Sometimes all you need is a big brother to look out for you. That's certainly the case for Lindsay Cochran, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), according to the YouTube video above. She's been in a wheelchair since she was 2 years old, but her older brother, Trenton, has been by her side all along. "I would take a bullet for her," Trenton says in the emotional clip above. At one point, he becomes so passionate about sticking by his sister that he begins to cry. Last year, the pair's extraordinary relationship won them the "Unsung Hero Award"at K-LOVE, a radio show dedicated to sharing positive and encouraging stories. Now, the video of their unique bond is making the rounds online again. To read more click on the link below: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/21/the-cochran-family-brothers-love-for-sister_n_4638713.html
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An Edmonton man with severe autism may not be able to read or speak, but Brad Fremmerlid has a knack for something that many of us often find tedious and difficult. “I could give him a complex LEGO Technic project, up to 1,000 pieces, with over 100 pages of instructions – and without any help at all, he'll simply open up the box, go through the instructions, and he’ll build it perfectly,” said his dad, Mark.Brad has become an expert at reading instruction diagrams and building things after years of practice. “When he was younger, we always had to keep him busy, so I had him build models. And I thought the best therapy for him to develop his mind was to always build something different. ”After building about 2,000 projects over the past 20 years, the 24-year-old has now started building for others through his company, “Made By Brad.” To read more click on the link below and watch the amazing video! http://globalnews.ca/news/1080425/unique-skill-turns-into-a-business-for-edmonton-man-with-autism/ Siblings of disabled children often help care for and support their brothers and sisters, in a wide range of ways from helping them take part in playground activities to undertaking the type of care tasks that we normally expect of adults e.g., looking after their brother or sister during a seizure. Most siblings are very protective towards their disabled brothers and sisters, protecting them from bullying and public prejudice or checking that they are not in pain or discomfort. But siblings also have needs of their own which may not be met. Siblings of disabled children often have to take a back seat in their families whilst their parents work hard to manage family life and provide the level of care needed for the disabled child. This means they often get less attention from parents, miss out on typical family activities, and they may get less support with their own health and educational needs. Please click on the link below to read more: http://joereddington.com/2013/12/20/guest-post-lets-acknowledge-siblings-of-disabled-children/ The mother of an autistic toddler, whose open letter to a kind stranger she sat next to on a plane made headlines, has reconnected with the man who made her daughter smile during a two-and-a-half-hour flight.On Jan. 6, after spending a week at Disney World, Shanell Mouland and her family were on a flight from Orlando, Fla., to Philadelphia, to catch a connection to their hometown of New Brunswick, Canada. Mouland's husband and their 5-year-old daughter, Grace, sat in one row, while Mouland and 3-year-old Kate, who has autism, sat behind them. Mouland was a bit nervous — depending on Kate's mood, the young girl's behavior can range from affectionate to hysterical, so a patient and understanding seatmate would be crucial. Click on the link below to read more: http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/businessman-befriends-autistic-girl-flight-makes-everyone-39-235300300.html It was 8:45 on a Thursday morning, cold enough for puffy winter boots but not cold enough for snow. Kat Anderson woke up rooting for at least a dusting, but the sidewalk was perfectly clear. As maybe only mothers of children with autism know, a length of bare pavement that looks harmless to ordinary eyes rarely is.Ordinary eyes don’t notice the cracks and splotches of paint that can become an obsession for some kids or even make them bolt into traffic. Atlas Anderson, 3, was going to walk to school, tied at the waist to his new Labrador and golden retriever cross. The 70-pound dog was bred to be a sort of life jacket for Atlas, one of the youngest children in Canada to receive a National Service Dog. Kat and George Anderson brought him home — a pretty brick Victorian in Orangeville — just before Halloween after months of intense training. They had been on a wait list for nearly a year when the charity in Cambridge, Ont., called to say their $30,000 gift was ready. That’s how much each highly trained dog is valued at over the course of its eight- to 10-year working life. National Service Dogs is the first program in the world to provide this opportunity to families with kids who have autism. To read more click below
Elizabeth Goulding-Tag, LMSW, coordinator of the Family Support Program for children with developmental disabilities and their families at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center, gives guidance to parents of multiple children, some who have disabilities.
What is it like for children who have a sibling with special needs? It's very anxiety-provoking. They know their siblings are different, not like their friends' brothers and sisters. They wish they could have the kind of relationship other children have and that everyone could participate in the same family activities. But they also care deeply about their special-needs siblings. Regardless of the age, typically developing children act like mini-parents. They observe their parents taking care of their siblings and learn to take a nurturing role, watching out for their sisters and brothers. Click the link below to read more: http://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/teaching-tolerance/parenting-siblings-of-children-with-disabilities/ This is one of the coolest articles I've read in a while. A 12-year-old child prodigy has astounded university professors after grappling with some of the most advanced concepts in mathematics. Jacob Barnett has an IQ of 170 - higher than Albert Einstein - and is now so far advanced in his Indiana university studies that professors are lining him up for a PHD research role. The boy wonder, who taught himself calculus, algebra, geometry and trigonometry in a week, is now tutoring fellow college classmates after hours. Read More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1369595/Jacob-Barnett-12-higher-IQ-Einstein-develops-theory-relativity.html#ixzz2pFpoNRYx One of the least fun moments I recall from my years of growing up with an autistic brother was when he bit me on the cheek — just in time for my class photo. I was 12 and he was 11. I went into school with visible bite marks, and when they sat me in the chair for my solo shot, I told them that the cat had done it.
That’s one of the bad stories. As for a good one . . . um, to be honest, I have a hard time coming up with much.I know that people are warmed by stories of siblings who selflessly shower the disabled child with love, attention and support. I think that’s great, too. And it’s for real for some siblings. But for many of us, relating to a sibling who is on the autism spectrum can be complicated. The challenges to a warm, close relationship are many. Normal sibling rivalry doesn’t work, because it can never be a fair fight. To read the rest of the article please follow the link below: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/autism-can-have-large-effects-good-and-bad-on-a-disabled-childs-siblings/2012/08/31/e35a82e2-b956-11e1-abd4-aecc81b4466d_story.html Thanksgiving is a time of joyful celebration with family and friends. A time when we come together to reflect with gratitude on the blessing we have received over the past year and beyond. It is also a time to reflect on the deep bonds between siblings and other family members.
At the Sibling Leadership Network we are committed to providing siblings and their families with the information and tools to advocate with and alongside their family members with disabilities. Over the past year at the Sibling Leadership Network we have increased our membership to over 3,700 members; put on a national conference in conjunction with the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities that brought together siblings, self-advocates, family members, and professionals from 22 states as well as Canada and Japan; developed policy briefs highlighting legislation significant to siblings, continued and developed new partnerships with leading national disability organizations, led a variety of informative webinars; and provided resources, education, and peer support to numerous individuals through direct contact, conference presentations, and events. http://siblingleadership.org/2013/11/25/give-thanks/ Title of talk: Recognizing Glass Children — What It Means to Be a Sibling of a Child with Special Needs About this talk: Having lost one brother to the world of autism and another to a terminal illness, Alicia Arenas never knew a normal childhood. Expected to always put on a brave face, Arenas played the role of good girl on the outside. One the inside, however, she was dying. In this heart-wrenching talk, Arenas tells parents of children with special needs — and their surrounding community — to stop looking through the siblings of children with special needs. If you received a diagnosis for a disorder that’s often stigmatized and misunderstood, a condition that’s perpetually challenging and isolating, how would you feel? What would be your response, learning you have Asperger’s? For Susan Boyle, the answer is, “relieved and relaxed.” Click the link below to read more. http://www.salon.com/2013/12/09/susan_boyles_powerful_graceful_aspergers_statement/ The Sibling Stories blog has a compilation of stories from the siblings point of view. Each and every story is unique, meaningful and heartfelt. It is always good to share your perspective and get the perspectives of others. Please take a moment to read. Do you have a story of your own? http://siblingstories.blogspot.com/?view=snapshot What an absolutely amazing video. Watch it twice because the first time you will cry. Here is some information on the OHEL Organization: Since 1969, OHEL has served as a dependable haven of individual and family support, helping people of all ages surmount everyday challenges, heal from trauma, and manage with strength and dignity during times of crises. Through highly-rated foster care, developmental disability, mental health, and other programs and services, OHEL provides supportive housing, treatment, care coordination, education, outreach and much more to elevate lives and strengthen individuals and communities in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, Florida, California and worldwide on the web. Please visit: http://www.ohelfamily.org/ |
AuthorRebecca is an independent publisher working to help siblings of children with emotional challenges. Archives
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