13 Jul
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Children’s and teens’ use of electronic devices have vastly increased over the past several years. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that kids ages 8-18 now spend about seven and half hours per day consuming electronic entertainment. On average, they watch about four hours of television or video, spend two hours playing video games, and surf the internet for over an hour. Because many children often use multiple devices simultaneously, a typical child may spend a combined total of more than 10 hours daily using entertaining themselves with electronics. These figures do not include time spent listening to digitally recorded music, texting or talking on the phone. Read more »
11 Feb
Parents who have children with disabilities can obtain great benefit from interfacing with parents in similar situations. Contact with other parents can help parents gain information about effective treatments and educational programs, learn about the best ways of accessing services, and gain emotional support. Many Egroups and web sites for parents in Montgomery County offer opportunities for parents who have children with disabilities to share information and offer each other support; still, many parents yearn for person-to-person contact. The Parents’ Place in Glen Burnie, Maryland provides them with an excellent opportunity to communicate with other parents face-to-face. Read more »
12 Dec
Parents who have children with special needs can benefit greatly from the expertise of professionals, many of whom can provide sound guidance and effective treatment. In addition, parents can benefit from emotional support and practical advice from other parents. Many parents of children with special needs are very knowledgeable about services and treatments, and are also in an excellent position to offer guidance regarding behavioral issues, as well as how to attend to the needs of the whole family. Read more »
12 Nov
As families who have teens and adults with developmental disabilities like autism and Down Syndrome endeavor to launch their children towards adulthood, one of their biggest tasks is accessing services to help maximize their children’s independence. Many organizations provide excellent programs which offer residential, educational, therapeutic, recreational, and vocational services, as well as socialization opportunities and respite care. But unlike schools that offer “one-stop shopping” for many children and teens, as children transition to adulthhood families have to navigate a myriad of agencies to get their children the help they need. Moreover, funding is often scarce, and waiting lists are often long. Tragically, because services are so uncoordinated and difficult to access, many people with disabilities are not able to make use of many valuable opportunities, and thus are not able to maximize their level of independence.
The web site of Jonah Green and Asssociates has developed an area of its web site dedicated to providing families in Montgomery County, MD who have teens and adults with developmental disabilities with access to services, resources, support, and information. Please click here to access this area of the site. We will be continually updating the site–if you know of an additional resource, please comment on this blog and we will add it to the web site. Thank you.
–Posted by Jonah Green
30 Aug
As the incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) have exploded in the last 15 years, much progress has been made in understanding this complex developmental syndrome. People with ASDS are now recognized as a diverse group with a variety of diagnoses who vary widely in abilities and functioning levels. The defining features of those on “the spectrum” include difficulty with social skills and problems with reciprocal communication. People with ASDs may also engage in excessive rituals, have difficulty regulating their impulses, or display intense and focused interests. Many people with ASDs are either oversensitive or undersensitive to stimuli such as touch or sound. Some have particular talents, or “splinter skills”, and most are good visual learners. Read more »
13 Aug
In the 1950s people with intellectual disabilities generally lived in isolation within private homes or resided in institutions that offered little opportunity for productive activities. After viewing the poor treatment her mentally retarded older sister Rosemary received, Eunice Kennedy Shriver embarked on a multi-decade campaign of advocacy. In 1961 Shriver persuaded her brother President John F. Kennedy to create a division within the National Institutes of Health dedicated to improving the lives of children with developmental delay and disability. In 1962 she established a summer camp in the Washington, DC region for children with intellectual disabilities. She later helped found the Special Olympics, which have become the world’s largest year-round sports program for mentally disabled children and adults. More than 2.5 million athletes in 180 countries take part in competitions each year.
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15 Apr
If you are a parent of a child with a developmental disability such as autism, mental retardation, and Down Syndrome, you probably face particular challenges as your disabled child approaches adulthood. Whereas parents of typical children face the challenge of the “empty nest syndrome”, you may be struggling to help your child grow in independence, even as you face an increased burden of care. As your child ages out of a full-time school program, available resources generally become both less available and less coordinated. The task of maximizing your child’s independence and relieving the burden of caretaking may begin to feel urgent. Read more »
