by Dr. Julian Neil Today, we pause to honor the beauty, strength, and profound humanity expressed through those with Down syndrome. For me, this day is deeply personal. It is a celebration of my daughter, Gitane — a true master of the heart. She was born with severe hypotonia, with almost no connection between her…
by Laird Doman I’ll be honest with you. Some nights, dinner at our house looks nothing like what I know it should be. My daughter Arielle is nine. My son Lachlan just turned six. By the time we all sit down together, everyone is carrying the weight of the day. Lachlan is often a little…
Jake was a beautiful baby, unusually so, who had a rough birth, low initial apgars and trouble breastfeeding. He was our first child so it took us a little while to notice that he was not developing typically. The well nurses didn’t notice either but berated us for our healthy lifestyle as our child was…
by Ellen Doman Parents can become aware of their child’s lack of progress from report cards, meetings with teachers, standardized test results, or even helping with homework. It’s a terrible feeling to realize that your child isn’t learning as well as is expected, particularly when you may not have been previously aware of it. A…
by Bob Doman Understanding the Whole Child To truly understand a child, we must take a top-down approach, viewing them as a complete individual rather than a sum of disconnected parts. Every child is more than a diagnosis, a test score, or an isolated challenge. Yet too often, professionals—whether doctors, therapists, educators, or psychologists—focus on just…
by Lyn Waldeck Those of us who have passed that 60-year-old mile marker will often ponder the things of our past. What would we do differently? How do we mend past transgressions? What could have been avoided had a different fork in the road been followed? I am no exception. On a personal level, after…
Breakfast plays a critical role in setting the tone for the day, especially for children with special needs. The right foods in the morning can help improve focus, regulate emotions, and support overall brain function. On the other hand, the wrong choices—especially those filled with sugar and processed carbohydrates—can lead to energy crashes, behavioral challenges,…
by Sara Erling Are you a vision board person? A New Year’s Resolution person? A “word” for the year person? I am. There is always something about new beginnings, fresh starts, etc., that gets me excited! My word for the year 2024 was “discipline”. At the time, I felt the need to be more disciplined…
By Bob Doman My colleagues and I have a fantastic job. We spend our days helping families help their children develop and improve their lives. We do this without actually working hands-on with any children beyond doing evaluations and then designing the children’s comprehensive home programs. As an organization, NACD has proudly been changing lives…
Picking up the pieces after ABA By Carolyn Takos Intro by Lyn Waldeck In many of our recent newsletters, NACD has been focusing on creating and changing behavior for the better by the feedback the child is given. Carolyn Takos is a very dedicated NACD mom who first came to us in desperation to reverse…