Parents
Caring for children with disabilities consumes your life.
We know that. And we want you to realize, through these stories, that you are not alone.
Featured Parent
This is Christine
Christine Walker is a dedicated advocate for children’s mental health and works tirelessly to educate policymakers to enhance the lives of families raising children with hidden disabilities. Christine’s oldest son lives with Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, and a mood disorder.
Featured Articles for Parents
Choosing Out-of-Home Care for Your Child with Prader-Willi Syndrome
It's only normal for parents to want to be everything to their children. That's a tall order for any parent, but when your child has Prader Willi Syndrome, "everything" is more than any one person can be. Read about how one parent learned that letting experts help manage his son's disorder give him the chance to focus on being a father.
Adopting a Child of Trauma: Gaining Perspective on What Your Child's Behavior and Rage Are Telling You
As the parent of a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder, Lori Hetzel knows that her daughter's intense emotions are trying to communicate what she is unable to express with words. Nadya's extreme behavior is the only tool she has for expressing her fundamental need for security. Read about Lori's efforts to maintain perspective during crisis, and then consider three perspectives to help you as you approach your own child's extreme behavior.
Feeling Guilty When Raising a Child With Special Needs
Parents are often their own toughest critics. When the idyllic picture of what we thought our family would look like is a stark contrast to what the reality is, we add on even more stress by feeling guilty about what we did or didn't do in a a sea of very complex situations. For parents of special needs children, these instances are magnified, but they are recurring thoughts of every parent, nearly every day. Break the cycle of guilt for your sake and for the sake of your child.
Latest Articles for Parents
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The Emotional Turmoil Surrounding Extremely Aggressive and Violent Behavior in Your Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Written By: Amanda Ronan | Podcast Editing and Voiceover By: Heather Haynes | Design By: Sunny DiMartino
Parenting is always a journey that you can only try to be fully prepared for; however, parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can require an entirely different set of preparations. If you are the parent of a child with ASD, remember: you’re not alone—there are many options available for help.
Advocating for your Adopted Child with Complex Developmental Trauma
Written By: Aleksandra Corwin, Lizzie Vance | Resource Creation By: Bridget Morton, Keli McNeill | Design By: Sunny DiMartino, Nathan Lueth, Christy Bui
Lori Hetzel is the mother of a child diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder (RAD). She describes the struggles her family encountered obtaining special education and resources for their daughter after they adopted her from Russia at age nine.
When Your Child with Asperger's Disorder is Bullied
Written By: Pamela DeLoatch | Resource Creation By: Keli McNeill | Design By: Sunny DiMartino, Christy Bui, Nathan Lueth
It's not just about your child being picked last for the kickball game or not making new friends at school, it's about the derogatory comments towards your child from other children or the lack of empathy from the adults in his/her life. Finding the right tools to help your child with Asperger's and Autism Spectrum Disorder and educating those who interact with your child, will help lead you all down a path towards a bright future for your child.
Caring for a Child with ASD: Beyond Isolation and Confinement
Written By: Amanda Ronan | Resource Creation By: Keli McNeill | Design By: Sunny DiMartino, Christy Bui, Nathan Lueth
Parents with children on the Autism Spectrum often feel isolated from their community. Very often good friends and even close family members stop visiting the home, inviting the family out or calling and checking in. On top of what parents are dealing with in order to get the right diagnosis and treatment plans for their child, parents feel confined to their homes and alone in their journey.
Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome: Impulse Control Issues and Dishonesty
By Alison Hennessee | Resource Creation By: Maureen Batty | Design By: Sunny DiMartino, Christy Bui, Analee G. Paz
When the lies about food become too much to handle, there might be another factor at play. Follow along as Ben's struggles with food are taken to the next level and begin to become more than his parents can manage alone.
I'm Just Hungry
Written By: Chelsea McCutchin
Last year, Chelsea McCutchin worked on an MyPath Library book about Prader-Willi syndrome and was inspired by the beauty and the pain of those who suffer with this fascinating disorder. Here, Chelsea expresses what it feels like to be caught inside of PW through a poem called a sestina.