Challenge Air Event

Knowledge Safari will be attending - hope to see you there!

Challenge Air’s 2nd Annual Phoenix, AZ Event

Cutter Aviation – Deer Valley Airport

Challenge Air for Kids and Friends offers inspiration, and self-esteem building to children and youth with physical challenges and serious illness through aviation, by providing a day to focus on their abilities.

EVENT DATE: Saturday, April 24, 2010
EVENT PLACE: Cutter Aviation – Deer Valley Airport

This event is FREE to children with special needs and their families.

Highlights of the day include an educational ground school, a 30-minute flight over Phoenix, face painting, clowns, cool static aircraft, service animals and much more! Lunch will be provided for all in attendance.

Challenge Air for Kids and Friends is a Dallas-based not-for-profit organization that inspires children and youth with physical challenges and serious illnesses through aviation.

For more information logon to www.challengeair.org

Challenge Air for Kids & Friends 8008 Cedar Springs Road, LB24 Dallas, Texas 75235
214.351.3353 fax 214.351.6002

GIVEAWAY: Book by Joan Celebi, Special Needs Parent Coach

GIVEAWAY: FREE BOOK - BALANCED LIVING ALL YEAR

Joan Celebi

is the Founder and President of SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com. Through her internationally acclaimed teleseminars and coaching programs, as well as her New England area trainings and workshops, she helps parents of children with special needs create manageable, balanced, joyful lives - for themselves, their children, and their families. Joan publishes the free monthly Overwhelmed No More! Newsletter, writes the daily blog The Special Needs Parent, and is also the author of Overwhelmed No More: The Complete System for Balanced Living for Parents of Children with Special Needs (this will be offered as a giveaway in the future, so stay tuned!). Joan is a certified life coach and holds a Master's Degree in Education from Harvard University.

It is understandable why Joan is so great at what she does! I had a conversation with her by phone recently and came away knowing that she is dedicated to her family, her work and doing whatever she can to

benefit the special needs community.

Balanced Living All Year is your month-by-month guide to successfully navigating life with a child with special needs.

Inside, you'll find quick, easy chapters that are both enjoyable and filled with how-to's for the challenges that often arise in a year in the life of a parent of a child with special needs. With handy lists, inspiring quotes, step-by-step guides, and more, this book is your shortcut to manageable, balanced, joyful living -- for you, your children, and your family.

Here are just some of the themes you'll find in this unique book:

- Starting the New Year off on the right track
- Creating a low-stress, happy family environment
- Solutions for holidays that may be tricky for your children
- Getting through the IEP process with greater ease
- Ways to manage your many roles and responsibilities
- Caring for the caregiver (that's you!)
- Arranging summers that are memorable and fun for all
- Complete back-to-school planning and preparation
- Keeping life simple and running smoothly
- Thought-provoking reflections on life as a special needs parent
- A special recipe each month to enjoy with your family
- And plenty of inspiring quotes!

Here is how to enter:

1.) ALL COMMENTS ABOUT ENTRIES MUST BE LEFT UNDER THIS POST!

2.) Leave a comment here about why you need to find balance in your life! This is mandatory for entry.

3.) CONTACTING YOU - We need a way to let you know that you won! Please note that if you do not have a blogger account or an email listed on your blogger account, you must leave your email address in the comment section or email us at blog@knowledgesafari.com and let us know your display name.

Want extra entries?

1.) Tweet about knowledgesafari.com – the tweet must include www.knowledgesafari.com

2.) Follow us on Twitter leave a comment on the blog when you have completed, leave your twitter name and we will follow you too!
3.) Join our Fan Page on FACEBOOK leave a comment on the blog when you have completed
4.) Follow this blog on Blogger - leave a comment on the blog when you have completed
5.) Blog about the giveaway and our new site on your blog or website, and link back here. Leave a comment with the URL.
6.) Visit the Special Needs Parent Coach website leave us a comment on the blog as to what you find most interesting there!
7.) Create a GROUP in the COMMUNITY section of our site. Leave a comment with the group name!

8.) For 5 extra entries - write a REVIEW for the review section of our site. It could be anything you want: restaurants, doctors, hotels, books, etc.
9.) And finally for 2 extra entries – refer a friend! Make sure that person who is referred by you leaves a comment on the blog that he/she was referred by you!


This giveaway ends on February 16th at 12:00pm CST. Giveaways open to US Residents only. All entries must be received by the closing time to qualify. Winners will be chosen by a random number generator. Winners will be notified by email if you have provided it to us as well as on our blog. If we do not hear back from the winner within 48 hours, another drawing will be held.

HAITI - CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

The earthquake that has devasted Haiti is truly heart breaking. The photos and news stories are unimaginable. It got me thinking about the special needs population there - especially the children.

While I do not know anything more about this group than what is on their website,it does seem legitimate. We are not asking you to donate, just bringing this group to your attention. It is called miriam center: http://www.nwhcm.org/our-programs/the-miriam-center (this link should work - had trouble with it earlier today!)

On their site they talk about their efforts to help. You can also see that cerebral palsy and autism are rated high amongst the special needs that they serve.

Our thoughts are with all of the people of Haiti, the rescue workers going in from all over the world and the families here in the US and around the world who have lost loved ones or are still unable to connect with loved ones.

If you want to help, consider these organizations:

AMERICAN RED CROSS
CARE
UNICEF

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WEDNESDAY!

Welcome to WHAT WOULD YOU DO WEDNESDAY? Where we give you a scenario and ask you to tell us …yes….you guessed it…what would you do!?

You have a friend who you think you are pretty close to. You share in her life, ask about her kids, and do the normal things that friends do. Here’s the catch…you friend rarely if ever asks about your child who has special needs. Maybe she is a little uncomfortable – maybe she does not know what to say – who knows what the problem is – but it is there underlying.

So, what would you do? Do you bring it up to her? Continue to ignore it? Let’s discuss it in the comments section! See you there.

CH CH CHANGES....

How have your views changed since having a child with special needs?

I was reading an article in the newspaper the other day and it was about how people’s views have changed with regard to the economy. It highlighted people who had well paying jobs who were laid-off and subsequently how their views on everything have changed. It was a pretty sudden change which is oftentimes how special needs happen.

One minute things are fine and the next minute not so fine.

I read a blog post recently that said in effect: One minute she was a person who pitied the moms who had a child with special needs and the next she was that mom and did not need any pity!

So…please share with us:

How have your views changed? What have they changed about? See you in the comments!

CLOTHES - WHAT ARE YOUR ISSUES?

Clothes!

I know that some children with Sensory Processing Disorder are highly affected by certain elements of clothing – texture, tags, seams, etc. And there are companies out there trying to address these needs.

If you haven’t already – check out www.softclothing.net

I am wondering what other issues are out there surrounding clothing that affect the special needs community. Do you have any issues/solutions you would like to share?

Please do so in the comments section – we could all learn something about this topic!

Don’t forget to get a sneak peek at our soon to launch website: www.knowledgesafari.com
And, follow us on twitter! www.twitter.com/knowledgesafari

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WEDNESDAY!

Welcome to What Would You Do Wednesday!

Here is a scenario for you:

YOU: You are a busy mom to a child with special needs. You have recently moved to another city and are feeling a bit isolated. Family lives close but are not responsive to requests for help. You are feeling alone, overwhelmed and tired.

QUESTION: What would you do to get yourself some relief?

Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section – you could really be helping someone out! See you there!

Don’t forget to get a sneak peek at our soon to launch website: www.knowledgesafari.com
And, follow us on twitter! www.twitter.com/knowledgesafari

NEW TO SPECIAL NEEDS? A MUST READ BLOG POST.

Are you a parent with a child who has been recently diagnosed with a special need? Or, do you know someone in this situation?

This post from www.lovethatmax.blogspot.com is a MUST READ! This is a beautifully written post by a mom who knows exactly what you are going through. She provides practical tips to help you get through this period in your life.

Here’s the link: http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com/2009/12/word-to-new-moms-in-honor-of-maxs.html

Go ahead….read it….I’ll wait for you to come back and discuss it in the comments section! See you there!

Don’t forget to get a sneak peek at our soon to launch website: www.knowledgesafari.com
And, follow us on twitter! www.twitter.com/knowledgesafari

SIBLINGS & SPECIAL NEEDS

Happy Monday!

I was reading a story in the paper recently about these two elderly sisters who moved to a new city together as young adults and ended up living together for the rest of their long lives. One was rarely seen without the other and they live a very happy life.

It got me thinking about siblings. How does having a child with special needs affect sibling relationships?

How do your children relate to each other? How does having one child (or more) with special needs affect the other children?

If you yourself are a sibling – let us hear from you too! What are your thoughts – how has having a sibling with special needs affected you?

See you in the comments section!

Also - I recently became aware of a company that I want to share with you! My Sibling Dolls www.mysiblingdolls.com

Here is a bit about them from the owner, Loretta!

My Pal™ and My Sibling®

Please allow us to introduce the My Pal™ and My Sibling® doll program.

My Sibling® Dolls are mini advocates for their siblings who have developmental disabilities. The booklets that come with the dolls contain a story depicting a typical situation that could happen in the lives of children faced with the challenges of living with special needs. The booklets also contain factual information about the disabilities, and also about our mission of advocating for more adult services.

The My Sibling® Work Experience program provides work opportunities for teens and adults with disabilities: they dress and accessorize the dolls, and also help with packaging and assembly of other products related to the doll program. No money changes hands in this program, we provide everything and ask for nothing in return except for help in spreading the word about the doll project.

My Pal™ dolls are an expansion of this doll program, with the same mission for providing work opportunities and advocating for more services for individuals with developmental disabilities. These dolls, however, are not focused just on the sibling issues. They are designed to be a companion for any child who needs a buddy for a challenging situation, like going to the doctor, dentist, or being in the hospital etc., flying on an airplane, taking a long car trip, special holidays, going to church, etc. They are dressed for the occasion or situation. They can also be a companion to a child who is very interested in a certain occupation or industry, like a fireman, policeman, carpenter, plumber, a nurse, a teacher, a chef, a doctor, a nurse, a plumber, a lawyer, a mechanic. The child might like to have a buddy that represents a loved one that he or she admires. My Pal dolls can also be great sports buddies … the possibilities are endless for the usefulness of our dolls in helping children care, learn, and have fun!

Don’t forget to get a sneak peek at our soon to launch website: www.knowledgesafari.com

And, follow us on twitter! www.twitter.com/knowledgesafari

FRIDAY FACTS! HYDROCEPHALUS

Welcome to FRIDAY FACTS! here at the www.knowledgesafari.com blog! Each Friday we aim to shine the light on a new area of special needs in order to learn and raise awareness. This week the spotlight is on Hydrocephalus.

The following information is provided by The Hydrocephalus Association. More information can be found on their website at: http://www.hydroassoc.org/

Q. What is Hydrocephalus?

A. Hydrocephalus comes from Greek words: hydro means water, cephalus means head. Hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF within cavities called ventricles inside the brain. This condition may occur at any age. CSF is produced in the ventricles, circulates through the ventricular system in the brain and is absorbed into the bloodstream. CSF is in constant circulation and has many functions. It surrounds the brain and spinal cord and acts as a protective cushion against injury. CSF contains nutrients and proteins that are needed for the nourishment and normal function of the brain. It carries waste products away from surrounding tissues. Hydrocephalus occurs when there is an imbalance between the amount of CSF that is produced and the rate at which it is absorbed. As the CSF builds up, it causes the ventricles to enlarge and the pressure inside the head to increase.

Q. What causes Hydrocephalus?

A. Hydrocephalus is a condition that can develop for a variety of reasons, sometimes in conjunction with another disorder. Hydrocephalus that is congenital (present at birth) is thought to be caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Aqueductal stenosis, an obstruction of the cerebral aqueduct, is the most frequent cause of congenital hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is believed to occur in about 1.5 per 1,000 births. Hydrocephalus that is acquired after birth may result from intraventricular hemorrhage, meningitis, head trauma, tumors or cysts or for no known reason. Hydrocephalus is believed to occur in about 1.5 per 1,000 births. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) is a form of hydrocephalus that affects older adults. Sometimes the cause of NPH is known-and can include head trauma or brain tumor but most often it is idiopathic, which means the cause is not known.

MORE RESOURCES

Rowan's Developmental Journey http://andreajunelleb.wordpress.com/
www.twitter.com/andreajunelleb

Kadyn's Stuggle with Hydrocephalus http://kadynsmommy2007.blogspot.com/
www.twitter.com/kadynsmama

Brave with Hydrocephalus http://familyshields.blogspot.com/

Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hydrocephalus/DS00393

Hydrocephalus Foundation Inc. http://www.hydrocephalus.org/

Please feel free to post your experiences or questions about Hydrocephalus in the comments section. See you there!

REVIEW SECTION - WE NEED YOUR OPINIONS!

One of the great things that you will be able to do at the www.knowledgesafari.com website (launching soon!) is review the local establishments that you frequent with your child who has special needs. Or, that you frequent as a person living with special needs.

You will be able to review places such as, restaurants, stores, hair stylists, doctors, classes, etc. And, products such as toys, videos, books and more.

This section will be driven by you the user! So, whatever you want to review - you will be able to do it right on our site! Let's face it - we all have opinions that we want to share.

So, while we are putting the finishing touches on this section of our site, we would like to know what is important to you.

What mental checklist do you go through when evaluating the experiences you have had? What makes you return and what makes you stay away? What makes a product one that works for you? We are thinking of things that specifically relate to special needs such as accessibility, sensory issues, etc.

Please help us help you by leaving your thoughts in the comment section. See you there!

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WEDNESDAY! GRANDPARENTS EDITION

Our soon to launch social networking site www.knowledgesafair.com is not only for parents but GRANDparents too! (and aunts/uncles, siblings, cousins....)

Are you a grandparent with a grandchild who has special needs?

Susan Adcox, About.com Guide recently wrote an article about how to handle “Grandparenting A Child With Special Needs” Here is an excerpt:

Some children are clearly special needs children from their birth; sometimes their condition was known before birth. Other conditions, such as Attention Deficit Disorder, only manifest themselves as the child becomes older. In both cases, grandparents face the challenge of coming to terms with the fact that their loved and longed-for grandchild has special needs. Arthur Kornhaber, the author of The Grandparents’ Guide, details the following stages in dealing with a special needs child: Shock and disbelief; blame and disappointment, sadness and depression; acceptance; reality; and action. For the sake of the family, the first three stages need to be as private and as brief as possible. As soon as possible, grandparents need to move on to accepting and dealing with their grandchild’s situation.

To read the rest of the article - http://grandparents.about.com/od/grandparentingroles/a/SpecialNeeds.htm

So, grandparents, what do you do? Any tips to share with other grandparents? The comments section is waiting for you!

ROUTINES

Happy Monday!

Welcome to another week here at the http://www.knowledgesafari.com/ blog! We have many things in store for you this week so make sure to come back often!

Mondays make me think of routines. Don't you wish everything could run as smoothly as the Olympics Synchronized Swim Team? Mine does not work that way -- does yours?

How does having a child with special needs in your life affect your routine?

- Does having a routine help you get through the day?
- Do you find that you have to be more flexible and veer off your routine?
- How do you manage multiple routines?

Please discuss any tips that you have or questions for other parents concerning routines in the comments section. See you there!

TOYS

Toys!

Do you ever find that your kid thinks that the best part of the toy seems to be the cardboard box it comes in? Why is the box sometimes more fun than the toy? It's funny to watch a young child open a present that you've spent time and money figuring out and he/she likes the box better - they get around to the toy at some point but the box - oh the box!

We're wondering what toys are your child's favorite? Standard toys, educational toys, adapted toys, all toys! What is popular around your house?

Let us know in the comments section!

Here is a great article about selecting toys for special needs children:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/ylztavu

Does your company make toys? If you have one that you would like us to review, please send an email to blog@knowledgesafari.com with TOYS in the subject line!

THE MONDAY AFTER

So, it's the Monday after. How did it go? How was your Thanksgiving? Did you travel? Eat too much? How did your child do? Any good stories to share with us?

Please let us know how your holiday was in the comments section - we can't wait to hear!

TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF - RECHARGE YOUR BATTERIES!

I bet you are thinking....yeah right!

This is the beginning of a busy week for everyone! While it is supposed to be filled with family, friends, food, shopping and fun - it is often a difficult time for those dealing with special needs. It can be extra stressful.

It can be a time of hightened awareness that things are different in your family. It can be a time when caregivers are on a break and you are feeling the weight of that. Feel free to vent here about what you are going through right now!

We want to suggest that if at all possible you take a moment for yourself. Even a short amount of time to refill your cup will be worth it.

Here are some suggestions:

Have 5 minutes: Pop in your favorite CD, listen to your favorite song!

Have 15 minutes: Take a walk around the block - the fresh air will do you good!

Have 30 minuets: Pour yourself a cup of tea/coffee/etc. sit down, read an article in a magazine or chapter in that book you haven't picked up in ages.

Have 1 hour: Lucky You! How about do all of the above? Or, nothing at all! Take a breather.

Get your week off to a great start and let us know how you are doing!

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS

With all of the talk about going here and there for the upcoming Holiday Season...it got us thinking about the added stress of traveling with a child who has special needs. There is a whole site dedicated to this topic - you can view it here:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/yjjemu3

Some good tips that we have found:

1.) TAKE SOME HOME WITH YOU. Take a little bit of your normal routine from home. Not only your routine, but a few toys, foods your child enjoys and the like. The more familiar the easier it will be.

2.) RENTING A CAR? Many agencies have cars that are adaptable for your special needs, check ahead of time to make sure that you will have what you need once you arrive!

3.) TALK ABOUT THE TRIP! Preparation is key! Talk with your child about where you will be going and what he/she can expect. Whether you talk only or use pictures, the internet or other tools to talk about the upcoming travel - it will surely help in making your vacation...well, a vacation!

Do you have any travel tips to share? Let's discuss in the comments section.

WEEKEND

Hi there - glad you stopped by!

How is your weekend going? Pretty soon when our site www.knowledgesafari.com has launched you will be able to head to the Community section where you will be able to chat or vent about how your weekend is going.

In the meantime, feel free to post your thoughts, comments or questions here in the comments section.

Here is a question, for those that have help caring for your kids - whether it be a nanny, nurse, friends, etc. do you have the same level of help on the weekends?

And, if you don't have daily help - are weekends any different for you than a weekday?

Also, if you are a young adult sibling, grandparent, aunt/uncle or friend do you help out the family in any way over the weekend?

We'd love to hear a little bit about life in your world.

FRIDAY FACTS! - CRANIOFACIAL SYNDROMES

Every Friday on the Knowledge Safari Blog we will be highlighting a particular segment of Special Needs. We hope that by doing this it will raise awareness of the particular issue and be an easy way to learn more so that we can support each other while we navigate the winding roads of special needs.

The following information is from www.ccaakids.org - please visit their website to learn more! Connect. Discover. Share.

If you have a suggestion for future Friday Facts! please leave them for us in the comments section!


What is a craniofacial disorder?
A craniofacial disorder refers to an abnormality of the face and/or the head. Craniofacial differences can result from abnormal growth patterns of the face or skull, which involves soft tissue and bones. A craniofacial condition may include disfigurement brought about by birth defect, disease or trauma.


Thanks to www.sneakpeekatme.com for suggesting this week's Friday Facts!

GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS/UNCLES, SIBLINGS, TEACHERS ...

...We are looking for you!

www.KnowledgeSafari.com is still being built, but once it is we expect it to be a vibrant community for those with children who have special needs in their lives.

Just like any child who enters the world - they also enter the family and extended family or friendships. Everyone uniquely affects a relationship in one way or another and what happens when the child has special needs is what we are interested in exploring and supporting.

We want to hear from you here on the blog and then continue the conversation in the Community section of our website once we launch in early 2010!

How does having a family member, friend, student who has special needs affected you? Let's discuss it in the comments section.