; or you can't take a chance with food allergies; or you just want an excuse to shop in some sensory integration catalogs. Forget the sweets, buy a bunch of colorful plastic eggs, and fill them with a variety of these non-edible treats for a basket of fun your child will still be enjoying long after most kids have gobbled all that bad candy down.

• Stickers
• Decorative Shoelaces
• Hair clips
• Beaded safety pin
• Finger puppets
• Fun coupons
• Lip gloss
• Whistle
• Keychain
• Pencil grips
• Plastic links
• Bookmark
• Bandanna
• Charms
• Mini bottle of bubbles
• Fortune teller
• Fidget toy
• Wristband
  

Read Terri's full post, 50 Ways to Fill an Easter Egg, for even more ideas!

(I also really like Terri's Easter Survival Tips.)

Help Kidz Learn

I found this website through a couple other blogs I follow and just had to share it here.

www.helpkidzlearn.com

This site has simple games, stories, and more. Most of which are accessible by a switch and all you need is a switch interface to play. Switch accessible software can be very pricey but it also can easily become boring if you don't have lots of different activities. So nice to find a site where Junior can enjoy the activities without the cost.

There are several different switch interfaces available. This is the one Junior uses to access his computer.


Click the picture to go to one of the sites that carries them. This type is very simple to use, you just plug it into a usb port on your computer and then plug you switch into one of the ports on the front any you are set. Though in the description it is considered a single switch interface we have used 2 switches with Junior's with no problem.

Walk on the Water

Pleasures Forevermore

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

True Colors

Beyond Limits

At 19,340 feet, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and a daunting climb for any person to attempt. But Bonner Paddock isn't just any person.

Born with cerebral palsy, Bonner has limited motor function in his lower body, spastic leg muscles, and no sense of balance. Not a mountain climber by his own admission, Bonner's encounters with kids with CP inspire him to take on Kilimanjaro in order to raise awareness about cerebral palsy and to raise funds to build a comprehensive center for children with disabilities.

With months of training under his belt and driven by his own determined spirit, it seems Bonner can't fail. But Bonner soon learns that there is no preparation for what he finds on the mountain. Over 8 days and 64 miles, the steep climbs, freezing temperatures, and ever-thinning oxygen test not just his physical abilities, but his will. Ultimately, in order to summit Kilimanjaro Bonner will have to go beyond the limits -- physical and mental -- that we set for ourselves.

You Are the Mother

"You've developed the strength of a draft horse while holding onto the delicacy of a daffodil ... you are the mother, advocate and protector of a child with a disability."

-Lori Borgman

Angels 4 Epilepsy

by Judy of Youthful Tips.


In June 2008, both my daughters, then ages 1 and 5, were diagnosed within two weeks of each other with an unknown immune/pulmonary issue and benign rolandic epilepsy BRE). Both children continued to have hospitalizations, testing and numerous doctor appointments. To date, both girls take two daily medications to help with their conditions. My youngest nearly died and was intubated for 10 days in November of 08. She's more stable now thankfully!

Jamie never had any seizure issues prior to the one morning in June of 2008. Out of the blue, she was lying still and almost asleep when what appeared to be a right side stroke was hitting her. After a hospitalization, she was diagnosed with BRE which is a type of epilepsy that doctors do not know what caused seizures and most outgrow it after puberty. We had to keep trying different doses and different medications until we finally found Keppra worked to stop the seizures. Keppra, twice a day, is our savior and luckily, to date, she has not required her rescue medication as she's not suffered a grand mal. She still has developmental delays and had to repeat kindergarten. The medication or condition has definitely impacted her ability to speak and focus but she prevails through her art, her writing and desire to help others.

Jamie was recently diagnosed with Pediatric Migraines and Pediatric Insomnia which added to her daily regiment of medidations.



During Jamie's sleep study to determine a follow up of her seizures, a couple of groups of people provided support to the children at the local children's hospital's epilepsy ward. Their act of kindness provided us with a more enjoyable couple of days of playing games, playing puppets and talking about the fun things we were able to do. She's a very creative person and it was just after this stay, she wrote her first book, The Gorilla on the Swing, which was self-published.

Available at Create Space
Proceeds donated to the Angles4Epilepsy program

Jamie wanted to take her work one step further and starting this Easter, she will be delivering tote bags full of toys, snacks and other goodies that kind people have donated via her website, angels4epilepsy. Her wish is to do this twice a year, if not more, to help other children with chronic conditions who are in the hospital.

If you would like to contribute to Jamie's mission, please send an e-mail to angels4epilepsy@yahoo.com.

Conductive Education

by Renee of Massagermommy


Conductive Education, often described as rehabilitation through learning, was founded by Dr. Andras Peto in Budapest, Hungary, in 1948. Peto devised this unique, intensive group method of special education, which expects and demands active learning and participation by the child in attempting to overcome his/her motor disability (i.e. cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, cerebral vascular accidents, etc.).

The conductors are responsible for facilitating education, utilizing concepts of goal directed activity, verbal regulation, and group dynamics.


Conductive Education focuses on the whole person, recognizing physical, social, intellectual, and emotional aspects of learning. Focus is on functional skills such as dressing, feeding, and walking. Ultimately, Conductive Education is the complex development of the personality.


Zach has been doing Conductive Education now for almost 6 months. We only go once a week to once a month depending on if we have the funds that month or not. Even with the small amount we can afford for him to go we have seen some things that make us so happy and so worth the time and money.

In just the first month of Conductive we started seeing much better trunk control and he has become much more aware of his larger environment. He has also started to understand the idea of potty training, he still does not have the words to let us know he needs to go but every time we put him on the potty he will go. This is something I did not give him enough credit for, I would have never even tried potty training with him because of the lack of communication about it on his part.



I know that this is just the beginning of many things he will surprise me with over the years. I am so excited to see all the things to come that he WILL do, at this point I am just not interested in the things he can't do. I'm sure we will come across things in the future but at this point I say "the negatives can wait, he is only 3. The future will bring what it may but we will tackle it as it comes."

Finding the American Heart

The World Needs All Kinds of Minds

World Down Syndrome Day

Down Syndrome International (DSI) has officially earmarked 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD). The date was chosen to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome.


For ideas on how to celebrate WDSD, head to Down Syndrome NSW.

God's Recipe

Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?" Here is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."



"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers.
"Yuck" says her daughter.
"How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Mom!"
"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"
"Mom, those are all yucky!"

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! "

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

~Author Unknown

The Call

bingo and learning

brooke is sharp as a tack...her mind just works in a different way than some of us.

brooke has ADHD and although it doesn't define who she is or what she can do, she faces many challenges in school that the other kiddos in her class do not.

coupled with ADHD, brooke has hypermobility and sensory integration dysfunction...which in understandable terms means her body is like rubber {elasta-girl}. her joints don't feel like you and i...she can bend and move and do things that look like they really hurt, but for her, they don't. {if the circus needed a contortionist, she would def fit the bill}. ways that you and i feel our feet when we walk, brooke doesn't so much. her life is kinda like bouncing around in a moon walk...never really feeling anything.

all that put together, makes learning a challenge, especially speech and fine motor skills like cutting, writing, etc. so we are always looking for fun ways to get the work done while still keeping b engaged and making it fun.

enter....dino bingo!!!

colorful dino's, letters and sounds and a spinner make learning fun.

it's not just brooke that enjoys playing our games

...this one had a blast trying to move the dino's all over and cheat her way to "bingo!".

jada loves to be like big sis, brooke, and she gets to add to her learning as well!

anyway...game night around here sometimes has to be really creative, but we still have fun!

danyele @ a thorn among roses

if you have any questions, contact me here.

Mascots on a Mission

5 Mascots. 1 Mission. Register Organ Donors.

You know, people tend to think we have a pretty cake job being mascots and all. Truth be told, it can be a bit rough working day in and day out to register people as organ/tissue donors.

BUT, this year, yes, THIS year is going to be different. How, you ask?

In March 2010, we are all heading to a little training workshop (the O.D.S.M.T.C. – Organ Donor Specialist Mascot Training Center) to polish up our donor registration skills. The Center is headed up by world renowned donor mascot trainer, Mike Flaid. With more than 105,000 people nationwide waiting for lifesaving transplants, it’s time for some action! Our goal is to be well prepared to register as many donors as possible during April, which is National Donate Life Month!

Whether you’re a lifetime supporter and advocate of organ/tissue donation, still learning about the issue or just some mascot fanatic, join us on our mission and check here to see how you can help spread the word!

You Are an Expert

by Terri Mauro

Measure of Success

"I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs
but how high he bounces when he hits bottom."
~ Gen. George Patton

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Psalm 139: 13-18
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you…Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.


In the fall of 2006 we found out that we were expecting our third child. The pregnancy went pretty well, despite extreme morning sickness. The sonogram looked great and we found out that we were having our third boy!

On April 17, our third son, Brayden, joined our family. The day after he was born, concerns about the size of his head were expressed. His head was extremely small; it did not make it on the growth chart. Tests were done for exploration. He appeared to being doing well, we thought all of the tests were precautionary and everything was fine. Brayden had a head ultrasound and it revealed that he was missing part of his brain and had additional abnormalities. The ultrasound could not provide a clear picture and we were instructed to schedule a MRI to review his brain in further detail after he was three months of age. Thankfully Brayden was nursing well and he was able to come home with us.The next few months were filled with tests and specialists. All of his major organs needed to be checked to rule out additional complications. We saw just about all of his insides, all of which were functioning and doing well. The big test was the brain MRI. The MRI revealed that Brayden’s brain was missing parts and the rest was abnormal. Today we are still learning what all of this will mean for his life.



Brayden struggles with seizures and we try to regulate them with medication. He is severely visually impaired. Brayden has a G-J tube and is feed by j-tube (into his intestines) for about 20 hours a day. He struggles with chronic vomiting and we have been in and out of the hospital for it...alot. But at home we pump his stomach, by a big suction machine, several times a day for about 30 minutes. Developmentally he is close to a newborn. He cannot hold his head for more than a few seconds. He needs constant full support.

Brayden sees a list of doctors and specialists on a regular basis: neurologist, ophthalmologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, feeding therapist, vision therapist.

One of the big questions is his condition, handicap, label, etc…Well, it all depends on which doctor we are seeing and what part of his body that particular doctor is looking at. Brayden has a lot of things going on and here is what we have figured out so far (don’t worry if you have no idea what the terms mean, you can google). We have learned that the doctors, therapists, and insurance use these fancy labels to get Brayden services, treatment or therapy but not one single term describes Brayden.

· To the neurologist: ACC, seizure disorder, cerebral dysgensis, microcephaly, pontocerebellar hypoplasia
· To the occupational and physical therapists: cerebral palsy, developmental delays, mixed muscle tone
· To the ophthalmologist and vision therapist: visual impairment, optic nerve hypoplasia
· To the GI doctor and feeding therapist: feeding difficulties, G-J tube, chronic vomiting

Brayden has a a lot going on and we are still trying to understand what all of this means. Thus my journey is understanding it all.

A list of Brayden's diagnosis:

Brain
Agenesis of the Corpus Collseum (ACC)
Microcephaly
Seizure disorder – partial complex seizures
Cerebral dysgensis
Pontocerebellar hypoplasia
Cerebral palsy
Nonambulatory

GI
G-tube, mickey button since April 2008
G-tube replaced with G-J tube Sept 2008
Delayed gastric emptying
Chronic vomiting
GE reflux

Eyes
Visual impairment
Optic nerve hypoplasia

Read more about Brayden and his mom, Carrie, on their blog.

CMV

My doctors estimate that I caught cytomegalovirus (CMV) sometime during the first trimester of my pregnancy with Emma and that is the cause of her hearing loss and cerebral palsy. I first heard of CMV when Emma was 3 months old (for blog post on that, click here), not before or during my pregnancy - and this is something that I take issue with since our doctors warn us to stay away from changing cat litter (toxoplasmosis) and lunchmeat (listeria) while pregnant but do not even bother to test our blood or tell us about the dangers of CMV.

Why do I have such an issue with the silence around CMV? Here are the facts on CMV:

* CMV is the virus most frequently transmitted to a pregnant woman's unborn child
* Approximately 1 in 150 children is born with a cCMV infection, approximately 1 in 750 children is born with or develops permanent disabilities due to CMV
* Each year in the US ~30,000 children are born with congenital CMV causing an estimated 400 deaths and leaving approximately 8,000 children with permanent disabilities
* More children are adversely affected by cCMV than by Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Spina Bifida

Now, aren't those statistics STAGGERING???

So, just what is CMV? CMV is a member of the herpesvirus family that includes chicken pox and and infectious mononucleosis. Once CMV is in your body it stays there for life - similar to chicken pox. CMV is a virus that infects people of all ages and up to 80% of adults in the USA are infected with CMV prior to age 40. Most CMV infections are "silent," meaning they cause no signs or symptoms in an infected person. Transmission of CMV occurs from person to person, through close contact with body fluids (urine, saliva, breast milk, blood, tears, semen, and vaginal fluids), but the chance of getting CMV infection from casual contact is very small.

While researching CMV and learning the facts I couldn't believe our doctors didn't even mention CMV in passing. When I asked my OB/GYN and our pediatrician about it they said that they don't mention it since most people have already been exposed and if you hadn't been exposed there is nothing you can do about CMV since there isn't a vaccine. Other parents have similar stories from doctors and I think it is quite misleading. While it's important to know that no action will totally eliminate the risk of getting CMV, there are simple measures you can take while you are pregnant to reduce the possibility of transmitting CMV to your unborn baby.

* Know your CMV status. Ask your doctor to perform a simple blood tests to determine your CMV status so you know if you and your baby are at risk.
* Do not kiss young children under 5 or 6 years of age on the mouth or cheek. Instead, kiss them on the forehead and give them a big long hug.
* Do not share food, drinks, or items such as utensils or toothbrushes.
* Wash your hands with soap and water after diaper changes or after contact with a child's saliva or other bodily fluids.
* Daycare workers, teachers, etc. should wear gloves when changing the diapers of young children.

Please spread the word on CMV to everyone you know who is pregnant or considering getting pregnant so we can prevent our children from the devastating effects of a congenital CMV infection.

To learn more about CMV, please visit the following websites:

* Center for Disease Control, CMV Facts
* Stop CMV
* Congenital CMV blog

An Exceptional Idea

Beginning in May, Exceptional Family TV will have a weekly web series on special needs topics. What a great idea. I am so excited about it and wanted to share it with you all! Before May, there are still things on their site that are awesome. You should definitely check it out!

Giggle-Bug

My friend's special needs child has a tendency to run out of site very easily. She swears by the giggle-bug, so I thought I'd spread the word...

Outside & Inside Smiles

I remember a conversation I had with a dear friend while I was expecting Caleb. We were discussing his physical challenges, and we were talking about how we hoped he would be "able to smile back." I thought I could be brave about almost anything, but I worried it might break my heart if he couldn't smile back at me.
Caleb can't always smile back. But when he does, his smiles are glimpses into heaven. They rarely happen on demand. They are usually too fleeting for me to catch on film, but they often appear in those moments when I need reassurance the very most.
I think about that conversation often. "I hope he can smile back..." And now that I have a child who can't always smile back, I've learned that smiling is something that comes from inside. Caleb's smiles are felt more than seen. Even when I can't always see them on the outside, I can feel them from the inside.
And that's just as special.







Dear Caleb, I'm so thankful for your sweet smiles-The outside ones and the inside ones. They are both a miracle to me. Thank you for giving me a glimpse of heaven.
Love, Mom

Personal Red Seas

"God has interesting ways of showing his suffering children (meaning we as parents) that he is still God. He continues to part small and personal Red Seas so that those who try in their own meager ways to love and honor him might not drown but pass through their trials on dry ground."
-Blaine M. Yorgason

No One Like You

When I was pregnant with Chloe, I loved playing the piano for her. I thought it was a way for us to bond. I thought it would be comforting for her as a newborn to hear songs that were familiar. In those months when she cried often and it was hard to comfort her, this was one thing that did seem to help, so I think my plan worked. We don't have a piano in our home right now, but I still sing the sweet words, and she lights up every time!....

I like your eyes.
I like your nose.
I like your mouth.
Your ears, your hands, your toes.

I like your face.
It's really you.
I like the things you say and do.



There's not a single soul
Who sees the skies
The way you see them
Through your eyes.
And aren't you glad?
You should be glad.
There's no one, no one
Exactly like you.

Morgan's Wonderland

Check out Morgan's Wonderland. I think we're going to have to plan a family vacation to San Antiono!



I've been following the progress of this project for awhile, gleaning inspiration and ideas for Chloe's accessible playground. Now the grand opening is just around the corner, and I'm so excited for them! I wish we lived closer and could go. Well, we will go -- someday!

Eyes That See

Book Recommendation: Eyes That See by Christina Levasheff.


Eyes that See follows Judson as his body unexpectedly and rapidly began to deteriorate. Enter the Levasheff family's journey of faith and hope through a heart-wrenching yet inspiring collection of journal entries and letters to family and friends.

I highly recommend watching the book trailer here.

Encouragement

© 2010 written by Sandie L. Davis
More from Sandie on her blog Agenesis Corpus Callosum

I do my best
I try so hard
see what I can do
a smiling face
so big
so proud
showing something new

Each and every child
unique in their own way
has bright and shining moments
each and every day

Take the time
to nourish them
their spirit and their soul
speak blessings
and encourage them
for love is the true goal.

Meet Isaiah

by Cristy of Random Thoughts

Thomas and I met in graduate school. Thomas had recently returned from a mission's trip to Siberia (yes, the really cold part of Russia; though it's actually quite warm in the summer time). He thought surely the greatest pick up line in the world was: "Hey, come with me to Siberia!" (just imagine this being said quite sarcastically)

We married December 27, 2003. Yes, my parents were thrilled with our marriage, even though it meant I, their only child, would eventually be living in Siberia. I do however, think that my mother would have preferred a different date, but the wedding was beautiful!

One year later

We visited Siberia together in February 2005, and we still believed God to be calling us to minister in Russia after our 3-week adventure.

At this point we both really wanted to have a baby, and in the summer of 2005 I found out I was indeed pregnant--great rejoicing! Other than being incredibly sick for a really long time, the pregnancy was fairly normal, I guess, until we discovered that Isaiah would be named Isaiah and not some girly name. On that day, which I recall being warm and sunny and maybe sometime in October, we also learned that Isaiah has spina bifida. There are many degrees of this birth defect, so for those of you medical buffs, his defect is between L2 and L3. His type is spina bifida manifesto, myelomeningocele in conjunction with hydrocephalus. And if you want more details, you can read here.

As you can imagine, our lives were a little uncertain at that point...NOT uncertain as to whether or not Isaiah should be born, that WAS NEVER a question! We believed then and still do now that Isaiah is our gift from God, and that God created him exactly the way that he should be. The way that our lives changed involved our calling to missions.

We weren't sure if we would be able to move to Siberia, since our child might have a disability.

Isaiah decided that he didn't want to wait for the day he was "supposed" to be born. He made his quite dramatic entrance on February 6, 2006. I won't go into all the details, but the day was difficult in many ways. After several hours I was finally able to see my precious boy, and loved him even more than I thought possible! After only 21 days in the hospital and 3 surgeries, we got to take him home.

Our first family photo

God did make it possible for us to move to Russia, though not Siberia. Isaiah has a shunt in his head to drain fluid that builds up. Should this shunt malfunction for any reason, he would need almost immediate attention to prevent any long-term damage. Unfortunately, such care is not available in Siberia, at least not that we have discovered at this point. So for now we are living in St. Petersburg as we learn this difficult language. For more about our ministry, please visit our website.



In the spring of 2009 God brought more opportunities of growth for our family. I had a miscarriage in March and again in May. We were of course devastated, but still believed that God would have us add to our family. I was able to have tests run to determine the possible causes of the miscarriages and now take medicine to help prevent any further harm to future children.

And, I suppose that I want to explain some of the pictures that you might see on my blog. Isaiah is a happy, wonderful, loving little man; but he does have some medical needs that most kids his age don't have. Isaiah cannot walk. He does an amazing "army crawl" all around the house (and in the sandbox when it's warm), that I could never manage. His defect effects his bladder and bowel; we are not sure how much feeling he has in these areas. We help him "potty" 4 times a day with a catheter and give him water enemas every other day. He's sitting on his own much better these days, even working with his hands some. During the summer/fall of 2009 we were in the States for 5 months. During that time Isaiah was able to have intensive physical, occupational and speech therapy. He was able to be fitted for full-leg braces and begin learning to walk with a walker! We praise God for this progress!

Also while we were in the States, God blessed us with our 4th child, who Lord willing, will be joining us in June 2010. We excitedly await the birth of Nadezhda "Nadia" Grace Slawson!

So those are the bare facts. If you would like to know more, please feel free to ask, anything. I'm used to explaining this all in Russian, now, so talking about it in English is a breeze!

Thanks for stopping by. I'd love to know who you are and visit your blog, too, if you have one. Please leave me a comment!

There's an App for That

Proloquo2Go™ is a new product from AssistiveWare that provides a full-featured communication solution for people who have difficulty speaking. It brings natural sounding text-to-speech voices, up-to-date symbols, powerful automatic conjugations, a default vocabulary of over 7000 items, full expandability and extreme ease of use. If you know how to use an iPhone or iPod touch you know how to use Proloquo2Go. While Proloquo2Go has a lot of advanced features the basics are extremely simple and easy.

Try This Tuesday: Bowling!

Our local homeschooling group meets once a month for bowling. This activity has turned out to be perfect for Clayton! (We're kicking ourselves for not trying it before!) There's definitely no rule that says bowling is only for those who can stand up, and the little stand they use for smaller children is perfect for someone in a chair. So perfect, in fact, that Clayton won his last game against typically developing children!!