"I know a great store that has countless toys for kids with special needs"

It's that time of year when i'm asked on a regular basis "what are you getting Hailey for Christmas", or "what can I get Hailey for Christmas" "can she play with regular toys" "How about puzzles, does she play games" "does she still like books" ????????? It's because of the many questions I've decided to write a general guide to help others who may have someone in their lives with motor issues know where to buy and understand what they may like and be able to use. First of all no toys please, just money for her well needed and very expensive hippotherapy lessons, just kidding! First off I would just like to say that Hailey likes alot of the same things that other 4 year old girls like. She loves to play with her dolls, just the other night, I was playing with her in her bedroom, she lined up all her doll babies, stuffed winnie the pooh, elmo, mickey mouse and dora. (Hailey doesn't walk so she spends alot of her time on the floor) With my help,she covered each of the dolls with little blankets (well really anything textile that she found on her bedroom floor, things such as, nightgowns, sweaters, coats, towels and the like). After her babies were all tucked in, she dragged her basket of goodies over and carefully but with much effort, gave each baby a piece of pretend fruit. This took over an hour but it was then I learned that Hailey was a nurturer, she made sure that each baby had their nourishment. There were bananas, tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, and oranges strewn about on the floor next to each of them. In this respect, I'd say Hailey is like other 4 year old girls. As far as other games and puzzles that Hailey likes, they really have to be well built, made of hard plastic or wood,otherwise, because her fine and gross motor issues, she will destroy them. An example of what not to get her would be...anything paper, books, cards, crayons, etc. Or anything that requires you to hold on to in a controlled fashion or with small pieces, these types of things will be destroyed in minutes she doesn't have the control or motor skills to turn the pages of a book without tearing them, or she would crumple a card when she makes an attempt to pick them up. Small pieces are difficult to grasp etc. These are all things that we work on but are extremely difficult for Hailey to achieve. Natalie and Tom believe the best place to buy Hailey's toys from is Lakeshore Learning, they have store locations from coast to coast as well as a full service web site. Here are a few examples of toys that Hailey or someone with motor issues would enjoy.

Though I believe Hailey is getting too old for these now, she enjoyed them last year and this is the type of durability I am talking about.

Giant Knob First Puzzle Set Little hands have no problem piecing together these adorable puzzles! Each simple puzzle has 4 wooden pieces with giant, easy-grip knobs—so they’re a cinch for kids to grab and fit into place. And, with matching illustrations right on the puzzle boards, they couldn’t be better for beginners! Four 9" x 9" puzzles come in a handy wire rack. EE439 • $39.95

Hailey had something similar to this last year, the large plastic cookies are a bit easier to grasp, as we helped her put her cookie in a slot the jar counted for her, she loved it! Count-A-Cookie Number Jars Tots fill up cookie jars with tasty-looking treats…and build counting skills—piece by piece! 5 wipe-clean vinyl jars are labeled with numbers 1-5 and come in graduated sizes to build number sense and reinforce one-to-one correspondence. Kids match the cookies to their color-coded jars, counting each one as they drop it in! Largest jar is 5"; with 15 cookies.$32.99 It is difficult for Hailey to hold a ball, she doesn't own these, but I believe these are something that she could grasp.

Easy-Catch Playballs - Set of 4 Put a fun new spin on active play games with our easy-to-catch playballs! The playground-tough neoprene balls have a flexible woven design that gives children endless ways to grab and throw them—ensuring frustration-free play for players of all sizes. 4 balls, each 7 1/2". CE255 • $39.95 I think Hailey really responds to music, these are a good example for someone a bit younger than Hailey, I think it would be a great way to keep them moving their arms.

Easy-Grip Jingle Bells - Set of 8 With our easy-to-play bells, little ones always enjoy no-fail music-making! Each one has an extra-chunky plastic handle to give children a sure grip, plus three securely attached metal bells that jingle with every shake. They even come in cute animal shapes that kids are sure to love! Set of 8 easy-grip bells; fish is 4 1/2" long. DB952 •$24.99 Hailey loves to be read too, I wonder if she would like these

Differing Abilities Book Set Kids learn why some children wear leg braces, how deaf children communicate, what it’s like to live with autism and more. 5 books, each 24 pages. AB358 • $29.50 She doesn't have these, she doesn't play with figures yet, I guess I posted them because I love them and think that it is a great idea to have figurines of people of different abilities.

Lakeshore Block Play People with Differing Abilities Increase the diversity of your block play community by introducing our figures with differing abilities! Made of extra-tough vinyl, the dolls represent a variety of ages, ethnicities and genders…all with super-realistic details and adaptive equipment—from leg braces to a hearing aid. Tallest is 5 1/2". Set of 6 figures shown. RR759 • $19.95

I like this because Hailey can reach it, but since it is so expensive, I just might buy the magnetic shapes and she can play with them on my refrigerator, she "W" sits lot ( I know, I know, we try to correct her, easier said than done) ans she can reach the lower part of the fridge.

Stand-Up Magnetic Design Center Our magnetic design center is so big, children can stand side by side while they create colorful magnetic patterns! Double-sided center features two giant magnetic write & wipe surfaces, plus a sturdy base to store magnetic shapes. Wooden center is 21" x 32" tall. Easy assembly. LA583 • $79.95 Jumbo Magnetic Design Shapes 40 giant wooden shapes include circles, squares, rectangles, triangles and more. Large squares are 4". LA585 • $29.95 Hailey loves her pretend fruit, this wooden set is very durable

Fruit & Vegetable Cut-Ups Our fun fruits and veggies let kids cut, slice and dice like real gourmet chefs! 18 plastic play foods stick together with hook & loop fastener, so kids can safely “slice” into each one…then press them together and start again! With 2 safe “knives” and cutting board—all in a 10 3/4" basket. FV526 • $29.95 Last year Hailey received this gigantic peg board game from her Uncle, she needs lot of assistance when she plays with this, but she enjoys "trying" to stick the peg in the board!

My First Pegboard Set As tots fit chunky, baby-safe pegs into our fun-shaped pegboards, they explore color matching, develop eye/hand coordination & build muscle control! The big, 9" x 9" pegboards are made of soft, flexible foam…and the jumbo pegs are 2" wide, so they’re a cinch for small hands to grip. Includes 4 boards & 40 pegs. DD645 • $29.95 These are just a few of the many awesome toys that Lakeshore Learning has to offer. Whether or not you have a child with special needs, This store has toys that are strong and safe. It is definitely worth checking out!

Just a little reminder:

Sometimes words and actions can be hurtful. Being the grandmother of a beautiful little girl who just happens to have C.P. I am reminded everyday how words can be hurtful, more often than not these words are not meant to be offensive, or hurtful, it is simply the lack of understanding.
So I thought I would just subtly remind people to choose their words a bit more carefully. I can’t tell you how many times in a week, Hailey comes up in conversation (well, hundreds of times actually, after all I am a proud Grammy). Very often when I happen to see or hear from someone that I haven’t heard from in years or perhaps it just comes up in general conversation that Hailey has C.P. It never fails, the dreadful words slip off their tongue effortlessly and without much thought “...Oh, i’m so sorry, that must be so difficult, is this something that she will grow out of” or how about this one...she will never have a good quality of life. Though I am well aware that her quality of life will be compromised, the reminder is unnecessary and I chose to focus on challenging her everyday and promoting her independence. These are the kinds of things that will benefit her best. I’ve heard people say that people with C.P. and other disabilities are not normal, and I can’t help but wonder who decides what “normal” is.
As defined in Wikipedia... In behavior, normal refers to a lack of significant deviation from the average. The phrase "not normal" is often applied in a negative sense (asserting that someone or some situation is improper, sick, etc.) Well, Hailey is not improper at all. Actually her actions happen to be more proper than the people who ask these silly questions or make these remarks without thinking them through. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that I didn’t do or say similar things before Hailey was born. I had no idea what to say or how to act around others who had a disability. But now I know better, and I want you to know better too. Always be aware of the impact your words can have on others. Teach your children that it is o.k. to talk to people who have a disability, otherwise you are not only sending my child the wrong message, but your child as well. I think it is all in the education, it is the process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one generation to another, so please, pass it along.

Professional Photo's of your child with special needs

Pictures, pictures, pictures...Well, we all know how beautiful Hailey is, and her mom Natalie takes tons and tons of pictures of her. Everyone who meets Hailey says the same thing. “Wow, she has the most amazing smile”. She really does, her smile is contagious and inspiring, and truthful, her smile is like the sunshine to me, very warm and sensational, it brightens my day.
As many parents of special needs children know, having your child’s picture taken professionally is not always an easy task. Many of our children experience sensory issues and have a hard time with bright lights, maybe they have a hard time sitting in one position or have difficulty with head control. Why not Have a photographer come to the house. They can capture your child in their natural setting. This might make your child feel more relaxed. Well, a couple of years ago I wanted to have Hailey’s picture taken by a professional photographer so I had Jess from Boston Baby Photos come to our house. She was very good with Hailey, at the time Hailey was not very good with strangers and I was nervous that she wouldn’t be too cooperative, Jess did a great job of keeping her distance from Hailey while getting some really, really good shots of Her. You can see them here We have a beautiful photo book that we will treasure for a life time. Not realizing that it had been 2 years since Hailey’s last photo shoot, I figured I better call Jess again. We agreed on doing trade. She would do another beautiful photo shoot of miss Hailey and I would do a painting for her. I had so much fun painting her family, they look like they are having a great walk through the park. So whimsical and fun! If you are interested in a photo shoot from Jess and live in the Boston area you can contact her here. The photographer who has taken the photo of Jess and her family is here.

Have you had trouble taking professional photo’s of your child? If so, do you have any tips on how to make your child comfortable during a photo shoot, maybe he/she has a favorite toy that may help them feel relaxed.

American Sign Language

Sign language...hmmm...another way of communicating for many people, not only for people who are hearing impaired but for many children/people who are non verbal, some people who have autism use American Sign Language, others who have C.P. have found it helpful and so many others.
Hailey uses her Dynavox V at school to help her communicate and they are also teaching her a bit of sign language as well. Last year my husband and I decided to have someone come to the house once a week to teach us sign language so that we would be could keep up with Hailey. This year for Christmas we got our family an IPAD so that Hailey could use the proloquo2go app. Some people in the special needs world are referring to this app as “a miracle device.” I think it is important for us to have many different ways of communicating with Hailey if not with words.
Because we did not actually use the sign language steadily and regularly, I have already forgotten some of my signs. :( A couple of months ago my local library had the Program Director of the ASL Academy come in and teach some basic signs, I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to take a refresher course. I attended this workshop and struck up a conversation with The Director about the Academy. He told me a bit about his program and also offers a course on line. For so many families out there, finding the time to commit to a class seems nearly impossible. Taking the online class may be the answer for your family. I hope you find this helpful.

The American Sign Language Academy offers classes in American Sign Language in Pawtucket, RI, with over 90 students attending regularly. In addition, to accommodate those who would like to take classes but may be too far away or have scheduling conflicts, ASLA will be offering an on-line course starting in April.

The course utilizes 21st century technology with the benefit of teacher feedback. The idea is called the Blended Classroom. The cost for level 1 on-line is $125.00.

After registering for the course, students will be sent their course materials. They will go to the website and use are a password for the first of nine weekly lessons. They will see a video with detailed instruction. At the end of the lesson, students will need to set aside time to practice. After seven weeks, students will meet with the teacher (Manuel Martin) via webcam and do their first presentation. They will receive feedback from the teacher. In the ninth week, they will do their second presentation. After the teacher indicates the two presentations are successful, students will be mailed a certificate of completion and they will be eligible to go on to level 2.

Students will be able to access each lesson for the assigned week. If they miss a week, they will be allowed to go back to that lesson as a make up. Only one lesson may be repeated in this way during the course.

More than one student may use the course. However, each additional student will be charged $25.00 if they want to do their presentations for the teacher, receive feedback and receive a certificate at the end of the course.

In a few weeks, when the program is ready to be launched, information will be posted on the website. Contact us with any questions you may have.

Manuel Martin
ASL Academy
401 722 1022
http://www.aslacademy.org
http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Sign-Language-Academy/219507895413

You've come along way baby!

Well, today I went with Natalie and Hailey to a Dr’s appointment at Children’s Hospital. Hailey has to have her hips x-rayed periodically to make sure that they are not being affected by the way she sits (W style) this is a common and comfortable position for kids with C.P. but it can dislocate their hips so the Doctors keep a close eye on her. I am very pleased to report that Hailey’s hips are perfect. I am also very pleased or rather amazed by Hailey’s behavior with the Doctors today. She let them do whatever they needed to do without a battle. She actually smiled for the camera (or should I say the x-ray machine) she watched silently and cooperated while they made a new cast for her legs, (she wears A.F.O.s to help her with ankle/leg support) she let the Doctor feel her spine and check her reflexes. All of this without a single peep out of her. I couldn’t believe it! Just last year I wrote a post about her screaming every time she went to the doctors. She would even scream when we pulled into the parking lot at the hospital. I have to admit, I never thought I would see this day with Hailey, ever! But, i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again. “Hailey never stops amazing me”

A new look for "KIDZ"

As many of you know, I have been doing a little writing in my spare time (which by the way, is really non existent). I write for a few different special needs sites. You may recall me mentioning in a previous post that I write for Kidz. This site is an amazing site that celebrates the ups and downs of raising children with special needs. The posts on this site are a collaborative effort of 12 bloggers and 1 fearless leader Tara. The Kids Krew contributer’s are all amazing woman who have children with different abilities, who share their knowledge and resources with thousands of readers each day, some who are veterans in the special needs community and other’s who are newbies and looking for as much information as they can possibly find to help them understand their child’s diagnosis. This past year Kidz received “The Top Blog Parenting Award” and has over 20,000 visitors each month! It is both an honor and a pleasure for me to be part of this effort that helps so many children around the world. On this site you can expect to find uplifting stories, poems, songs, activities, ideas, friends and resources. We are excited about the new design of the KIDZ site, so be sure to check it out. If you know anyone who may benefit from this site, please share the link with them www.kidzorg.blogspot.com I know it will help them, just as it continues to help and inspire me.

A small dose of the " Medicine of Music"

After playing with balloons at a physical therapy session with my mom recently, I thought...what a great way to get Hailey to move her arms more, so this weekend I had a long overdue sleepover with Hailey. We had so much fun, we always do. I bought a couple of latex balloons at the iparty store and we started hitting them across the table. What a cheap, fun exercise, just listen to Hailey’s laughter in the second video, this does not seem like therapy at all and it is a great way to keep her moving.
If you listen carefully to the first video, you can hear a song playing in the back ground. It is a song I sent away for some time ago and was personalized for Hailey. It is from the songs of love foundation. This incredible foundation writes songs for children who face severe medical challenges. If you have a child who qualifies for this program, she will receive a cd in the mail within 4 weeks. Hailey absolutely loves this song, she loves that she hears her name in it over and over again. She cannot ask for it verbally, but in her ever so special way she asks for it every time she comes over. She smiles and gracefully extends her arm in the direction of my outdated cd player that sits on the kitchen counter. If for some reason we miss what she is pointing to, she will begin to sway and dance in her chair until I say “Oh, I know what you want” (insert Hailey’s smile here) you want to hear your song.
The mission of the Songs of Love Foundation is to bring healing music to chronically and terminally ill children across the country. The foundation is a national non profit organization. To date, Songs of Love has written more then 19,000 songs for children in more than 500 hospitals across the country and throughout the world. The pool of artists has grown to more then 350 songwriters, lyricists, instrumentalists and vocalists who have experienced the excitement of being able to give back with the talents they were given.

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.
-Victor Hugo

A Valentines poem for my Sweet Tart "Just because"

You have my heart there is no doubt,
my fragile flower, I can’t live without.
my heart is yours, as well my soul
I love you more than you’ll ever know.

A little girl, with long brown hair
her smile it spreads from ear to ear.
her words unspoken, I don’t care
I know she loves me, i’m well aware.

Her future holds no certainty,
but then again who’s does
i’ll just take it day by day
and love her just because.

xoxo Copyright by Janet Harrold

Exceptional Family

A lot of you may recognize this beautiful family as Zak, Nathan and Renee Charlan from Exceptional Family T.V. “EFTV” Is my favorite online destination to visit for news and current resources and advice for children with special needs. Advice given from other parents of children who are living the “Exceptional” life. I credit this family for their humble approach and ability to expose their private lives to benefit others. I personally would like to say thank you for giving us a voice and a connection with each other, and for all that you have done to facilitate this “Exceptional” community.
If you would like a 16 X 20 oil painting of your child email me www.harrold.janet@gmail.com 100% of the proceeds go to Hailey's Conductive Education

Painting of Sofia and Carter

It's been a little while since I have painted, and it sure feels good to be back at it. This beautiful little girl Sofia also has C.P. She has been going to The Conductive Education Centre in Halifax, N.S. Canada She had been taking classes with Ben and his mom Cary from about the small stuff Cary mentioned to her about my raising money for Hailey to go to The Conductive Learning Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, she contacted me to paint this lovely shot of Sofia and her cousin Carter making music together at the piano. I sure hope she likes it! Our goal of getting Hailey to Conductive Education is getting closer and closer. We have started the application process and if accepted she may be attending the May-June session this year! If any of you are thinking that you would like a 16 x20 of your child painted in oil for $100.00, now is the time to contact me. This offer may change in the near future. contact me at harrold.janet@gmail.com

"say it with symbols"

“say it with symbols”
(my new favorite special needs resource)

Imagine not being able to say “help” or “i’m hungry” being able to speak is something that most of us take for granted everyday. If you have a child who is non verbal or has difficulty with speech then you know how challenging communication can be. It can also be scary as well as frustrating.
With today's technology, some of us are fortunate enough to have the ipad. The Proloquo2Go app provides a full-featured communication solution for people who have difficulty speaking. It brings natural sounding text-to-speech voices, up-to-date symbols. No doubt about it ,it is getting rave reviews, we are lucky to have one for Hailey. My only disappointment so far is that the symbols it has for communication are not the Mayer Johnson symbols that Hailey has been using since she started speech therapy with early intervention a few years ago. I hope it doesn’t get too confusing for her. She does however have the Dynavox, this computer does use the Mayer Johnson symbols. She uses it mostly at school. For those of you who use the Dynavox, you know that it is a great communication device. A little heavy and not so easy to lug around everywhere you need to go. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have one of these either.
A Great Solution:
I’d like to tell you about a site I have come to love www.sayitwithsymbols.com This site has so many useful things to offer and the prices are much more affordable.. I especially like the pre made communication books.
These books are light weight, colorful, and portable. They are a great solution for making choices. Because our kids need to communicate anywhere and everywhere, this book is a great solution for communicating on the go. It is a great back-up for high tech devices.Very useful at restaurants, at the park or at grandmas house.
Another item that I really love is the Board books photo album. All kids love to see pictures of themselves or favorite people and places.
The album has sturdy cardboard pages and notches have been added to the page edges to make it easy for those with motor skill problems to turn the page. There is even plenty of room to write your own story.
Become a fan on facebook http://www.facebook.com/SayitwithSymbols i’ve seen them give great discounts and even give away FREE communication boards!



www.SayitwithSymbols.com
Giving Greetings Publishing
1-866-544-9540


rsargent@givinggreetings.com

"I never knew"

I never expected to feel this way. I mean, of course I knew that I would love my grandchildren when the day came. After all, I am a very loving, nurturing person. I knew when the day came for me to have a grandchild that I would be blessed and that I would feel elated. But I never expected to feel a love as deep and as strong as I do for Hailey.
That being said, the day that Hailey was born, and with the level of complications that she had, emotions were overflowing, questions surpassed the highest mountains and uncertainty scared the hell out of me.
After awhile, and one heck of a roller coaster ride, reality and acceptance sets in and love and admiration grows even deeper than you ever thought possible. Hailey is an amazing little girl who has taught our whole family how to live a brand new life, a life that we never new existed. She brings us to new places and gives us a new perspective on what is most important, she has shown us how to be better people and more accepting and aware of others. Things that we never thought we had the time to do. Well, suddenly I have time, because for me the world seems to have come to a standstill and all of the things that we thought were so important are now insignificant. I have learned that we take things for granted everyday. I never realized that we are the fortunate ones just by being able to do everyday simple tasks like being able to walk, or talk, or by being able to feed ourselves. Well Hailey has opened my eyes to the fact that those things that we take for granted everyday are not simple tasks, they are not simple at all for many people. Who knew? I’ve heard about people having disabilities, but really I closed my eyes to it all. I had no idea how large of a community it really is. Now, that is not to say that people who cannot do these tasks cannot grow up to be great people, who can teach us so much about life, real life. On the contrary, people with disabilities are by far the strongest and most determined people that I know. Kind of funny yet contradictory that we perceive them as people who are weak. They will endure more in their lifetime than many of us will even begin to endure. (And we think we have it tough. See, it’s that perspective thing kicking in again) I challenge everyone reading this, to start the New Year off with a new perspective, a new outlook on life and new found respect for people who have a disability. I never knew that such a world existed, and I never knew that I could love someone so deeply as I love my granddaughter Hailey, but it is true, I do...who knew?


God doesn't give children with disabilities to strong people: He gives them to ordinary, everyday people, then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family. Author Unknown