Sixty years after being identified as a disorder, scientists still don't know what causes autism. And, just like snowflakes, no two individuals with autism are alike. On one end of the spectrum is Asperger's Disorder, a high functioning sub group of Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and on the other end of the spectrum are profoundly disabled individuals.
Watch this Learning for Life as we talk with Dr. Felice Orlich, with Seattle Children's Autism Center, about what autism is, how it's diagnosed and the signs parents should look for. We also explore the issue of whether there are enough resources available to support the increasing numbers of children being diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families.
08.18.10
When a Child has Special Needs: One Family's Story: Cleo Li was born healthy. Then, one night when she was just three months old, she stopped breathing. CPR brought her back to life, but Cleo had suffered a massive brain injury due to lack of oxygen.
Just like that, the Li family had a daughter with special needs, and their world was turned upside down.
Watch this Learning for Life as the Li family gives us a look at what it's like to have a child with special needs - whether that child is born with special needs or, like Cleo, suffers a traumatic event to her body. They talk about the emotional ups and downs as well as the challenges of finding information and support and the amazing difference early intervention makes for a child and a family.
08.11.10
Keeping Up with the Cost of Helping Children with Special Needs: The number of children in Washington state being diagnosed with special needs continues to go up. But the funding to support these children isn't keeping pace. In fact, it's being cut at state and national levels.
Each year, the nonprofit Kindering Center in Bellevue center provides therapy, special education and counseling to more than 3,000 children from birth to 3 who are disabled, medically fragile, or vulnerable because they've been neglected or abused. And last year, they made room for another 100 children in their early intervention program - a commitment to the youngest children needing their help.
But last year, the gap between the cost of services and funding widened substantially because of drastic budget cuts from the state and county. The center is struggling to pay for uncompensated care given to developmentally delayed infants and toddlers.
Watch this Learning for Life as we talk with Mimi Siegel, the long-time director of the Kindering Center, about the increase in children needing their services, the current financial challenges of providing that help and what she thinks needs to happen to make sure children get the support they need.
08.03.10
Early Learning and Children with Special Needs: You notice your child isn't meeting typical childhood development milestones. Or maybe you sense that something isn't quite right with your child. There is help. And children benefit when families access that help as soon as possible.
Families can reach out to their local pediatrician or the state's Early Support for Infants and Toddlers, an early intervention program that provides services to children birth to age 3 who have disabilities and/or developmental delays.
On this Learning for Life, we talk with Dr. Bette Hyde, director of the state Department of Early Learning, which now oversees the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers program, about the supports available to children with special needs and how to access the program as well as how this growing group of children fits into the state's new 10-year early learning plan. This segment is the first in a month-long series Learning for Life – and Thrive’s daily blog Birth to Thrive Online – is doing on children with special needs.
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