Special Needs

American Sign Language, or ASL, is a visual language that is expressed by movements and motions of the hands. Maria O’Neil Ruddock and Sandra Hatibovic of the Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center explain the significance of ASL and how to formulate a discussion around ASL with your children. ...

Northeast Ohio Parent is proud to partner with National Council of Jewish Women/Cleveland in the creation of an annual publication highlighting LiveSpecial.com, plus area organizations who serve individuals with special needs. In the 2021-22 edition, you’ll find features on progress in the community, support, technology, relationships, people in the region who go above and beyond to support the special needs community, and much more. ...

If you’re familiar with special education, you’re well-acquainted with the term IEP — Individualized Education Program, but you may not know exactly how a properly-implemented IEP can benefit your child. Matt Christensen, a seventh-grade intervention specialist at Julie Billiart School in Lyndhurst shares with us what an enjoyable, effective IEP experience can look like. ...

To help heighten public understanding, Em Ellis, LSW, a behavior specialist for Summit Academy School – Dayton, who works with and advocates for children with autism, describes six common misconceptions and realities about autism. ...

The free Cuyahoga County Resource Box is packed with information about local adapted summer camps, social skills programs, tutors, therapists and other services in Cuyahoga and surrounding counties for families of children ages birth to 12 who are concerned about their child.  ...

... ...

Ohio law requires that all hospitals and birthing centers offer the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening before discharge. The methods used are safe, quick and effective. If your child has not passed the screening, it is very important that you take your baby for a diagnostic hearing test by a licensed pediatric audiologist. ...

On the latest episode of aParently Speaking, host Miriam Conner is joined by Adam Jablin, a recovering addict, now a life coach and author, who talks about things parents should know about addiction and tips on what they can do if they suspect there is a problem. ...

The holiday season is here, which means festive decorations, blinking lights, Christmas trees, Santa, presents, holiday meals and more. While these are why most of us love this time of year, they are also the reason this season can cause confusion and stress for children with autism spectrum disorder. Check out these tips from Juli Augustin from ABA Behavioral Specialists, to help you achieve your seasonal goals this year and beyond.  ...

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. Learn more about the signs and symptoms of dyslexia, as well as treatment options. ...