January 1995
Contents of Issue 29:
Editorial
What is ADA and Inclusive Child Care?
Wisconsin Personnel Development Project
Respite Child Care
Audiovisuals to Borrow
Games to Borrow
Books to Borrow
Recipe for a happy family
Articles to Keep
Resources Elsewhere
Ideas
Hugs N' Parents
Inclusive Child Care
One story led to another as the youngsters sat in a cluster, discussing unusual medical conditions they had experienced. Not to be outdone by his older cousins, the three-year-old piped up and dramatically announced, "I knew a boy once who had to ...turn his heart around!" Everyone stopped and stared in amazement at the little guy's assertion, until he himself, started to giggle at the enormity of his claim.
But in thinking about "inclusion", I thought how that's just what we have to make sure happens in our centers and homes. The hearts of the families we serve must be turned around to embrace each other. And the attitudes of the children, who will be the next generation of community leaders, must come to first accept and support disabled playmates and then to need and depend on them as friends and fellow citizens.
The Americans With Disabilities Act has ushered in new criteria to the way things are done. Like other rights that now seem so obviously just, but which were once not so "given", i.e., women's suffrage or public schools for all, we will look at pre-ADA and preinclusion as an unenlightened period. It will be an exciting era to be a part of as our children gain a vaster specialized knowledge of people with disabilities than any previous generation has had. Since we, as child care providers, meet families at the beginning edge of their life tapestry, we also are among the first ones who must educate ourselves and join in this process of "turning hearts around".
CCIC has tried to give you the tools to help you carry out this mandate of quality care for all children. We are constantly collecting materials we hope will reach you and the families you serve.
--Lita Kate Haddal, editor
CCIC Child Care Specialist
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What is ADA and Inclusive Child Care?!
According to the Child Care Law Center, group and family day care centers, regardless of size and whether publicly funded or not, are "public accommodations" and must comply with Title III of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), a law which protects the civil rights of people with disabilities or people associated with them. For child care, this means providers must not restrict admission of children with disabilities nor children of parents with disabilities because of their disability. Providers must assess the children on an individual basis as to whether they can be cared for and included in the existing program when reasonable accommodations have been made. Some reasonable accommodations are: removing physical barriers in some circumstances, providing extra equipment and services to ensure effective communication with children with speech, hearing, or visual impairments, and modifying basic procedures that ordinarily would limit participation in the program.
The law is not intended to put an undue burden on child care operations; the needs of the particular child must be balanced against the size of the program, budget, staff, and other resources. There are only four reasons that allow a provider to turn away a disabled child:
- If taking the necessary steps to accommodate the child's special needs with added equipment or services imposes an undue burden on the provider, or would fundamentally alter the nature of the program or facility, and there are no alternative steps that can be taken.
- If accommodating the child's needs requires some architectural changes that are not readily achievable and there are no reasonable alternatives that are readily achievable.
- If a particular child's condition poses a direct threat to the health or safety of any of the other children or staff in your program and there is no reasonable way of eliminating the threat through changes in policies, practices, procedures, equipment or services.
- If integrating the child into the program requires changes in policies, practices or procedures that would fundamentally alter the nature of the program and there are no reasonable alternatives.
--(Caring for Children with Special Needs: The Americans with Disabilites Act and Child Care. Child Care Law Center, 1994.)
Each child with a disability applying to a center must be individually assessed as to whether an undue burden would be placed on the caregiver in accepting the child into the program. Undue burden is defined as a significant difficulty or expense. A provider has the obligation to attempt to take the necessary steps to accommodate the special needs of a child with a disability before denying care to that child. If one transports the children one cares for, the same rules for barrier removal apply to the vehicle as to the child care facility. Tax provisions have been enacted to help defray the cost of barrier removal; Sections 44 and 190 of the Internal Revenue Code and other tax incentives are included in Publication 907 from the IRS. Although parents are not required to disclose a child's special needs to the provider, the ADA allows the provider to make health records an admissions requirement as long as it is required of all children and is not used as a screening device. Additional information may be sought from the parents, if it is to be used for enabling better care for the disabled child. Conditions which have not been disclosed to the provider, cannot be expected to receive special accommodation.
--Lita Haddal, CCIC Child Care Specialist
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Wisconsin Personnel Development Project
by Linda Tuchman, Waisman Center
The Wisconsin Personnel Development Project (WPDP) is funded by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services, Birth to Three Program to address the need for well qualified early intervention service providers in the state. The WPDP offers a range of educational opportunities for parents, service providers from all disciplines including the child care community, and program managers/administrators through a multifaceted program. Activities include statewide and regional inservice workshops, a series of parent projects, community self-assessment and technical assistance, and materials development and dissemination. WPDP also supports family-centered, interdisciplinary preservice training through the Wisconsin Higher Education Consortium on Early Intervention.
A new feature of WPDP is a Birth to Three Video Lending Library. The collection includes 28 videos on the topic of early intervention. These videos cover a variety of topics that may be of interest to parents and early intervention service providers, including supports for families, direct interventions with children (e.g. positioning and feeding), financial resources, and inclusive communities. The collection is evolving and will be updated periodically. These are available through the WPDP office at the Waisman Center. Call or write to request a copy of the Birth to Three Video Lending Library Catalog.
All activities of WPDP are open to members of the child care/education community. One way to find out about training activities provided by WPDP as well as other organizations in the state is to get your name on the mailing list for EVENTS--a training bulletin for those who want to know more about Early Intervention. Contact Wisconsin Personnel Development project at (608) 263-5022 or send a postcard to: Wisconsin Personnel Development Project, Waisman Center, RM. 231, 1500 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705. Attention: EVENTS mailing list.
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Respite Child Care
La Causa, Inc., has been awarded a 3-year federal grant by the Administration for Children and Families to provide respite care for children with disabilities and chronically ill children of Hispanic and African-American families from inner city Milwaukee. La Causa's existing crisis nursery services will be adding a respite care program that has both an in-home and out-of-home model as well as support services for families.
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Audiovisual Materials to Borrow
Many of these videos are new, however we have included others previously in the collection on the topic, Inclusive Child Care. Be sure to also refer to the AV-list + update, the booklist on Children With Special Needs and Newsletters 21 & 22, for more resources to order from CCIC for help in caring for children with special needs.
- ABCS OF INCLUSIVE CHILD CARE. Directed & produced by Basil Nestor. Production of Dependent Care Management Program in association with Basil Nestor Company, 1993. VHS, color, 14 min. Children with a disability can be included in the same child care programs other children attend. Parents, teachers, and directors tell of their initial doubts and the overwhelming benefits of inclusive child care while we watch children with disabilities thrive in inclusive programs.
- BEGINNING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE VIDEO COURSE. Portland, OR: Educational Productions, Inc., 1992.
- MORNING ROUTING SIGNS. VHS, 40 min.
- BREAKFAST & DINING SIGNS. VHS, 40 min.
- FOOD SIGNS. VHS, 40 min.
- NATURE & SPORTS SIGNS. VHS, 45 min.
- CLOTHING SIGNS. VHS, 40 min.
- BEGINNINGS: HANDICAPPED CHILDREN BIRTH TO AGE 5. PBS Video. VHS, 12-part series of 30-minutes each.
- OVERVIEW OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
- GROSS MOTOR DEVELOPMENT.
- COMMUNICATION: LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT.
- ENVIRONMENTS.
- COMMUNICATIONS: DISORDER.
- COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT.
- FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT.
- NEURODEVELOPMENT.
- SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
- INTERACTIONS.
- ASSESSMENT.
- SPECIAL ISSUES. (The demands and rewards of being involved in special education.)
- DISABILITY AWARENESS. Hampton, NH: AGH Associates, Inc., 1993. VHS, color, 7 min. + 20-page trainer's guide. Reminds child care workers that they already try to accomodate all children and shows how accepting children with special needs does not change that basic fact, just the kinds of accomodations.
- EDUCATING PETER. New York, NY: Ambrose Video Publishing Inc., 1992. VHS, 30 min. + study guide. Chronicles the school year of a third grade class. At the beginning of the year, the class is introduced to Peter, a boy with Down Syndrome and documents the progress made by Peter and his classmates throughout the year.
- GOOD FRIENDS. S. A. Kowal. Madison, WI: Extend-a-Family, Family Support & Resource Center, 1993. VHS, color, 10 min. + 2-page discussion guide. Depicts three real friendships between elementary and middle school children with and without developmental disabilities. Shows children without disabilities that getting to know their peers with disabilities can be fun and rewarding.
- HELPING THE HARD-TO-HANDLE CHILD IN PRESCHOOL AND CHILD CARE. Sonja Larson. Mill Creek, WA: ADHD Consulting Services, 1991. VHS, color, 1 hr 47 min. Sonja Larson explains the characteristics of children with attention deficit disorder (ADD), hyperactivity, poor impulse control, and learning disabilities, and other conditions that can easily be mistaken for ADD. She stresses that the most important technique to use in handling these children is your attitude and suggests useful management principles to use with children who are mildly to moderately ADD. Suggestions for talking with parents of children who are so severely ADD that ordinary management techniques won't help and a treatment program is called for.
- HELPING YOUR CHILD LEARN DRESSING SKILLS. South Dakota State Department of Education. Rochester, MN: Baker Street Production, 1990. VHS, 10 min.
- HELPING YOUR CHILD LEARN MEALTIME SKILLS. South Dakota State Department of Education. Rochester, MN: Baker Street Production, 1990. VHS, 8 min.
- HELPING YOUR CHILD LEARN PLAYTIME SKILLS. South Dakota State Department of Education. Rochester, MN: Baker Street Production, 1990. VHS, 9 min.
- IF WE WERE ALL THE SAME. Family Communications. Audiocassette + book. Lady Elaine Fairchilde plans to make the Neighborhood of Make-Believe like the Planet Purple where everything and everyone are alike.
- IT'S IN EVERYONE OF US. Werner Krutein/David Pomeranz. New Era Video. VHS, color, 5 min. Inspirational reminder that we are all members of a global family. Lyrics included.
- IT'S REALLY NO DIFFERENT: CONVERSATIONS WITH CAREGIVERS. Produced & directed by Ann G. Haggart. Hampton, NH: AGH Associates, Inc., 1994. VHS, color, 18 min. + 12-page discussion guide. Caregivers share advice they would give others thinking about doing inclusive child care and tell how fear and resistance changed to acceptance of the child as someone who needed the same love and attention all children need.
- JUST LIKE YOU AND ME: UNDERSTANDING EPILEPSY. Educational Productions. A PBS Video, 1990. VHS, 20 min., + viewing guide. A viewer friendly film for families of people newly diagnosed with seizure disorders, friends, teachers and other caregivers.
- KIDS ON THE GROW: CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES LEARNING THROUGH PLAY. Alliance for Children and Youth. Evjue Foundation, 1986. VHS, 14 min. Instructional video showing 4 children with different developmental disabilities (delayed motor development, seizure disorder, visual impairment, and hearing impairment) and their parents in play settings where they also learn.
KIDSIGN. M. P. Fagan. Middleport, NY: 4 Kids Video. 3 VHS tapes, 30-min. + vocabulary cards. Six 15-minute lessons where T.C., the teddy bear, teaches kids of all ages to use sign language, introducing new words, combining them with phrases and simple sentences, and allowing practice/repetition time.
- Tape 1. FOOD/GAMES.
- Tape 2. ANIMALS/NATURE.
- Tape 3. HOME/VEHICLES.
- LEARNING WITH A S.M.I.L.E.: SENSORY MOTOR INTEGRATED WITH LEARNING EXPERIENCES. Grayce Dolesh. Music: Kathy Poelker. Wheeling, IL: Look At Me Productions, Inc., 1992. VHS, 50 min. + 33-min. audiocassette + 32-page manual. Ten songs/exercises using English, Spanish, and sign language are taught by the author and a group of children to help children who are "learning to move and moving to learn." One can move on to leading the exercises in your own classroom while playing the songs on the audiocassette.
- MASSAGE FOR THE INFANT WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. Susanne R. Hayes. Clinician's View, 1994. VHS. Shows parents how to stroke infants/children in ways to assist in their development.
- NEAR NORMAL FEEDING FOR INFANTS WITH ORAL-FACIAL ANOMALIES. Susanne R. Hays. Clinician's View, 1994. VHS. Easy intervention strategies for feeding babies with cleft palates and other common oral defects.
- PARENTING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. VHS, color, 30-min., leader's guide. Focuses on the challenges of raising a child with disabilities, especially ages 0 through early childhood.
- PARENTS' VIEWS OF LIVING WITH A CHILD WITH DISABILITIES. VHS, color, 30-min., leader's guide. Interview with parents of children with disabilities and the hurdles of daily life.
- PARTNERSHIPS IN EARLY INTERVENTION: A TRAINING GUIDE ON FAMILY-CENTERED CARE, TEAM BUILDING, AND SERVICE COORDINATION. Waisman Center Early Intervention Program. Madison, WI: Family Centered Inservice Project, 1993. VHS, 19 min. + manual.
- POTTY LEARNING FOR CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCE DELAYS. Susan R. Hays. Clinician's View, 1994. VHS. A developmentally appropriate approach to learning bathroom skills; stresses parent responsibilities, readiness and independence.
- SHORT CIRCUITING STRESS. Robert S. Eliot, M.D. Norwalk, CT: Studio Vision, 1994. Stress and burnout management; relaxation techniques.
- Sesame Street SIGN LANGUAGE FUN. Sesame Street Productions. VHS, 30 min. Sign-me-a-story video and book introduces children to American sign language through simple fairy tales signed by actors.
COMMUNICATION/THERAPY SKILL BUILDERS AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS
- DEVELOPMENT OF PRE-ACADEMIC FINE MOTOR SKILLS. A Visual Analysis. Kristin Johnson Levien. 1994. VHS, 53 min. + manual. Posture and movement patterns and developmental sequences in the first six years; their effect on preschool performance.
- EARLY INTERVENTION WITH SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN: RESOURCES FOR PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND PROFESSIONALS. The Research Foundation of State University of New York. 1991. 3 VHS tapes, 1 hr 50 min. total + 215-page book. The three videocassettes and printed materials are loaned together as a unit.
- Tape 1:
- BEING SPECIAL...WHAT IT MEANS. (14 min.) Features three adults with special needs who are living full, productive lives and three families with children who have special needs.
- ...AND SOME DO NOT. (28 min.) The developmental areas and stages of most children and of special needs children. For parents and professionals interested in school-aged children with special needs.
- Tape 2:
- IT'S TIME TO ASK. (22 min.) The typical development of infants and toddlers.
- PLAY IS WONDERFUL. (18 min.) How infants, toddlers, and adults can play together to promote growth in different developmental areas.
- Tape 3:
- IF YOUR CHILD NEEDS SPECIAL HELP TO GROW. (16 min.) Discusses services, agencies, and educational options available to help children and adults with special needs throughout their lifetime.
- HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SYSTEM. (12 min.) Discusses the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, the functions of an eligibility team, and parent/child rights and entitlements. For people interested in school-aged children with special needs.
- EVERY MOVE COUNTS: SENSORY-BASED COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES. Jane Edgar Korsten & others, Responsive Management, Inc. 1993. VHS, 10 min. + 162-page book. Sensory-based activities to facilitate communication development in severely disabled people who are currently perceived as being unable to communicate.
- NORMAL DEVELOPMENT OF WALKING. Janet Hale/IMS Creative Communications. 1994. VHS, 13 min. + viewer's guide. Gives a visual understanding of locomotion development throughout the first 7 years.
- NORMAL HAND DEVELOPMENT. Birth to 15 Months. Rhoda P. Erhardt. 1994. VHS, 35 min. Stages of hand development and skill acquisition in infants ages 0-15 months.
- NORMAL VISUAL DEVELOPMENT. Birth to 6 Months. Rhoda P. Erhardt. 1994. VHS, 30 min. Over a 6-month period at different stages of maturation, five infants respond to visual stimuli.
- OBSERVING AND ENHANCING COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MULTISENSORY IMPAIRMENTS. Charity Rowland & others. 1992. 2 VHS tapes, 2 hrs 19 min. total + 122-page book. "...specifically for teachers, teaching assistants, and communication specialists who are responsible for the communication interventions of children with multiple disabilities and severe communication impairments. Non-professionals should be guided through the program by a professional."
- PEDIATRIC MASSAGE FOR THE CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. Kathy Fleming Drehobl/ Mary Gengler Fuhr. 1993. VHS, 2 hrs. (59 min. English & 59 min. Spanish) + 54-page viewer's guide. "Massage is a holistic contribution to family-centered intervention and may be utilized by a variety of people involved in the child's program, including parents, therapists, educators, nursing staff, relatives, and friends. The massage program is highly individualized.... As is always the case when children with special needs are involved, it is important to consult with medical personnel to assure that massage will be a safe and therapeutic intervention."
- PLAY BASED SPEECH FOR CHILDREN WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS. 1994. VHS, 20 min. + manual. Child-centered speech development program for children 18 mos. - 4 years.
- PREPARING PARAPROFESSIONAL EARLY INTERVENTIONISTS (PPEI): INFANT-PARENT INTERACTION ACTIVITIES. Samera Baird, Auburn University. 1994. VHS, 37 min. + 318-page book. Actual unstaged infant-parent interactions illustrate one chapter of the PPEI book. Viewers practice identifying and observing different types of infant-parent interactions.
- SENSORY INTEGRATION THERAPY. Toronto Sensory Integration Study Group. 1987. VHS, 20 min. + viewer's guide. Training video giving an overview of sensory integration, characteristics of children 1-6 years old with sensory disorders, and hands-on treatment techniques.
- SONGS FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING. Sandra J. Shanin. 1984. 8 audiocassettes, 41-page songbook, 167-page book of stimulus pictures. "In the Songs for Language Learning program, music and language are used together to facilitate acquisition and generalization of language forms and concepts. Each song is structured in a way that allows clinicians and teachers to tailor language lessons to the students' ability level."
- TANGIBLE SYMBOLS SYSTEMS. Charity Rowland/Philip Schweigert. 1994. VHS, 60 min. + manual. Ways to communicate when hand signs and speech don't work. All ages.
- TOT SOCK HOP: MOVEMENT, SONGS, AND WORDS. Barbara C. Trube. 1993. Audiocassette + 75-page song & activity book. A movement activities program providing opportunities for three through seven years olds to develop fundamental gross/fine motor skills and oral language. 16 seasonal and general thematic units complementing the academic calendar.
LEKOTEK AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS
- COMPUPLAY: OPENING CLOSED DOORS. VHS, 6 min. Lekotek's adapted program, Compuplay. Demonstrates children interacting with computers using adapted hardware and software.
- EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR SELF-FEEDING SUCCESS. Christine A. Nelson. VHS. Step by step method of teaching the mentally retarded or physically limited child to eat.
- EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR USING COMPUTERS. 1994. VHS, 20 min. Ways to develop language, writing, problem-solving, and pre-academic skills using the computer at home and school.
- LEKOTEK'S DOORS TO DISCOVERY. VHS, 8 min. Lekotek philosophy and application for children with disabilities; Lekotek play and computer sessions; parent comments.
- STORIES, LETTERS & POEMS. VHS, 6 min. Adapted hardware and software can be used to help children with disabilities, ages 6-16 with creative writing.
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Games to Borrow
- Semantically Speaking for Early Intervention. Elaine Burke Krassowski. Boardgame with spinner for building basic vocabulary and receptive language skills. 3-7 year old language age.
- Drive Around Games. Rick and Nancy Welsh. 3 1/2 - 9 year old language age. Play mats of Mother Goose Town and Beartown provide stations to drive the car play pieces to, stop and chat at.
- Language Stories. Teaching Language to Developmentally Disabled Children. McGivern/Rieff/Vender. Language Age: 2-5 years. Story and picture cards to use with children using two to three-word sentences.
- Talk About School Picture Boards. Linda Levine. + manual and activity ideas. Full-color pictures show children of all abilities in school and play situations that are familiar to them.
- Creatures and Critters. Barrier Games for Referential Communication. M. Ann Marquis. Language Age: 4-8 years. Individual or group card games that encourage conversation, visual and auditory memory building, problem solving, turn-taking, responding to listener needs, and following directions.
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Books to Borrow
- AEPS Measurement, Vol.1. Diane Bricker. Assessment, Evaluation, Programming System: testing /evaluation tool for the professional to use to evaluate a child's functional skills in a familiar environment.
- AEPS Curriculum, Vol.2. Cripe/Slentz/Bricker. Learning activities and environmental arrangements to facilitate functional skillbuilding.
- Animal Signs. A boardbook of animal pictures and their signs for infant/toddlers.
- Backyards and Butterflies - Ways to Include Children With Disabilities in Outdoor Activities. Doreen Greenstein.
- Caregiver Education Guide for Children With Developmental Disabilities. Aspen Reference Group. An in-depth guide for lay people on the major disability types, behavioral management and home care issues, and dealing with professional services.
- Creatability: Creative Arts for Preschool Children With Special Needs.Fran Herman/James C. Smith.
- Creative Play Activities for Children With Disabilities: A Resource Book for Teachers and Parents. Lisa Rappaport Morris/Linda Schulz.
- Eagle Eyes. A Child's Guide to Paying Attention. Jeanne Gehret. An encouraging story about Ben, who tells how it feels to have ADD and how he copes with his disability.
- Friends in the Park. Rochelle Bunnett. Photographer: Carl Sandhoff. A group of children of all abilities spend a day in the park.
- Friends Together: More Alike Than Different. Rochelle Bunnett. 12 laminated posters, with discussion and activity ideas on the back, showing children of differing abilities interacting.
- Helping The Child Who Doesn't Fit In. Stephen Norwickie, Jr./Marshall Duke. A child who misuses nonverbal language, like standing too close, may be rejected socially. This guide clarifies some of these behaviors.
- How to Reach and Teach ADD/ADHD. Practical Techniques, Strategies, and Interventions for Helping Children With Attention Problems and Hyperactivity. Sandra F. Rief.
- Growing: birth to three: Interactions and Daily Routines. Portage Project. Set of four books correlated with the Development Observation Guide, offering suggestions for interactive and daily routine activities to support child and family goals and a planning sheet offering a format for individualizing the activities with each family.
- Just Because I Am. A Child's Book of Affirmation. + Leader's Guide. Lauren Murphy Payne/Claudia Rohling, illustrator. Simple words to support a child's self-esteem. Guide includes activities, questions and reproducible handouts for parents.
- The Me I'm Learning to Be. Forte. Reproducible pages of activities that build self-esteem.
- Reading Without Books. Julie Burns/Dorothy Swan. Fearon Teacher Aids. Enrich a reading program with task cards using magazines, phonebooks and music.
- PERCEPTUAL MOTOR DEVELOPMENT SERIES Jack Capon. Fearon Teacher Aids. Movement education activities that help the adult assess motor strengths and weaknesses in children with special needs. Materials list and directions for equipment construction.
- Balance Activities
- Tire, Parachute Activities.
- A Place For Grace. Jean Davies Okomoto. The story of Grace, a "hearing" dog, and her hearing impaired human friend, Charlie.
- A Place For Me: Including Children With Special Needs in Early Care and Education Settings. Phyllis Chandler. Practical answers to common concerns when adding a child with special needs to a group; dealing with parents, adapting the environment, making time for everyone.
- PLAY & MOTOR SKILLS ACTIVITY SERIES. Janet A. Wessel/Ellen Curtis-Pierce. Fearon Teacher Aids. Eight-book sequential physical education curriculum for children with special needs. Books 1-7 contain games and activities; book 8 contains a curriculum for social skill building, guidelines and forms for planning teaching units, and a home activity program.
- Locomotor Activities.
- Ball Handling Activities.
- Stunts and Tumbling Activities.
- Health Fitness Activities.
- Rhythmic Activities.
- Body Management Activities.
- Play Activities.
- Planning for Teaching.
- Portage Classroom Curriculum Kit. Portage Project. Multi-level teaching program designed for children 2-6 years of age, including children with mild to moderate disabilities.
- Positive Selftalk. Teaching Self-Esteem Through Affirmations. Douglas Bloch w/Jon Merritt. Step-by-step instructions for speaking affirmatively to children and for teaching them to speak affirmatively about themselves.
- Signs for Me. Basic Sign Vocabulary for Children, Parents & Teachers. Ben Bahan/Joe Dannis.
- Something Special. Basic Skills Activity Units for Primary Grade Kids Who Need Extra Help in Reading. Farnette, Forte, Loss.
- Sourcebook for Children With Attention Deficit Disorder: A Management Guide For Early Childhood Professionals and Parents. Clare B. Jones. Suggested activity ideas and procedures.
- Special Kids Stuff. Farnette, Forte, & Loss. Low-vocabulary language activities presented at three or more levels of difficulty.
- What Do You Do With a Child Like This? Inside the Lives of Troubled Children. L. Tobin. Creative responses to misbehavior, like "time in" and "stinkin' thinkin'".
- When Slow is Fast Enough. Educating the Delayed Preschool Child. Joan F. Goodman. Critiques early intervention programs that apply pressure to delayed youngsters in an attempt to accelerate development instead of a less directive, more tolerant approach.
COMMUNICATION/THERAPY SKILL BUILDERS BOOKS
- Conversation Calendar. Daily Carryover Activities for Language. Carolyn Tavzel Hogan. Language Age: K-2nd grade. A reproducible weekly plansheet of theme-based activity ideas to practice language skills.
- Directing Discourse. Blank/Marquis. 80 situations for teaching conversation to children.
- Enable. Beth Witt. Language age: 1-6 years. Using puppet cutouts and doll figures with vinyl cling clothing, children manipulate familiar themes, building concepts and listening skills with comprehension.
- EXCELL Songs on Tape. Experiences in Context for Early Language Learning. Catherine B. Raack. Audiocassette, 46 min. + manual + list of songs. 70 topics to use in sensorimotor activities with pretalking children with moderate to severe developmental delays. 43 songs.
- Facilitating Family-Centered Training in Early Intervention. Tess Bennett/ Donna Nelson/Barbara Lingerfelt.
- Family-Centered Intervention Planning: A Routines-Based Approach. Chapel Hill, NC, University of North Carolina, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center.
- Feeding and Nutrition for the Child With Special Needs. Klein/ Delaney. Collection of reproducible handouts for parents/caregivers on feeding techniques and nutrition.
- Hands at Work & Play. Developing Fine Motor Skills at School and Home. Janice Miller Knight/Mary Jo Gilpin Decker. A complete, sequential sensory-motor skillbuilding program for at-risk 5-7 year olds to work in small groups with manipulatives for cutting, coloring, and writing.
- Helping Babies Learn. Developmental Profiles and Activities for Infants and Toddlers. Furuno/O'Reilly/Hosaka/Inatsuka/Falbey. Daily activities and charts designed to strengthen caregiver-child partnerships. Ages 0-3 years.
- Interactive Bulletin Boards. Ideas to Encourage Language Development. Carolyn Tavzel Hogan. Language Age: K-6th grade. 40 bulletin board ideas that create learning centers on the walls.
- Learn to Cut. A Structured Program of Cutting Tasks with Reproducible Patterns. Robin R. Wolfe.
- Let's Be Social. Language-Based Social Skills for Preschool At-Risk Children. Adapted by Linda Levine. Language age: 3-7 years. 10 units featuring 40 social situations depicted on picturecards and 2 puppet cards to help preschoolers learn social skills and model polite interaction.
- Meeting the Needs of Culturally & Linguistically Different Students. A Handbook for Educators. Fradd/Weismantel. Instruction and assessment of non-English speaking children with disabilities.
- Motor Development Kit. Activity Sessions for Children. M. Kay Mason. A program for school-agers to work through; 7 activity stations designed to help the child build muscle tone, balance, spatial awareness and more while increasing the child's confidence.
- Normal Development of Functional Motor Skills; The First Year of Life. Rona Alexander/Regi Boehme/Barbara Cupps. Illustrated overviews of each developmental stage. May be used as a guideline for assessing functional motor levels in children.
- Parent Articles for Early Intervention. Marsha Dunn Klein, editor. 102 reproducible pages of practical information on therapeutic ways to interact with special needs children, ages 0-3 years.
- Photo Articulation Library. Margaret Schrader. All ages. Over 1.000 photocards + manual for use in language building activities. Cross-referenced for easy selection.
- Play Time/Social Time. Organizing Your Classroom to Build Interaction Skills. Vanderbilt-Minnesota Social Interaction Project. Odom/McConnell. For teaching children with antisocial traits, developmentally delayed and normally developing youngsters to become socially in tune with their peers.
- Positioning for Play. Home Activities for Parents of Young Children. Rachel B. Diamant. Therapeutic play/motor activities to stimulate developmentally delayed or at-risk children, 0-3 years of age.
- Pre-Feeding Skills: A Comprehensive Resource for Feeding Development. Suzanne Evans Morris & Marsha Dunn Klein.
- Sensory Motor Integration Activities. Barbara E. Fink. Game-like group activities to help.
- Sequencing Stories. Pamela Meza Steckbeck. Language age: 3-7 years. English and Spanish stories in four parts to help language-disordered and bilingual children.
- Silly Sound Stories. Marie Amerman Woolf. Language Age: 5-11 years. 30 "sound-weighted" stories for articulation practice of targeted sounds.
- Sounds So Sweet. Linda Schackelford/Laurie Hanuscin. Reproducible articulation drill tasks.
- Structured Role Play: Therapy Activities for School and Home. Alta R. Brooks. Language Age: 3 1/2 -7 years. A fill-in -the-blank way to tell a story, relevant to the individual child, that invites conversation participation.
- Tell Me a Story. Stories and Activities for Language Development and Carryover. Carla S. Kleber. Language Age: 3-10 years. Childen use colorful cut-outs of story characters to learn targeted sounds.
- Three to Get Ready. Gross, Fine and Oral Motor Experiences for Concept Building. Czesak-Duffy/Giaimo. Language Age: 2-5 years. 30 half-hour lessons introducing new concepts through movement activities and motor exercises. Reproducible songs, puppet patterns, recordkeeping forms.
LEKOTEK BOOKS
- Compuplay Start-Up Packet. Comprehensive guide outlining the steps to becomimg a Compuplay center; application and instructor accreditation information, budgets, program evaluations.
- Creating a Fully Accessible Halloween House. "How-To" information for planning and constructing a Halloween House for all children; everything from props to public relations and committee management.
- An Early Childhood Play Group Curriculum: For 3-5 Year Olds. 10 units: early childhood themes, concept development, homemade toy projects, play activities to extend for home use with nondisabled peers.
- From Toys to Computers. Access For The Physically Disabled Child. Christine Wright, O.T.R & Mari Nomura, O.T.R. Adapting battery operated toys, switches, toy libraries, microcomputers, sources and much more.
- An Integrated Infant Play Group & Parent Support Curriculum: For Children From Birth to 12 Months. 10 units of tactile, manipulative, gross motor and language activities for normalizing play between disabled and non-disabled children. A parent support curriculum for family play interaction.
- An Integrated Toddler Play Group & Parent Support Curriculum: For Children From 12-24 Months. 10 units of tactile, manipulative, gross motor and language activities for normalizing play between disabled and non-disabled children. A parent support curriculum for family play interaction.
- An Integrated Play Group & Parent Support Curriculum: For Children From 2-3 Years of Age. 10 units of tactile, manipulative, gross motor and language activities for normalizing play between disabled and non-disabled children. A parent support curriculum for family play interaction.
- Lekotek Plan Book of Adaptive Toys, Vol. I. Carl Gulbrandsen & Bill Grogg w/V.J. Jozaitis. Directions and drawings for making tables and toys and wiring schemes for making switches.
- Lekotek Plan Book of Adaptive Toys, Vol. II. Carl Gulbrandsen & Bill Grogg w/V.J. Jozaitis. More directions and drawings for making toys, game boards, round switches, and pedal adapters.
- Lekotek Plan Book of Adaptive Toys, Vol. III. Carl Gulbrandsen & Bill Grogg w/V.J. Jozaitis.
- Lekotek Play Guide for Children With Special Needs. Discusses issues concerning toys and play.
- Lekotek Start-Up Packet. Kit containing information on how to start a Lekotek center, certification requirements, leader training, budget planning, etc.
- Play is a Child's World Handbook. Collection of useful information, including a list of toy companies offering ready-to-use adapted toys/software/equipment; toy guide; adaptation ideas; index of organizations.
- Software Resource Guide. Evaluates hardware and over 300 software programs appropriate for children with special needs, 3-12 years of age.
- Using the Computer to Teach Children With Special Needs. A guide for parents and professionals.
CHILD CARE LAW CENTER BOOKS
- The Child Care Tax Credit.
- Caring For Children With HIV or AIDS in Child Care.
- Caring For Children With Special Needs.
- HIV and AIDS: Employment Issues in Child Care.
- Legal Aspects of Caring for Sick and Injured Children.
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Recipe for a happy family
1 cup of love
2 cups of loyalty
3 cups of forgiveness
4 quarts of faith
1 barrel of laughter
Take love and loyalty and mix them thoroughly with faith; blend with tenderness, kindness and understanding. Add friendship and hope. Sprinkle abundantly with laughter. Bake it with sunshine. Wrap it regularly with lots of hugs. Serve generous helpings daily. Should it become tough or stale, or portions bitter and salty, do not throw the mixture out; add a liberal quantity of courage, stirring it well with fresh air and exercise, and repeat the process.
--Adapted by Lita Kate Haddal
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Articles To Keep
- Observing and Recording Behavior. Barbara O'Sullivan. Day Care and Early Education, Winter 1989. Examples of techniques and checklists to observe developmental or social skills.
- Child Skills Checklist. Janice J. Beaty. Appendix A from Observing Development Of The Young Child. Concrete examples of behaviors to look for in assessing maturity. For strategies to help children attain greater proficiency in areas of weakness, refer to the complete book, available to borrow at CCIC.
- Helping Your Handicapped Child Through Play. Siegrid A. & Willard R. Centerwall. From the brochure series: An Introduction to Your Child, Light For the Way, Inc.
- Adaptive Playgrounds for All Children. Donna Raschke/Charles Dedrick/Karen Hanus. Teaching Exceptional Children. Fall 1991. Playground design, adaptive equipment, needs assessment.
- Lonely Children. Janis R. Bullock. Young Children, September 1993.
- Affection Activities: Procedures for Encouraging Young Children With Handicaps to Interact With Their Peers. Mary A. McEvoy/Sandra Twardosz/Norris Bishop. Education and Treatment of Children, Vol.13, No.2, May 1990. Sometimes planned activities are needed to get the friendship bond started.
- Selecting and Adapting Toys and Games. The Exceptional Parent, September 1984.
- Toy Ideas for Children w/Special Needs. Christine Wright and Mari Nomura. The Exceptional Parent, January-February, May-June, July-August, 1988. Toys for children ages 0-3, 3-5, and 5+. Names of ready-made toys, descriptions and names of companies producing them.
- Article packet from Exceptional Parent, October 1994
- Toys for Every Child. Marilyn Hammond. A toy guide for differently-abled kids, commercially-available products, more complex adaptations using switches, and ordering information for a battery interrupter that will allow any battery operated toy to be operated by a switch that can be moved from toy to toy.
- Forrest Pumps. Jean Issacs. A sound-activated water gun works without adaptations.
- Lekotek Puts Possibilities Into Play. Julie Morse & Wayne B. Smith.
- Using Ordinary Toys for Kids with Special Needs. Joanne & Stephanie Oppenheim. Specific toys and product brands researched and recommended by the authors.
- Making Toys Accessible for Children with Cerebral Palsy. Carol Schaeffler. Teaching Exceptional Children, Spring 1988. General considerations and strategies.
- Fun Stuff: Shootin' Hoops. Alice Wershing. Exceptional Parent, November/December, 1992. Tabletop Arcade Basketball can be adapted for competition with a friend or play alone.
- Fun Stuff: Something Fishy's Going on Here. Alice Wershing. Exceptional Parent, September 1992. How to adapt the board game, the Little Mermaid. Will alos work for other games involving spinners and game pieces.
- Fun Stuff: I Can Find One. Can You? Alice Wershing. Exceptional Parent, March 1992. How to make an accessible game, by adding foam padding to the pieces, wooden knobs or strategically placed Velcro.
- Sibling Concerns. Donald J. Meyer. Guilt, embarrassment, a sense of loss are a few of the feelings siblings of children with disabilities can experience.
- In Defense of My Daughter. Judy Horton. Exceptional Parent, March 1994. A parent's account of dealing with teasing of her child with Down Syndrome at a day care center and public pool.
- The Arts and Disability. Sally Dorothy Bailey. Exceptional Parent, May 1994. Specific skills, such as listening and making eye contact, can be better developed in children with cognitive disabilities or low self-esteem through a dramatics program.
- Halloween Magic: Making a Wheelchair Part of a Halloween Costume. Juanita Stotts. Exceptional Parent, September 1994. One idea for a costume occasion.
- Clothing AlterationsRuth Settle. Exceptional Parent, October 1988. Directions for how to alter a regular coat to easily dress a child in a wheelchair.
- A Song for David. Charlotte Forbes. Exceptional Parent, October 1988. Creating ways to communicate with a child who is nonverbal.
- Establishing an Assistive Device Lending Library. Douglas Haynes. Exceptional Parent, October 1988. How to improve services in your local library.
- Revised Description of OSHA (The U.S.Dept. of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration) Regulations on Bloodborne Pathogens/ Most Child Care Programs Are Required by Law to Establish Infection Control Measures. Child Care Law Center.
- Annual Income Tax Guide. L. Mark Russell. Exceptional Parent, February 1994. Families who have a member with a disability are often entitled to deductions and credits which are unavailable to others.
- The 1994 Earned Income Tax Credit. The 1994 Earned Income Credit Campaign and the IRS. Learn how parents earning less than $23,050 per year can earn up to $2,364 in tax credits and can receive EIC paychecks in advance.
- County Human Services Agencies. Phone numbers to call for information on local programs and services assisting children with special needs.
- Understanding the Americans With Disabilities Act: Information for Early Childhood Programs. NAEYC. A brochure to keep.
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Resources Elsewhere
The Program for Children With Special Health Care Needs, a federally funded program, providing assistance and consultation services for any Wisconsin family with a child from birth to 21 years of age with health problems (chronic illnesses, physical disabilities, or emotional/mental problems) requiring more than routine basic care. No formal application required. Phone: 1-800-441-4576.
Wisconsin State ADA Specialist, Dick Pomo, (608) 267-0509.
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, (800) 466-4ADA (V/TDD).
US Dept. of Justice Hotline, (800) 514-0301 (V), or (800) 514-0381 (TDD).
The ARC, formerly the Association of Retarded Citizens, has produced, All Kids Count, Child Care and the Americans With Disabilities Act, a guide for child care workers about the law and the importance of including all children in a regular child care settings. Cost: $12.50. Catalog of other publications also available. Contact: The ARC, P.O.Box 10047, Arlington, TX 76004. Phone: (800) 433-5255.
Child Care Law Center, provides general information and technical assistance in understanding the law's requirements in disputes between providers and parents, including ADA compliance issues. Phone service hours are 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Time Zone) to noon, Tuesdays & Thursdays, (415) 495-5498. Or write: Child Care Law Center, 22 Second St, 5th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105.
Free copies of the OSHA regulation and instructions on "Bloodborne Pathogens" and child care packet explaining the regulations, contact U.S.Dept. of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Chicago, IL. Phone: (312) 353-2220.
National Information Center for Children and Youth With Disabilities offers free information on any number of disabilities and concerns, from fact sheets describing the individual syndromes, understanding your child's IEP, documenting material, due process, what the law says concerning your rights, to mapping a strategy when moving from state to state and changing service agencies. Call 1-800-695-0285.
National Parent Network on Disabilities (NPND) is a national, nonprofit organization sharing information and resources to support and promote parent advocacy. Contact: NPND, 1600 Prince St, Suite 115, Alexandria, VA 22314. Phone: (703) 684-6763 (V/TDD).
MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support) is a national parent-to-parent organization for parents (foster parents, grandparents, and professionals) of a child with any disability. Works to network parents with similar needs throughout the nation. Newsletter. Contact: Julie Gordon, 150 Custer Ct., Green Bay, WI 54301. Phone: (414) 336-5333.
The Wisconsin School for the Visually Impaired has a Preschool Age Outreach Service Center, designed to assist families and agencies serving the visually impaired free of charge. If you have a visually impaired child in your care, phone for scheduling sessions in your home, in-services with your staff, or over-the-phone consultations. Contact Nancy Smith, 1-800-832-9784, extension 6150.
The Wisconsin School for the Deaf has a Preschool Age Outreach Service Center also. Home visits, evaluation, consultation, collaboration, and behavior management strategies are a few of the free support services offered. Captioned video and lending library services. Contact: Nancy Kathman, 1-800-727-9089, or (414) 728-9089.
Wisconsin First Step is a information and referral service for parents of children with disabilities. Request information on Child Alert for medically fragile children (an EMR home-visit service to acquaint local emergency medical services with your personal needs) or to sound out questions you have concerning children in your care. Phone: 1-800-642 STEP(or 7837).
Free orthopaedic and burn care for children up to age 18 years, at the 19 Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children and 3 Shriners Burns Institutes. Phone: (800) 237-5055.
ARCH (Access to Respite Care and Help) The National Resource Center for Crisis Nurseries and Respite Care Services. Contact: 1-800-473-1727.
Have-A-Heart Farm Child Care and Respite, licensed daycare and certified respite care. Rural environment with experienced staff provides day care or weekend respite. Contact: Linda Thompson, (715) 425-9553, or Janet Stirnatt, Pediatric Therapy Service, (715) 425 6554.
Become pen-pals with other child care homes around the country. A member benefit of the Adult & Childrens Alliance, a non-profit organization offering support services for in-home child care providers. Membership fee: $25/year, $15/six months (includes a quarterly child care report and access to accident-liability insurance). Contact: The Adult and Childrens Alliance, 2885 Country Drive - Suite 165, St.Paul, MN 55117-1060.
The Adult and Childrens Alliance also offers child development grants for, i.e., playground equipment. Contact Rod Hofstedt, 1-800-433-8108.
Contact your local philanthropic groups, e.g., Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Community Action Campaign, to inquire about grants for specific equipment you wish to purchase or expenses covered.
Very Special Arts Wisconsin, Inc., 4797 Hayes Rd., Suite 202, Madison, WI 53704. Phone: (608) 241-2131. Offers training and consultations for early childhood educators in developmentally appropriate art activities and adaptive art techniques, plus many other programs for people with disabilities.
Free Puppet Presentations. Nationally recognized puppet program Kids on the Block performed for schools, camps, day care centers and groups. Contact: Epilepsy Center South Central (Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Juneau, Richland, Sauk counties), (608) 257-5759; Epilepsy Association of Southern Wisconsin (Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, LaFayette, Rock & Walworth counties), (608) 755-1821; Epilepsy Center Western Wisconsin (Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pierce, Rusk, St.Croix counties), (715) 834-4455; Midstate Epilepsy Association (Lincoln, Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Wood counties), (715) 341-5811.
Quarterly newsletter for teachers and service providers, Inclusion Times: for Children and Youth with Disabilities. $29.95/year. Contact: Editorial Projects in Education, 1-800-346-1834.
Newsletter written by parents for parents who have children with special health care needs, Outreach, P.O.Box 13127, Wauwatosa, WI 53213-0127.
The Council for Exceptional Children, 1920 Association Dr., Dept K30538, Reston, VA 22091-1589. Phone: (703) 620-366O TDD. Dues include subscriptions to the following magazines, which are available as separate subscriptions as well: Exceptional Children, a research journal on education and development of exceptional children, $52/yr (6 issues), and Teaching Exceptional Children, $32/yr (4 issues).
A magazine on parenting a child with a disability, Exceptional Parent, $24/yr (12 issues) P.O.Box 3000, Dept. EP, Denville, NJ 07834. Phone: (800) 247-8080.
A database of assistive technology and rehabilitation equipment, information on more than 19,000 listings of products for persons with disabilities: ABLEDATA, 8455 Colesville Rd., Ste. 935, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3319. Phone: (800) 227-0216 V/TDD.
Free catalogs of adaptive toys and communication aids for children and adults. Crestwood Company, 6625 N. Sidney Place, Milwaukee, WI 53209-3259; phone: (414) 352-5678. Therapeutic Toys, Inc., P.O.Box 418, Moodis, CT 06469; phone: (800) 638-0676. Toys for Special Children, 385 Warburton Ave., Hasting-on-Hudson, NY 10706; phone: (800) 832-8697. Toys "R" Us Toy Guide for Differently -Abled Kids! (endorsed by the Nat'l Parent Network on Disabilities) + mailing list: P.O.Box 8501, Nevada, IA 50201-9968.
Doll-size wooden wheelchairs, dolls with hearing aids, crutches, prostheses and white canes. Antoni Toys and Products for the Physically Challenged, 308 Orange Ave., #18, Coronado, CA 92118. Phone: (800) 826-8664.
Free Guide to Toys for Children Who are Blind or Visually Impaired. Request single or multiple copies from: Toy Manufacturers of America, 200 Fifth Ave., Suite 740, New York, NY 10010.
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Ideas
by tante Lita
Wooden Puzzles
Choose a favorite illustration. Lay a piece of tissue paper over the picture and, with a soft-leaded pencil, trace the outline. On the back of the tissue paper, generously scribble over the lines. Lay the paper, scribbled side down, on a piece of 1/4" plywood the same size as your picture, or a little larger. Now draw along the picture outline again, applying pressure enough to leave an imprint and outline on the wood. Using a fine tipped paintbrush and water colors, tempora paint, or magic markers, color your picture. Experiment first, as too much water will cause the colors to "bleed". When it is dry, apply a coat of clear shellac. After the shellac dries, lightly sand the bumps off the surface with fine sandpaper and wipe with a damp cloth. Shellac a second time. When it is again dry, trace a pattern of crisscrossing lines on the back, creating 5-12 puzzle pieces depending on the age of the child to use the puzzle. Following these arbitrary lines, use a hand-held jigsaw or a miniature electric jigsaw to saw the picture into pieces. With fine sandpaper, sand the edges of the puzzle pieces and shellac again.
Variation 1: To make a puzzle with a back and frame, use a piece of wood that is 1" larger than your picture. Cut a frame around the picture before dividing the center into puzzle pieces. To do so, drill a hole large enough to accomodate the saw blade in the corner of your picture, 1" from the edge and carefully saw around the picture at a 1" distance from the edge. With fine sandpaper, sand the inside edge of the frame. Glue the frame to a piece of paneling or fiber board the same size as the frame. For a fun layered effect, paint a different scene on the backboard. For instance, if the puzzle is a picture of a house, the backboard could be a picture of the inside, its occupants, and their activities. Or to make it easier to assemble the puzzle, outline the puzzle piece shapes on the unadorned backboard.
Variation 2: For easy-to-grip puzzle pieces, glue knobs to the pieces, using spools or store-bought pegs, obtained in hobby shops and hardware stores.
Glazed Wall Tile
Collect plaque-sized scraps of lumber; 6" x 8" pieces of wall paneling are great. Nail or glue a picture hanger to the back. Mix together a runny frosting of powdered sugar and water. Apply a liberal scoop to the board. Allow it to spread out to an evenly thick layer. Drop dots of tempora paint, or food coloring onto the glaze. Using a toothpick, the upside-down end of a paintbrush, a pencil, or a finger, swirl and mix. Allow several days to dry throughly. To preserve, apply a coat of shellac.
Action Posters
Place a glossy magazine picture on a layer of newspaper. Spray it lightly with lighter fluid. Lay it face down on a large piece of construction paper. With a pencil, coin, or scissor handle, rub the pictureback thoroughly. The image will magically appear on the construction paper but only in the areas that have been scribbled across, giving it an impression of movement. Make a collage of "action" pictures or add an appropriate slogan or poem to create a poster. Be sure to ventilate well and dispose of the newspaper after the project.
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Hugs N' Parents
As an eager, popular young teacher of 5-year-olds, I felt very competent as I entered my first parent-teacher conferences of the year. Of particular interest, was the planning for one child's needs. Young Roger was not like the rest of the group...I saw it at first sight. When he moved, he took quick sliding steps, head cocked to one side, and he never turned his neck, but rather his whole body. He spoke loudly, laughed and interrupted inappropriately, yet could recite long poems and stories from memory. I did not know what his disability was and the application record filled out by his parents told me nothing. One of my goals for the conference was to target his needs so as to give him the most benefit possible from his preschool experience. I had not had a chance to visit with the mother at all the first few weeks of school other than smiling greetings and goodby assurances that Roger had had a good day. After welcoming Roger's mom to the low table and child-size chairs in the center, I smiled at her and eagerly said, "Could you tell me, what exactly is Roger's problem?" Her smile froze on her face, she stared at me for a long moment, and then began to gather her purse and coat to leave, shaking her head all the while. I was stunned and merely watched her. Collecting my thoughts, I realized I had misjudged the situation disastrously. This was a mother who, if not in denial, had hoped I had found her son functioning just like the rest of the group. My "Let's get to work; we're a team!" approach was totally wrong. I ran out to her car where she was leaning against the door, as though catching her breath. Trying to explain what I had meant did not help at all. To her, no doubt, my apology sounded trite and superficial; after all, I was leading a life with no hurdles, no mountains, no emotional cliffs to be pushed over. Without looking at me, she got into her car and drove away.
The next day, Roger's father brought Roger to the center and asked to talk. He kindly and deliberately, as though it hurt to speak too quickly or too loudly, explained Roger's problem. A fall backwards from a highchair as a one-year-old had left him in a coma for weeks. When he awoke, he developmentally began from scratch. Roger's mom blamed herself. But doctors had said he might recover completely. Roger's mom had hoped it had happened. But it hadn't. Guilt, blame, hope, disappointment, resentment, defeat, hope again.
We all have memories we would like to alter if we had it to do over again. Youth has the advantage of drive and inspiration, self-assurance and focus. Experience brings simultaneous clarity of creed and a blurring of the lines that once were black and white; a certain weariness as one chooses one's battles; a vulnerability, compassion and tenderness for all children. One begins to see the child in older and older children, at last even parenting the parents.
Since that failed teacher-parent conference, I have seen my own healthy child become a special child. I have experienced the Janus emotions of grief and hope, looking backward and forward. I have felt assaulted by the unintiated. I have sat on the other side of many an IEP. I have steeled myself for each new encounter where explanations are in order and blessed those brave souls who take our problem as their own and count it as "no problem".
We are all "temporarily able-bodied". At some point in our lives, we will all become less mobile, less capable, less alert. It is well to remember that. When a child is chronically ill or disabled, the whole family is ill or disabled. No matter how well-informed and able to cope parents appear, this is not a static state. Like an onion being peeled, each age and stage brings a new level and layer of experiences and adjustment, confrontations and barrier-breaking, vulnerability and pain, hope and triumph. It is tremendously physically and emotionally tiring for parents and siblings. Lightening the load for them is not a one-time effort nor does one require a special status to do it.
One day when I delivered my daughter to school after a 2-hour battle of wills to dress, eat, negotiate and cajole her into attending school, the teacher came to the classroom door, looked at me knowingly and said, "You look like you need a hug." And she gave me one. A long, supportive one that brought the tears in my heart to my eyes. This is the hug I would give Roger's mom...could I go back.
--by Lita Kate Haddal
For more information about child care and CCIC services, contact the CCIC staff at ccic@dpi.wi.gov, 800-362-7353, or 608-224-5388.
For questions about this information, contact Glenna M. Carter (608) 224-6173
Last updated on 2/28/2008 8:18:29 AM
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