It should not be surprising that we received a lot of feedback on the community question: “How do you explain your child’s cerebral palsy to other siblings to help them understand?” There are more than six million people with disabilities living in the United States alone, and most of these people have brothers and sisters. Read More

Many, if not most, treatment plans for children with CP are centered exclusively on the child. While a child’s interests must always be considered, the narrow focus of such plans can overlook crucial factors, like “living environment” and “family dynamic.” Read More

On first thought, you may think that ankle-foot orthotics (AFOs) cannot be “recycled,” since they are molded to custom-fit a specific child. However, donating your AFOs actually can help children in need! Some organizations modify the shape of used AFOs, fitting them to their new owners. Read More

You may have read this blog post in which Giles Manley urges parents and expectant women: Call a doctor if you feel like you should, even and especially over the holidays! This advice rings equally true for the families of children with special needs Read More

hen we post our “Question of the Day” on Facebook, we always expect some interaction. After all, our community is very active and loves to help other families facing the same issues. However we were pleasantly surprised when we received an overwhelming amount of feedback to this question. Read More

Doctor appointments are all too frequent in the lives of families with special needs children. The appointments themselves and the issues addressed, however, are seldom routine. Given that you will have 15-30 minutes at most with the doctor, making the most of this time is critical. Read More

For some parents, hearing the words “your child has cerebral palsy” for the first time is a huge shock. For many others, it only confirms what they have suspected for a long time. Still, some parents are relieved to hear the news; they knew something was wrong, and now that they know what it is, they can begin to take action. Read More

Working parents of kids with CP often face unique challenges. For example, you may need to take several weeks off work while your child recovers from surgery. If you work holidays, there are likely no qualified caretakers available to watch your child on those days. There are hundreds of nerve-wracking ways that caring for your... Read More