A caregiver of a child or adult with special needs, who is concerned about who will advocate for them when he/she no longer can, may want to consider developing a microboard to oversee their long-term life quality. A microboard is a legally recognized "agency" with the sole purpose of providing support to an individual with developmental or other…

Craniofacial defects such as cleft lip and cleft palate are among the most common of all birth defects in the United States, with one in every 600 newborns affected. Cleft lip and/or palate can occur as an isolated condition or may be one component of an inherited disease or syndrome. Dealing with the condition is an extremely difficult and…

Of the nearly 7,000 rare diseases identified by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), only a few hundred currently have treatments. The development of therapies for rare diseases is often hampered by the special challenges of conducting the needed studies for rare disease drugs and medical devices, such as small numbers of patients and the fact…

EMARC, Inc. is a Massachusetts based nonprofit organization founded by family members in 1954 that provides support to individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. This article describes EMARC's Life Choices Program which offers participants the opportunity to receive individualized attention in small groups through the program's…

Data indicates that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) are increasingly receiving community based services in lieu of institutionalization. The Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota reports that the number of people living in large state run institutions decreased from 117,147…

This article discusses Assisted Cycling Tours (ACT), a Westminster, Colorado based 501(c)3, non-profit that is offering the joy of bicycle tours in breathtaking, scenic locations to children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities and their families. ACT was founded by Bob Matter and his son David with a goal of opening up the…

Smiles can do so much for an individual, regardless if a person is the giver or the receiver. When someone smiles at a person, they perceptibly see or feel something they like about that person, and that makes him or her feel special. The person smiling obviously has some joy they wish to share, and it is apparent in their smile. Little Brady…

It was November of 2006, when the author was attending a guardianship conference in Ft. Lauderdale. The author attended as Prosperity Life Planning (www.prosperitylifeplanning.org) a small, educational nonprofit organization, through which he educates and advocates for parents through the special needs planning process with area attorneys, benefit…

Moving Forward Towards Independence, a California-based nonprofit organization founded in 1998 by a group of parents, is a unique residential program where young adults with disabilities learn to enjoy productive, fulfilling and healthy lives within a caring, responsive community made up of fellow residents, trained staff members, parents and…

Israel Paskowitz loves surfing. As a former competitive surfer, he has spent much of his life in the ocean and absorbed in a community of athletes that share a special connection with the water. Surfing is often thought of as a spiritual hobby that brings peace and relaxation to those who experience it. However, it was not until Israel's son,…

Today, exceptional dogs that have been specially bred and socialized are paired with children who are blind or visually impaired. These dogs, called "K9 Buddies," are from Guide Dogs for the Blind, a national nonprofit organization with a mission to offer skilled mobility dogs and training free-of-charge to adults with visual impairments…

Imagine playgrounds where children with and without special needs can play and learn together--playgrounds where their common experiences and shared joy make a more lasting impression than their different abilities. The heartbreaking reality, however, is that exceptional children--nearly six million children in America--are actually restricted…

Carmen Scialabba was on his way to making a name for himself in professional boxing, winning the 1959 All Marine Corps Lightweight Boxing Championship and realizing his dream of boxing at Madison Square Garden when his dreams were shattered after contracting polio at the age 25. But his disability did not stop him from earning a degree and…

This article relates how Sam Schmidt returned to living a productive life after an accident left him with spinal cord injury. Schmidt was a former Indy Racing League driver who founded Sam Schmidt Motorsports after his accident in 2000. Schmidt's car hit the wall as he exited turn two during a practice session at Walt Disney World Speedway in…

Research from the National Institute for Early Education Research shows that the benefits of quality early education are not limited to special needs or to key risk factors, such as difficult economic circumstances. Instead, Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) programs were shown to be important for all children. Access to high-quality Pre-K programs is…