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| Children with special needs have parents with unique questions. On these pages, Central Penn Parent hopes to provide some answers. Find the resources you need, reach out to parents who’ve been where you are and share your own experiences and wisdom. |
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| Rubber Duckie Race Raises 122,000
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| Annual Rubber Duckie Race & Festival was rained out. The Center has raised $122,000 to date and hopes donations in the next few weeks will help reach the $140,000 fundraising goal. ... more |
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| Getting Services From Your Public School for Your Disabled Child |
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| Frustrated with a school district’s failure to meet your disabled child’s educational needs? Special education attorney, Gabrielle Sereni details two federal laws that ensure the rights of disabled children within public school districts. Read her article for further details.
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| Children with Special Needs to Display Talents |
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| Children from the local area, including those with special needs, will present their talent through music, song, dance, gymnastics, public speaking, art and other creative forms of expression at The Forum in Harrisburg on July 18 from 3 to 5pm.... more |
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| Eagle Scout with Brittle Bone Disease Helps to Build Handicap-Accessible Sandbox |
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| With his clipboard in hand and a look of steadfast determination, Justin Walker, who has Brittle Bone Disease, is directing 20 fellow scouts and six leaders from Troop #51 of Elizabethtown around Schreiber Pediatric’s playground from his wheelchair. They are busy digging, laying pavers and installing a new handicap-accessible sandbox, complete with a waterproof cover, as part of Justin’s Eagle Scout Project. ... more |
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| Special showing of Shrek for autistic children and families |
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| AMC Entertainment and the Autism Society are teaming up to bring families of autistic children an opportunity to watch films in an environment custom-made for them. The program, called “Sensory Friendly Films” will kick off this Saturday, May 22, at AMC Colonial Commons 9 in Harrisburg with a special showing of Shrek Forever After at 10am.... more |
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| Temple Grandin to speak at Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg |
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| Temple Grandin, renowned author and animal behaviorist, will speak at the Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg this Sunday. Grandin’s life was portrayed by actress Claire Danes in the HBO movie “Temple Grandin” and she will speak about her experiences growing up with autism in the 1950s, a diagnosis that usually equaled institutionalism at the time. ... more |
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| Shine a Light for Autism |
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| Throughtout the month of April, Autism Awareness Month, New Story will conduct its Shine a Light for Autism fundraising campaign. All proceeds benefit Pennsylvania Autism charities.... more |
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| T.G.I.F. to Host Autism Family Night |
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| Many times, families of children with Autism think twice about going to a crowded restaurant. The outing can be difficult for the children. It might be too loud, or too bright. A child could even have dietary restrictions. But T.G.I.F. in Mechanicsburg will host these families between 11am and 11pm on April 20, a night the restaurant has deemed "Autism Family Night."... more |
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| Please Touch Museum and Variety Team Up to Help Families with Autistic Children |
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| Please Touch Museum, the Children's Museum of Philadelphia, is teaming up with Variety, the Children's Charity of Greater Philadelphia, for its first evening event for families of children with Autism. The evening of hands-on, interactive, sensory-filled activities will take place at Please Touch on March 27 from 6 to 9pm. Children of all ages are welcome. ... more |
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| Children's Show to Explore Asperger's Syndrome |
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| The popular PBS Kids show Arthur will start up again on April 5 with an episode featuring a character with Asperger’s Syndrome. The show will be followed by a documentary piece showing real kids with Asperger’s and Autism and how they go about their everyday lives.... more |
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| Growth Factor Gene Shown to be Key to Cleft Palate |
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| Cleft palate has been linked to dozens of genes. During their investigation of one of these genes, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis were surprised to find that cleft palate occurs both when the gene is more active and when it is less active than normal. ... more |
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| Scrieber Pediatric Volleyball Bash Feb. 27 in Lancaster |
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| At 9am on Feb. 27, volleyball players of all ages and abilities will gather in the gymnasium at the Hempfield Recreation Center, 950 Church St., Landisville, to set and spike their way to victory. Schreiber Pediatric’s 28th Annual Volleyball Bash is 12 hours of non-stop fun to benefit the nearly 4,000 children the Center sees each year.... more |
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| Local Musicians Support Schreiber Pediatric Rehab Center |
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| Lancaster will play host to an evening of good music for a good cause next Saturday evening, Jan. 23 starting at 6:30pm. Six local musicians will perform in a benefit for Schreiber Pediatric Rehab Center at Faith United Church of Christ.... more |
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| Workshop to focus on ADHD facts |
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| A free workshop entitled “ADHD! Just the Facts!” will be held Jan. 27 from 6:30-8pm in Hampden Elementary School, Mechanicsburg. The program’s purpose is to provide a way for community members to become better educated about ADHD/ADD in a safe, nurturing environment where people can come together to learn, talk, laugh and feel understood.... more |
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| Is Your Child Sensitive about Clothing’s Material? |
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| Many children are extra-sensitive to the texture and feel of clothing. Soft® is the first line of inclusive clothing designed with the needs of all children in mind, including those with sensory sensitivity, a common symptom of Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD and many Developmental Disabilities.... more |
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| Toy-Buying Tips for Special Needs Children |
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| More money doesn't equal more enjoyment when it comes to buying toys for children with special needs. Here, the Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Parent's Choice Foundation team up to offer parents suggestions on what makes a toy tops.... more |
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| How to Keep Your Holidays Happy |
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| If parents of children with special needs aren't prepared, sometimes "Happy Holidays" are anything but. Here are some tips from MyndWorks to help your season jolly.... more |
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| Dream to become Reality for Leg Up Farm Founder |
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| Just last month, an $8.3 million dream became reality for Lou Castriota. September 10 marked the groundbreaking of Leg Up Farm in York -- a therapy center designed to improve the lives of children with special needs and their families through an effective combination of therapeutic programs and services, education and advocacy.... more |
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| Modify Behavior to Help with ADHD |
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| If your child's been diagnosed with ADHD, making behavioral modifications is just as important as taking medication may be. Try these 8 at-home suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and see if you notice any improvement.... more |
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| Tips for Homeschooling Your Special Needs Child |
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| As you can only imagine, the world of homeschooling is full of different tools and products that can be used to help encourage any child you can think of to do some really amazing things academically. In order to really get the process and procedure started it is very important that you take some time to really consider your child and the exact needs that your child has.... more |
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| Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs |
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| Locating services can be difficult and stressful. It helps to be organized no matter what situation you face with your child. You will want to a: maximize the information you have about your child's needs, b: keep accurate records and c: be very persistent. Remember, you have the right to know.... more |
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| Success Stories from Parents of Special Needs Children |
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| My youngest son, Brayden, was born three months premature with heart and brain defects. He is now 4 ½ years old. He is multi-handicapable. When he was young, the doctors told us he probably wouldn't survive, much less ever sit, walk, talk, or eat. He began eating orally a year and a half ago. He began talking one year ago, and is now nearly age appropriate in expressive communication! - J.B., Bartlesville, OK... more |
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| 10 Tips from the Parenting Trenches |
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| I’ve had the privilege as a parent educator for 20 years to talk with many parents of visually impaired children. Stress and frustrations are a part of any parent’s life, however parenting a child with a disability can bring added challenges. Yet, I have discovered many have found practical ways to address them, and their lives are full of joy and hope. Recently I asked several parents what “tips” they have for others in similar circumstances. Here is what they said:... more |
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| Puppy Power: Dogs Therapeutic for Autistic Children |
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| When we think of dogs helping people, probably the first images that come to mind are those of Seeing Eye dogs and the like. Aside from the aid they provide those with physical disabilities, canines may be considered Man’s Best Friend for the emotional support they lend.... more |
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| Looking for Support? |
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| Central Penn Parent's Capabilities publication - aimed at parents of special needs children - offers and extensive resource directory. From listings related to specific disabilities to health care facilities, parent support groups to recreation options, the information is there and ready for families to put to use.... more |
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| Is Autism Uniquely Stressful for Parents? |
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| Raising a child with any developmental disability or behavior problem is difficult. But is there something uniquely stressful about autism? That is the question researchers at the University of Washington Autism Center tried to answer in a study of mothers of children with developmental disabilities.... more |
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| Volunteer and Put a Smile on a Child's Face |
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| Caitlin's Smiles, headquartered in Harrisburg, was named in memory of Caitlin Mary Hornung, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 1997. Caitlin enjoyed doing craft projects, receiving cards from friends, eating Eat 'N Park Smiley Cookies and playing with her little sister. She shared lots of smiles to everyone she met. Caitlin passed on in October 2000, but through her mother, family, friends and volunteers like you, she lives on to put smiles on other ill children's faces.... more |
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| Finding Financial Support |
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| With more and more children being diagnosed with special needs, millions of American families are facing the daunting task of paying for a large variety of necessary, and at times, uncovered services for their children. Not only are these families struggling with the emotional trauma of their child’s diagnosis, but they are plunging into a world of red tape and financial strain that is unfathomable to most parents already dealing with the average day-to-day challenges of raising a family. ... more |
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| Extra Work for Equal Play |
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| Imagine how formidable inches-deep mulch, a lofty swing set and a rickety sliding board are to a small child in a big wheelchair.
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| Social Security |
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| How networking with other children and parents can help your family thrive.
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| Early Intervention Increases Academic Success |
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| When Shelley Matt, mother of three from Lancaster County, went to her Ephrata MOMs Club business meeting in the fall of 2004, she didn’t realize at the time how important to her and her family the speaker would turn out to be.... more |
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