This article is the eighth part of a 12-part series that chronicles the life of a fictional family--Amita and Samir, and their daughter with special needs, Anjali. This article describes the transition process experienced by Anjali as she learns to become independent despite her disabilities. In this article, Anjali's experiences as an employee at…

Medications are the primary treatment for epilepsy, yet many teens and their families have problems managing seizure medicines. Fear of side effects, difficulties remembering to take medicines and figuring out how to take them are common challenges. Unfortunately, not taking medicine as prescribed can lead to breakthrough seizures, which in turn…

As more and more children are being diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS), more parents are wondering what the future will be like for their child. Because of the challenges faced by youth with AS, it is important for parents and teachers to work together to guide high school students with AS through a successful transition to the adult world.…

Jane Schoenfeld's eighteen-year-old daughter and five of her daughter's friends have major learning differences. After searching fruitlessly for a summer class in independent living skills, Shoenfeld relates how she and the parents of her daughter's friends decided to set up their own summer program. They found a facilitator and invited two…

The mother of a mentally retarded adolescent describes the implementation of her idea to hire nonretarded neighborhood peers as friends and resource persons for her daughter. The program's purpose was to educate nonhandicapped youth as well as to increase her daughter's opportunities for socialization and peer contact. (JW)