by Keri Horon | May 6, 2019 | Special Needs
Aggressive behavior in a child or teen exhausts every parent who must deal with it. When a child with autism who is already struggling in so many ways also displays aggressive tendencies, parents and caregivers can feel locked in a daily battle with too few options.
Aggression, defined as hostile or violent behavior toward others often with a readiness to attack, can put family members, and even strangers we come across during our day, in danger. Understanding aggression in the context of autism is a first step in dealing with this behavior. Fortunately, once thoughtfully examined, there are options available to families dealing with aggression.
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by Keri Horon | Feb 25, 2019 | Special Needs
Emergency evacuations are difficult and stressful for anyone. For families with special needs children, an evacuation could present such a challenge that making a plan becomes critically necessary. However, not everyone has a plan, let alone an idea of where to begin.
Emergency preparedness is something we all should take seriously and we all tend to put off because we don’t have the time or perhaps the desire to think about it. Evacuations become suddenly necessary at times, and without a plan in place, those evacuations can turn our lives upside-down in an instant.
So, the disaster that sparked an evacuation creates a second level of disaster in our lives when we are forced out of our homes, schools, or offices with little warning and no supplies. Coping with the fallout and surviving successfully depends on our preparedness. (more…)
by Keri Horon | Jan 9, 2019 | Special Needs
The words evacuation and fire have become common to California residents this past year or two. If someone is not directly affected by a fire or a mandatory evacuation, it is likely they know someone who is. Evacuations due to fires and other natural disasters, according to the news, are becoming the “new normal.” We’ve always had natural disasters and their ensuing evacuations to contend with; it’s part of living on the planet Earth. But it does seem to be more common lately.
Disasters can bring about optional and mandatory evacuations from our homes, and, if we’re not prepared, disasters and evacuations can lead to much more stress in our post-disaster lives. When a family includes someone with special needs, consequently, the need for evacuation preparation becomes a bit more significant. (more…)
by Keri Horon | Sep 11, 2018 | Special Needs
Have you ever been in a situation where your child sees someone with a disability and asks, “What’s wrong with that person?” If so, how did you respond? Situations like that can be both embarrassing and tricky. How do you talk to your kids about disabilities? You think, what do I say? Did the person hear? Do I answer with a guess about the person? Do I ignore the question? How do I, in that moment, teach my child a valuable lesson? (more…)
by Keri Horon | May 21, 2018 | Special Needs
Staring. We all seem to do it at some point, for some reason. We’ve all been stared at by someone else too. Staring at people is a social behavior, albeit one that generates discomfort for the one receiving the stare. Most often, people’s stares are directed toward those with some type of physical difference. They see something which appears out of the ordinary, and the tendency is to gaze at the subject out of curiosity.
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