Occupational therapists have a long standing history of working side by side teachers to enhance the writing skills of children. More recently, therapists are now promoting literacy and sharing their expertise with fellow professionals. This review will highlight research and resources occupational therapists can utilize to facilitate the literacy…

Love, affection, acceptance, and companionship to children, these are just some of the benefits of a service dog for children. Yet there is much that these remarkable animals can do. From opening doors for children with cerebral palsy to warning a child with diabetes of low blood sugar, the abilities of a properly trained service dog are wide and…

Established a half-century ago, Riverbrook Residence, home to 23 women with developmental disabilities, is the oldest facility of its kind in New England, and perhaps in the country. Indeed, Riverbrook's executive director Joan Burkhard's vision, together with the care and dedication of the staff and the women's families, have created a rare and…

In these challenging times of cutbacks in public funding for social services programs, parents and grass roots organizations continue to make a difference in their communities with innovative initiatives that are enhancing the lives of people with developmental and physical disabilities. In New York, a track team of speedsters with disabilities is…

Children with developmental disabilities are at increased risk for epilepsy with a prevalence rate higher than the general population. Some of the more common developmental disorders in childhood and the features of epilepsy in these conditions are discussed. Specifically, autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and attention deficit and…

Those who compiled and updated the information in this guide invite readers to take a second look at its title. In previous editions, it was assumed that it's called "Those of Us Disabled" but this time it is not because it is meant to make the reader think about how the label of disability is used and misused. The last word of the title…

Art matters. Theater, film, paintings, writing--all forms of creative expression are an important part of people's lives. It is often through art that people reach understanding about themselves and about one another. Drama can help children find their voice. It does this because it offers an alternative form of communication. Using anything from…

This article features Childgarden Child Development Center, located in the heart of St. Louis. It's a cheery, bright place with colorful self-portraits by pintsized Picassos hanging from every wall. More than 120 children aged six weeks to eight years old gather at Childgarden each day to learn all about themselves and the world around them. In…

The exciting potential of Logo to free trapped intelligence in handicapped learners has been the subject of several years of research by the MIT Logo group. Uses of Logo with an autistic child and with a cerebral palsied child are discussed. (JN)

This purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of parents with children with disabilities towards their children and how Mexican society treats their children. Using a focus group with a translator four middle class parents were interviewed about their children with disabilities in Guadalajara, Mexico. At a later date two other parents…

This article emphasizes the importance for parents and caregivers in recognizing and responding to a child's sounds and vocalizations as such are a child's initial attempts at speech and language production. The article presents important factors to consider in determining the presence of a child's speech, language, communication, and learning…

Two primary care practices were used to recruit adults with and without disability. Disability groups included autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation. The patients without disability had an epilepsy prevalence rate of 1%. The prevalence of epilepsy within the disability groups was 13% for cerebral palsy, 13.6% for Down…

The Dohsa method, a therapeutic method used for children with autism, was originally developed for children with cerebral palsy in Japan. This article introduces the theoretical background, therapeutic techniques, and effectiveness of this method. The necessity of combining this method with other therapeutic techniques is discussed. (Contains…

This document contains the proceedings from the National Conference on Developmental Disabilities and Gerontology, a conference designed to develop guidelines for program development on national, state, and local levels; develop and disseminate a proceedings publication; and provide an interface between professionals working at national, state,…

This outstanding resource for teachers and school professionals is now in its fourth edition. It includes new chapters on reading disorders, emotional and behavioral problems, and safe schools. Five of its chapters have been completely rewritten. Updated topics include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; cerebral palsy; autism; mental…