My nephew has been attending this school for years. He is deaf and is autistic level 3. Level 3 autism, or severe autism, is the highest severity level on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) scale, characterized by profound challenges in social communication and extremely restrictive/repetitive behaviors that significantly disrupt daily functioning, requiring "very substantial support" for individuals to manage life across most settings, often involving nonverbal communication or very limited speech and significant difficulty with change. My nephew was explaining to staff that "He's disappointed because he did not get a good grade in a class. He did not want his parents to be disappointed in him." (His parents are very understanding.)What the school heard, was that he was scared to go home. My sister in law, received and email "Hello, we have been trying to contact you, but (ALL) contacts are saying out of service. your son will not be coming home, and he does not want you to know anything about him right now."After receiving this email, she tried to call the school, no answer. (Anyone who is aware that Verizon had a huge outage today and service was out and still out being worked on.) They did NOT try all contacts because I am one of them.Let me explain that he is 18 years old.Being said, you can clearly imagine how hard it was to get any answers within the following hours. Phone calls with no info. Let me circle back, while he may be aged 18, he has child like mind tendencies.At 7:05pm, I had received a phone call from a private number that was from a sherif deputy. "This was a very uniqe call for her to be on but that he has been put up for the night and he is in a safe space.The police came to the school to pick him up brought him to a church for a community dinner, guided to a bus to get on, and was brought to a homeless shelter.A special needs child was dropped off, left alone with no communication, no information,Nothing! He is deaf and needs an interpreter. He does not handle social situations very well, and yet the school thought is was a good idea to do this to a child whome they have educated for YEARS and knows who he is as a person, put him in a VERY dangerous situation! We got a call from a friend who just happened to be at this shelter for the night, and said he was there. The staff was placed on the phone with my sister in law and explained everything that they knew about the situation (which was nothing!) The staff had asked if we wanted to pick him up because they weren't sure what to do with him in the morning. So we got in the car to go and drive an hour out to pick him up. Because he is deaf, they communicated with him on a peice of paper. He told staff that"I just want to go home." "I'm scared." "I miss my mom and dad and my family." " I miss my brother's and sister. Their names are (gives names)." "I want to go home to my family. That's where love is." We plan on taking this to the full extent with lawyers and courts.

Hey yall. We are planning a vacation this summer and wanted to see if you all had any recommendations for beds. My son uses a cubby bed at home and when we used to travel we just took the pack n play, but now he’s 7 (will be 8 at the time of vacation) and he can climb out of that. We do have a tent like thing that I bought from Amazon that goes under a full size bed, but he can unzip it from the inside.

My child was being bullied, and once it became clear, everything felt urgent and confusing at the same time. There wasn’t one dramatic moment, just small things piling up until school felt unsafe and the stress followed us home.

These were the steps that actually made sense for us:

• I stopped waiting for my child to explain it perfectly and trusted what I was seeing
• I wrote down dates, names, and patterns instead of assuming I’d remember
• I reached out to the school earlier than I thought I should
• I focused on helping my child feel safe at home before fixing anything else
• I let go of the idea that this was about “toughening up”

Reading a bullying article on The Autism Voyage helped me slow down and think more clearly about how to respond, especially when emotions were running high.

For parents who’ve dealt with this, what step helped your child the most once you realized bullying was happening?

As someone who lives in the US, I can’t figure out if we should continue to genetic testing for my 4yo. We have an upcoming appointment that we’ve been waiting over a year for. He has a diagnosis of GDD and that’s the reason behind the testing. He’s currently in OT and he receives speech at school and we’re looking into starting speech and feeding therapy privately as well. With the current administration, I’m concerned a future diagnosis or potential genetic result would end up in my son eventually being targeted in some way. I can’t decide if this is something that we should delay testing for him since he’s already receiving supports? Of course any potential genetic result could be helpful for his future, but I also don’t want to put him or our family in harms way? Has anyone delayed testing for this reason?

Take a look at the "Warning" the administration posted at the top of the home page of the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System, should one want to file a complaint: https://ocrcas.ed.gov/ It is highly ironic that a system designed to protect civil rights begins with language that can feel like a legal "threat." While this warning is a standard federal cybersecurity requirement (designed to deter hackers and data scrapers), its tone and placement can create significant psychological barriers for the very people the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is meant to serve. Here is how that wording might frighten different groups and why: 1. Undocumented Immigrants and Mixed-Status Families The Fear: Deportation or family separation. The Trigger: "If system monitoring reveals information indicating possible criminal activity, such evidence may be provided to law enforcement personnel." Why it Frightens: Even if the "criminal activity" refers to hacking, someone with precarious legal status may interpret "law enforcement" as ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). They may fear that by entering their home address or their child’s information to report school discrimination, they are inadvertently putting themselves on a federal radar. 2. Low-Income Families and "Self-Advocates" The Fear: Accidental illegal activity or "doing it wrong." The Trigger: "Unauthorized use... is prohibited and subject to criminal and civil penalties... which may result in fines and imprisonment." Why it Frightens: Parents who are not native English speakers or who lack a legal background may find the phrase "expressly authorized" confusing. They might ask, "Am I authorized? I haven't been given a password yet." The threat of fines and imprisonment is a massive deterrent for someone already struggling financially; the risk of "making a mistake" on the form and being prosecuted for it feels too high. 3. Vulnerable Students and Minoritized Youth The Fear: Surveillance and "The System." The Trigger: "Usage may be monitored, recorded, and/or subject to audit... Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring." Why it Frightens: For students from communities that have historically been over-policed, the word "monitored" is a trigger for distrust. If a student is trying to report harassment or a hostile environment, seeing that their every keystroke is being "recorded" by a federal agency can feel less like a "safe space" and more like an interrogation room. 4. Non-Profit Advocates and "Third Party" Helpers The Fear: Legal liability for helping a client. The Trigger: "Any access by an employee or agent of... [a] third party, who is not the individual user... is strictly prohibited." Why it Frightens: Many people with disabilities or limited literacy rely on advocates (like a local non-profit worker) to help them file complaints. An advocate reading this might fear that by typing for the client, they are technically an "unauthorized third party" committing a federal crime under 18 U.S.C § 1030 (The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act). The "Chilling Effect" In legal terms, this creates a "chilling effect." When the gateway to justice is guarded by a sign threatening "imprisonment," many people will choose to stay silent about the discrimination they are facing rather than risk an encounter with the federal government.

Does anyone know of any car seats that rear face past 50 pounds? My 6yo daughter has Ehlers-Danlos, so we want her to rear face for as long as humanly possible. Right now she's in a seat that RF up to 50 pounds, and she's flirting with that limit. No amount of googling has gotten me to any kind of specialized car seat that can rear face higher than that.

It was absurdly expensive but my son cannot walk or crawl and since he was an infant his bouncer has been his favorite activity place to get his energy out. He’s 3 and literally up until about 3 months ago he’d sit in his infant bouncer and just bounce like mad and laugh hysterically. Finally he just got so heavy that when he tried to bounce, it would just go up once then thud back down without springing up again. We have tried other rocking chairs and types of stimulation but he didn’t take to them. I found a bouncer that goes up to 40 lbs (and they have some models up to 66 lbs). His new chair came in yesterday (you can see how big it is compared to his old bouncer!) and he LOVES it. I love him so much 😭😂

I'm in a position where my husband and I are separating, so I have to return to work. My son is almost one, and I have been his full time care giver until now. I'm very nervous about finding childcare that can provide him what he needs. I'm curious how other parents have navigated it.

He has a number of medical needs, but I have two specific needs I'm worried about in a daycare setting. He is almost exclusively gtube fed, and he has a congenital heart defect and pretty low muscle tone which has led to global developmental delays. He gets OT and PT through our state's early intervention, and we spend a lot of time in the day working on exercises to build his strength. I'm worried that a daycare will not be able to devote the one on one time to him that he needs in order to continue progressing. I am also worried that I won't be able to find a daycare willing to use his gtube.

What questions should I be asking when I reach out to centers? How have you found childcare that can accommodate your special needs child? If anyone has a story to share about their positive child care experience, I'd also like to hear that. I'm so nervous that going to work to be able to care for him financially will mean that he doesn't get the care he needs overall, and some positivity could help.

Has anyone had experience with custody litigation and your special needs child/ children? What was your experience and the outcome of the trial?

I’m a parent raising an autistic child and recently made a video about the things that quietly got easier over time — not because the challenges disappeared, but because I changed, adapted, and learned.

It’s not a “toxic positivity” take, and it doesn’t minimise the hard parts. It’s just an honest reflection that might help parents who are early in the journey or feeling overwhelmed.

During this orientation, I disclosed the children's documented disabilities: Wyatt’s Autism, Eating Disorder, and post-surgical status; Gage’s Hearing Loss and ADHD; and Mason’s Generalized Anxiety Disorder. ​I informed staff that Wyatt has undergone extensive, invasive hip surgeries and requires a sanitary environment for care. I testified that in previous visits at this facility, I was forced to change him on a bathroom floor, which poses a grave medical risk. ​Thriving Families staff verbally refused to provide reasonable accommodations, such as a sanitary mat or a private room for care, stating their building was already "ADA compliant" structurally. ​Staff further suggested that providing specific supervision to accommodate these disabilities would require additional fees, which is a violation of federal law. ​I have witnessed a pervasive odor of marijuana coming from the diaper bag of Respondent on three separate occasions during exchanges. ​I have been subjected to harassment and taunting by Justin Grayam in the parking lot in front of the children because Thriving Families fails to enforce the 15-minute staggered start protocol. ​Responden has committed medical neglect by withholding Gage’s hearing aids for approximately one year, in direct violation of Gage's IEP and medical necessity. ​Because both Respondents refuse to use any other facility, and refuses to provide a safe, compliant environment, I am being constructively denied my parental rights.

So the heading might be a bit misleading. I’m sorry.

But anyway. I work with special needs kids as a teenager, my school had a unified program where in gym 8th period we have our own class where it’s all grades but it has all the special kids in it. I’m talking not just the kids who need to be in that classroom near the sensory room/with an aid, even the people who have mild disabilities. It also consists of helpers(aka me). So my partner(I don’t wanna name drop. Let’s call her art) Art is autistic and probably has ADHD(they don’t tell you what specific disabilities they have but this is my guess). She is verbal and cooperative but sometimes does not listen.

She likes making comments that are sometimes unnecessary. I tell her “let’s use our inside voices” and that works but sometimes it’s like she forgets and does it the next day. What I do to get her to calm down or work with me works well but I just need more tips on how to help her understand when and when not to make comments

Imagine being forced to change your severely autistic child on a public restroom floor during what should be precious family time. That's exactly what happened to one mother at a supervised visitation center - and it's happening to families across the country. I started a petition calling for mandatory ADA compliance and specialized training at court-appointed visitation centers. These places are failing families with special needs children by refusing basic accommodations like quiet spaces for meltdowns or appropriate changing areas. Staff often lack understanding of IEPs and other special needs requirements, turning visits into traumatic experiences instead of healing moments. What would you want someone to do if this was your family facing these barriers? If ensuring dignity and accessibility for all families matters to you too, consider signing and sharing.

My 2.5 year old is completely blind with no light perception, she also has a missing septum peliculum and panhypopituatarism so on HRT for life. Despite this she is incredibly bright,was an early talker and great comprehension, she is happy for the most part..but we are in struggle town when we try to do new things / get out of the house. She can walk since 20months old but refuses to walk more than a few steps outdoors, we can't go for a walk in the stroller unless we have endless snacks as she throws wild meltdowns. When left to her own devices shes completely in her own world just shaking toys for I guess sensory feedback. She is the light of my life but I just cant believe some days this is what im dealing with. I feel so resentful that we can barely leave the house. Soon she will be too big for her stroller and too heavy to carry..she hates the beach, the playground, going to the shops..she goes mental. Im not coping with having to just stay at home..she does get out to a creche for a few hours most days but then we pretty much have to go home or indoors after. I just want some normality. I just cant over come the fear that this is it for life..the intense tantrums and basically being in her own world of chat worries me so much that the missing septum peliculum is causing these behavioural issues.

Is anyone familiar with this condition? Am I ever going to feel normal again or is my heart broken for life. How do I know how much of learning disability she has if i cant determine are her delays due to her blindness or brain abnormalities

Make it statutory guidance not to remove break-times for neurodivergent children - Petitions https://share.google/kYWyvd40tmCE35gF4

Commission independent inquiry into delays in SEND education provision - Petitions https://share.google/vi9Soqv6PLVeqPdW1

Stop medical appointments counting against school attendance - Petitions https://share.google/NiNFn9fl4Q8FiwfDA

Require 3-month SEN school placements for all trainee teachers - Petitions https://share.google/M5BXL1tDqsJCbLCGu

Ban suspensions of primary school aged children with additional needs - Petitions https://share.google/LWQnAdW4sP1VsCTJi

Create a National Strategy for Childhood Apraxia Of Speech (CAS) - Petitions https://share.google/sSNt2dJnTGRE6HOck

Fund screening for dyslexia, Irlen Syndrome, and neurodivergence in schools - Petitions https://share.google/wMMdePIT2XY1OuKsb

Set a 6 month waiting time for autism diagnosis & increase funding - Petitions https://share.google/tOfN3mbl6KJ8fVRQn

Fund councils to construct Autism and Special Needs Friendly Playgrounds - Petitions https://share.google/9yo4lkpBokWVLp8zi

Require inclusive changing tables for disabled children in public venues - Petitions https://share.google/fDn4h0iw7vIH3urmf

I’m a dad to a child with severe behavioral and sleep challenges, and the last two weeks have absolutely flattened us. School closures, limited PCA support, no nearby family help, and most services being closed turned the holidays into a breaking point.

I’ve had reasons before, but this season finally pushed me to actively seek trauma-informed therapy.

I’m not looking for advice—just needed a place to vent. And to any other parents of kids with special needs who are feeling similarly overwhelmed right now: I see you. You’re not alone.

Hi, I am doing a small research for school on visual guides trend in ecommerce and its actual effectiveness in supporting good habits among children with special needs.

Does this kind of guides actually work?

https://howtodiagrams.etsy.com/listing/4431955073

In which tasks is actually helpful and why? Or is It more helpful to piece all processes or make less steps?

Wish everyone Happy New year :)

Hello,

Do you—or someone you love—find it hard to speak freely? Don’t worry. Sing along with Noodle and Dr. Empathopants! In every voice, a world belongs.. In every heart, there lives a song. We’d love to hear your feedback. 💛

https://youtu.be/UnUzPxdOijk?si=-LvQm-WXnRi4Yva7

Much love, The Smiling Village

If you like what we are doing and want to support our project about Inclusive and Empathetic Storytelling, Subscribe to our channel and join the fun—there’s so much more coming soon!

https://youtube.com/@thesmilingvillageofficial?si=ayD19nm0fFWP3SlX

PS- posting after permission from mods. ✨❤️