Two sisters won the Jamfest Dance Super Nationals in Covington, Kentucky over the weekend. In wheelchairs.

Gracie Latkovski, 9, has cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis. Her older sister, Quincy, can walk, but also performed in a wheelchair at the start of their routine.

An inspiring story and adorable dance,  set to “Reflection” from the Mulan soundtrack, led the sisters to victory over 4,500 other dancers from around the country.

Watch their title-winning moves below:  http://www.ryot.org/video-sisters-in-wheelchairs-win-national-dance-competition/580545#kLpLj8azcVBm0VA3.99

Sometimes, I wonder if my daughter, Emma, will one day feel embarrassed by her brother Charlie, who has intellectual and developmental delays. Maybe it’s the charming way (to me!) Charlie greets every stranger like the mayor of the universe. Maybe it’s his struggle to walk, his delayed speech or the low muscle tone that causes constant drooling.

Of course, having Down syndrome (as with any disability) doesn’t mean it’s a given that he’ll embarrass his sister. After all, siblings are expert at embarrassing each other eventually.

But as a parent, how can I prepare for the moment when embarrassment does stem from Charlie’s different abilities and help my daughter through it, all while acknowledging that it's OK to have those feelings?


To read more: http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1028265/my-sibling-with-disabilities-embarrasses-me

Gavin Lawrey’s rare illness often zaps his energy, making it difficult for him to do all the activities he loves. But his sister, Makenzie, still sees him as nothing short of a superhero.

The 6-year-old Cape Coral, Fla., boy has mitochondrial disease, or mito, a condition that can damage cells in the body’s major organs and lead to muscle weakness, poor growth and cardiac or liver disease, among a number of other serious issues, according to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. Makenzie sold 500 books in a week and raised $20,000. She plans to continue pushing forward until she reaches her goal! What an amazing little girl! 
To read more click on the link below: 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/06/mighty-mito-superhero_n_4740368.html?ir=Parents

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Mito-Superhero-Makenzie-Lawrey/dp/149522435X

What a great news story on Sibshops! This one is about the Sibshops in Colorado Springs run by Julie Hudak-Salvat for Special Kids Special Families. Along with some great young sibs, this video documents the first known visit to a Sibshop by Imperial Stormtroopers! 

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- From treatments to appointments, to special trips, brothers and sisters of children with special needs can often feel left out. Because those kids don't get the same amount of attention, and often grow up quicker, Julie Hudak-Salvat decided to bring "SibShops" to Colorado Springs. "It was a passion of mine, I'm a clinical social worker, I have a practice and I've always seen that the siblings needed a lot of support," Hudak-Salvat said.

SibShops acknowledge that being the brother or sister of a person with special needs is for some a good thing, others a not-so-good thing, and for many, somewhere in-between. The kids acknowledge that, too. "My brother has autism," Molly Kelso, who is 9 explained. "He's sometimes tough to live with, but I still like having him around," she said.

Molly doesn't often have things that are just hers. At January's SibShop, she got her own lego set and to hang out with a Storm Trooper.

To read more about the Colorado SIBs group please follow the link: http://www.fox21news.com/news/story.aspx?id=1003733#.UvUx-vldV8F

Stories play a huge part in a child's development. Reading to children stimulates their imagination and expands their horizons. But, books also teach children about the world around them. Reading stories together provokes curiosity and discussion, which can be useful when talking to children about disability.

"A year ago my daughter, Molly, became aware her left hand didn't always do the things she wanted it to do," says Emma Birch.

"Her frustration prompted me to look for books to explain in simple terms what cerebral palsy is. But there wasn't anything that was child friendly or presented cerebral palsy in a positive way."

Together with her occupational therapist and disability charity Scope, Birch has now launched Haylee's Friends, a story book about cerebral palsy for young children.

To read more please go to: http://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2014/feb/03/stories-reading-teach-children-disability