Special needs

Find support and resources in our directory...and read on for articles just for the families of kids with special needs.

Read the January 2012 issue of ParentMap, which focuses on parenting a child with special needs.

Recent Articles

Preemies: Loving and Nurturing the Tiniest Tots

When it comes to pregnancy, labor and delivery, there’s a general understanding that something might go other than planned. For most families, it’s a minor surprise, still resulting in a healthy mother and child. But even seemingly risk-free pregnancies sometimes involve serious circumstances, inclu

17 Summer Camps for Kids with Special Needs

Summer camp is a place for kids to be themselves while making new friends and trying out new experiences. Kids with special needs can pursue all this — plus have a rollicking good time — at camps equipped with adaptive facilities and skilled staff.– Read on for 17 special camps that accept children

Kindering Celebrates 50 Years of Providing Essential Early Intervention Services

The year 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of Kindering, a not-for-profit neurodevelopmental center founded in 1962 by five Eastside mothers of preschoolers with disabilities. In the five decades Kindering has been providing early intervention services and support, the number of children helped has g

Someone You Should Know: Jesse Gillman

Jesse Gillman is a 21-year-old who grew up in Bellevue with his parents, Marcy and Jeff, twin brother, Adam, and older sister, Talya. Born at 26 weeks and weighing a little more than 1.5 pounds, Jesse suffered a brain hemorrhage, lost vision in one eye and was on a ventilator for seven months. He ca

The benefits of therapeutic recreation for kids

Therapeutic Recreation: Getting Kids with Disabilities into the Outdoors

Imagine a group of kids on a snowy slope, laughing and yelling as they hurtle downhill on skis or snowboards. Those of us who ski don’t think twice about the effort it takes to gear up and go with our kids, from plopping down in the snow to fastening a snowboard binding to riding the lift. But for

The Benefits of Creative Arts Therapy for Kids

Step into Seattle art therapist Mineko Takada-Dill’s studio and you’ll find an array of paints, clay, pastels, charcoal and textured papers. She uses these materials to help her clients let their guard down and experience the therapeutic benefits of art. Who hasn’t felt relaxation, focus and a sens

Childhood Depression: Warning Signs and How Parents Can Help

Eleven-year-old Maya hates life. The Seattle resident began an emotional downward spiral after a school playground incident two years ago. Since then, she’s been sad about most things, anxious, hates school and doesn’t like activities she used to enjoy. Maya suffers from childhood depression. Almos

Warning signs for kids with learning disabilities

Children with Learning Disabilities: Warning Signs and Services That Can Help

Parents are their children’s first teachers. We help them learn their first words, take their first steps and ride their first bike. We cheer our children on and celebrate their triumphs as we watch them learn and grow. We can also be the first to notice a problem with their learning. When children

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