CP Hall of Shame

A recent report by the Houston Chronicle indicates tens of thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, of children with special needs in Texas may have been kept out of special education due to caps put in place. This is an extremely troubling report for any advocate or parent of a child with CP, much less those living in Texas.

Beyond acting respectfully to those with Cerebral Palsy, there are specific terms and language that should be used to properly addresses challenges and is welcoming in nature.

While a simple Google search can reveal so much information, it can also lead to problems. One recent search for the definition of play therapy exposed the search giant's reliance on others' definitions and how the terms used can convey negative thoughts.

Approaching someone who uses inappropriate language regarding an individual with special needs can be difficult but necessary. Find out more about handling the 'r-word' and more.

There are many forms of bullying and there are many signs that can indicate bullying. It is important to look out for signs, especially for special need’s children. They may not understand what is truly happening or they might not have a way to tell someone about it. Either way, a child should never have to go through bullying and being able to identify signs can help you provide help for a child. While the number of signs go on and on, we brought together 5 signs that we thought could help identify signs of bullying in a child.

When you manage a community the size of ours, you’re bound to draw comments and opinions that feature a wide spectrum of opinions. While some posts have, quite honestly, shocked us in their animosity toward parents of children with special needs (another reason we need Cerebral Palsy advocates so much!), most can simply be deleted or ignored. One recent comment, from a parent of a child with special needs, highlighted an important issue.

The holidays can be a challenging time due to the pressure put on making each moment as happy and wonderful as possible. Coming at a time of the year in which the weather can be a challenge, school poses its own complications, finances as a possible concern (Gifts! Utilities! Vehicle Health! Life!), work… the holidays may be sold as the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ but can be anything but. Trying to speak with a family member about Cerebral Palsy poses its own unique challenges, not only due to the public nature the discussion may have, but also due to the emotions involved.

Words are used to express our emotions, needs, and frustrations. Children at a young age learn how to use words to tell others what they are feeling and thinking. As they grow, children might start to use offensive words and realize that they can hurt others with the words they say. As adults, we need to teach children to be advocates and explain why words matter and take a look at the words we use around them.

A lot of awareness has come about surrounding bullying, with children at all ages seeming to become victims of poor treatment. These situations can occur for any number of reasons and different types of bullying can be used. Children need to fully understand bullying; why it happens and what to do about it. It can be difficult to explain it to young children, so for this reason, we came up with five quick tips for explaining bullying to young children.

Our organization has now been in existence for over two decades, providing parents of children with Cerebral Palsy access to the resources needed to improve lives and limit the impact CP can have. Today, we speak with and help hundreds of families every day and the tens of thousands of people who Like our Page on Facebook engage with us on topics related to CP, parenthood and beyond.