Just Needs: parenting children with disabilities

Just Needs: parenting children with disabilities

Some people think of disabilities as "special needs." But as parents of children with disabilities, we know our kids just have needs... like everyone else. Settle in with our podcast for real talk about advocacy, friendships, developmental delays, evaluations, IEPs, sensory meltdowns, autism, and all the ups and downs that come with this gig. We don’t have all the answers, but we promise to try to figure it out with you. Join us.

Episodes

January 28, 2025 9 mins

Nothing’s sure but… well, you know the end of that sentence. If your family includes a child or adult with a disability, here are 5 important things to know before you file your 2024 taxes.

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This week, Christina chats with Dr. Nilong Vyas of Sleepless in NOLA, on the importance of sleep in early childhood. They’ll answer questions like, “Why is sleep important?” and “My child is a terrible sleeper. Is it me or something else?” Listen along for helpful information and tips and tricks around sleep.
 
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Nothing’s sure but… well, you know the end of that sentence. If your family includes a child or adult with a disability, here are 5 important things to know before you file your taxes in 2022.

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Flying with kids with disabilities can be stressful and overwhelming. This week’s podcast episode has 5 tips to make the trip easier for you and your child.

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Better parenting using self-regulation
What is self-regulation and how can it help me be a better parent?
¿Qué es la autorregulación y cómo puede ayudarme a ser un mejor padre?
Co-regulation: Your secret tool for...

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In this bonus episode, Christina discusses doing a pediatric sleep study with her son and his sensory needs.
 
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This week, Christina chats with Dr. Nilong Vyas of Sleepless in NOLA, on the importance of sleep in early childhood. They’ll answer questions like, “Why is sleep important?” and “My child is a terrible sleeper. Is it me or something else?” Listen along for helpful information and tips and tricks around sleep.
 
Resources mentioned in this episode

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What do you do if you just found out your child has medically complex needs? Do you know how to be a great health care advocate for your complex kid? Christina gets helpful information and insight from Julia Roberts, parent and long-time advocate, in this week's episode. 

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Speech Apraxia vs Autism: Are they related? If a child is speech delayed what can you do? Christina gets helpful information and insight from Kacy Woodson, a speech-language pathologist, in this week's episode. 

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Mr. Raymond A. Jetson says, “... If our children are going to feel present and valued and able to be the best version of themselves in the world, we have to be intentional about impacting the world in a way that creates space for that to happen.” In this week’s episode, Christina gets practical advice on how to build community for children with disabilities.

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In this week’s episode, Christina gets back-to-school tips from Julie McIsaac, Learning and Mental Health Consultant. Get some real-life tips to support your child and their teacher as we head back to school.

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August 25, 2023 32 mins

In this week’s episode, Christina talks with Dayna Abraham, bestselling author of Calm the Chaos: A Fail-Proof Roadmap for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids. They discuss supporting neurodivergent kids at home in a realistic and shame-free way.

Here’s some more about Dayna. As a National Board Certified educator, parent of three neurodivergent children, and an ADHD adult herself, Dayna brings a unique and out-of-the...

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We’re back in school. Is your child with disabilities working with a new teacher? In this week’s podcast learn how to introduce your child to their teacher using helpful F-words!

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Where to find Exceptional Lives
Facebook
In...

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Resources for children with disabilities: what are they, how do I find them? If you’ve found yourself overwhelmed with where to start in getting support for your child with disabilities or developmental delay this podcast episode is for you. Listen along as I break down the systems of services in this week’s episode.
 
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My child was just diagnosed with a disability. Now what do I ...

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Flying with kids with disabilities can be stressful and overwhelming. This week’s podcast episode has 5 tips to make the trip easier for you and your child.

Resources mentioned in this episode

Better parenting using self-regulation
What is self-regulation and how can it help me be a better parent?
¿Qué es la autorregulación y cómo puede ayudarme a ser un mejor padre?
Co-regulation: Your secret tool for...

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Pool safety is important for everyone, more so for children with disabilities. Parents need hints for summer, some that are not always obvious. This week’s podcast contains 9 quick tips for water safety and UV awareness.

Resources mentioned in this episode

How to climb out of the pool
Swimsuit colors for water safety
Sunscreen for people of color
Sunscreen application tips
Assign an adult to be Wat...

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Self-care for caregivers: You’re tired and you know you need it. But how? And why would you want one more thing to add to your to-do list? This week on the podcast, I want to share with you how some things you’re already doing every day can be self-care.

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There is often confusion and fear and difficulty when talking about mental illness, especially when children are involved. There doesn’t need to be though. This week’s podcast focuses on how you can support parents of children with mental illness. Listen along as we share 3 ways to be a great friend.

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In honor of Occuptional Therapy Month, we are re-releasing on episode on occupational therapy.

If your young child has a disability or delay, you may have been referred to Occupational Therapy. But what does occupational therapy mean for a child? In this episode, we’ll talk about all of the ways OT can make a difference for your child. Kim Haynes and Anne Hindrichs of the McMains Child Developmental Center explains how OT ...

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“There’s no magic amount of knowledge.” This week I have a conversation with Nell Curran and she has some great insights into raising a neurodivergent child. Listen along as two neurodivergent moms talk about raising neurodivergent children.

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Do you ever ask yourself, “as a neurodivergent parent, how can I teach my neurodivergent child skills that they’ll need?” This week on the podcast, I want to share some skills that I have discovered work for me and my family.

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