Special Needs

Planning For the Future

Sabrina Winters,

Children with special needs, regardless of age, require special planning.

Does My Preschooler Need Help?

Site Staff,

Getting free services for your child.

Involving A Child with Special Needs in Community Activities

Rebecca McKee, MSEd, BCBA,

Involving a child with special needs in community activities.

Physical Therapy vs. Occupational Therapy

Lee McCracken,

Local experts share how kids climb, laugh and play.

A Different Kind of Perfect: The Journey of Three Local Kids with Special Needs

Holly Becker,

Three local children are exceptionally terrific.

The Mid-Year IEP Meeting

Michael. R. Marcela, Ed.D.,

Monitoring your child's progress in the classroom.

Advocating for Your Child at School

Sandra Ringelstein,

Most parents take an interest in monitoring their child’s progress in school, but having a child with a special need can take the school relationship to a new level.

Tips for Transitioning Into a New Routine

Site Staff,

Tips for helping a child with special needs. Going to a new school. Returning home after vacation. Trying to break an old habit and start a new routine. Change, or transition, is difficult for most people — whether age 3 or 33.

Children With Special Needs Flourish At Camp

Peg L. Smith,

There's something almost hard-wired about human beings: When we repeatedly see the extraordinary, it becomes ordinary.

Empowered to Succeed

Kelly Yale,

Six-year-old Lucas Duringer of Charlotte has a smile and spirit that melts hearts, even though he was born with Osteogenesis Imperfect, a disease that causes his collagen to grow abnormally making him very susceptible to broken bones.

Setting the Bar High Despite Autism

Kelly Yale,

Stephanie and Verdell Rice of Charlotte are the busy parents of four children: Davon, 12; Darien, 11; Diarra, 9; and Deuel, 2. The Rice family is different than others because the two eldest children have autism.

Animals Bring Smiles

Kelly Yale,

Alex Crisp of Charlotte was 3 when he was diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, a condition in which increased lactic acid in the blood causes abdominal pain, fatigue and seizures.

When the News is New

Marty Minchin,

Charlotte mom Emily Pritchard sensed something was wrong early in her son’s life. Jake sat up on schedule, but he was wobbly.

Getting Out and About With Children With Special Needs

Nancy Popkin,

The warm weather beckons families to the park, the zoo and, soon, the swimming pool. But when you are a parent of a child with special needs, getting out of the house can seem like more trouble than fun.

Exceptional Spirit

Eve White,

"The Challenger League provides a safe, structured team environment that gives children and young adults with special needs the opportunity to experience the game of flag football," says Riley Fields, Panthers director of community relations.