My firstborn, Daniel, was born with a chromosomal abnormality known as Down Syndrome. The medical term for Daniel’s condition is Trisomy 21. This means that he has three #21 chromosomes instead of two. This extra chromosome blocked proper nutrition to all the cells in his body before and after birth, resulting in a very weak…
by Pamela Merritt Nestor I held little Kathleen close as we stood before the window, watching James Edward follow his two older brothers and his sister across the yard and cautiously climb the steps of the school bus. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. The fruit of six years of prayer…
I remember so clearly the first time someone said that Justin had cerebral palsy. It was over the phone, not even to my face. She said, Don’t be upset, Mrs. Johnson, your son has cerebral palsy. When he was six-months-old, I read an article in a women’s magazine which described a child whose abilities, or…
Our story begins on January 4, 1990, when I delivered two beautiful boys, 3 months premature. At birth, Michael and Mark weighed 1 pound, 12 ounces, and 1 pound, 12 ounces, respectively. The boys were given a 10-15% chance of survival. Michael and Mark are now five years old. They also have a six-year-old brother,…
Daniel started life at 8 lbs., and 11 oz. He did not lift his head after birth as well as his three older brothers nor did he seem to keep up with the milestones of the first year; yet his eyes always brimmed with excitement and he enjoyed being around the other boys. His favorite…
by John M. Jaquith, M.Ed. We should let the experts educate our children. Moreover, the experts on any individual child should be directly involved in the education of that child. The most credible experts on any individual child are that child’s parents. Learning begins the moment a child’s brain starts receiving stimulation and doesn’t end…
John M. Jaquith, M.Ed. What is ADD and ADHD? Essentially, both of these are labels that describe symptoms. In fact, a list of symptoms is used to identify such children. A child receives a label based on prolonged occurrences of eight or more, out of a possible fourteen, symptoms before the age of seven. These…
Robert J. Doman, Jr. Many families are becoming frustrated at their often ineffective attempts to homeschool their special needs child. Others still wrestle with the decision of whether or not to succumb to the pressures being exerted on them by family, friends, or the “professionals” to put their child into the public school system. These…
Robert J. Doman, Jr. NACD’s developmental and educational programs are designed to lead each child toward developing his/her fullest potential. These programs are designed through the expertise of Robert J. Doman, Jr., and represent an eclectic approach to child development. These programs are implemented by the parents and other family members under the training and…
Lyn Waldeck Four and a half years ago, our family was given the gift of a precious 2-year-old brain-injured child who had previously been a Romanian orphan. Our first prognosis from the medical field was very devastating. “What was done to this child is a tragedy. Now he may never walk, never talk, never see,…