“I got detention for forgetting my book three times in a row,” read Michael’s text. His mother wasn’t surprised. Michael was diagnosed with ADHD when he was eight years old, and she’s received other messages saying he misplaced or even forgot to do his homework. His mother hoped that he’d be more organized by 13, and she wonders if this is typical teenage behavior or if it’s due to his ADHD.
The City of Calgary has a number of inclusive playgrounds. Dana Wheatley (of Calgary Playground Review), has visited ten of them to bring you all you need to know about these amazing new playgrounds.
Costumes, Halloween parties with sugary treats, trick-or-treating, and spooky decorations are fun and exciting for most kids, but for a child with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Halloween celebrations can be very overwhelming. A child with SPD has trouble processing input from any of the five senses in a normal way – what is background music to others may be loud and distracting to a kid with SPD, costumes may feel too itchy, make-up may feel sticky, and masks may have a strong scent or may be too restricting for kids with SPD.
Playdates are an important part of childhood. They offer time for kids to interact socially without the structure of school or extracurricular activities. They also help kids learn to share, socialize, and play freely while still having support from their parents as needed. Kids with special needs are no exception and benefit from playdates as much as their peers. While they may take a little more planning and patience, it is well worth the efforts for everyone involved.
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