Discover the top special needs articles to help you navigate the needs of your special needs child in the New York Area.
Special Needs Articles
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Support & Resources for Children with Special Needs in Brooklyn
Get the proper care for your child with special needs with these helpful resources in Brooklyn. Find...
Schools and Educational Services for Kids with Special Needs in Queens
Looking for a Queens special education school? Look no further than our list of the top private scho...
Special Education Schools and Services in Brooklyn
Looking for a Brooklyn school with special education services? Look no further than our list of spec...
Special Education Schools and Services in Manhattan
Looking for a Manhattan special education school? Look no further than our list of the top special e...
The Special Child Fall/Winter Edition: Special Needs
Whether it is understanding Occupational Therapy, Myths about Autism or connecting you with a resour...
Game on! Special Olympics New York Returns to Farmingdale this May
The Long Island region of Special Olympics New York returns after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID...
JWoww Opens Sensory Room at Barclays Center to Help Those with Sensory Needs
The Barclays Center in Brooklyn opened a sensory room to help people with sensory needs who attend i...
Read the 2022 Special Child Issue Today!
The 2022 issues of Special Parent are full of advice and resources for special needs parents....
22 Charity Walks in the NYC Area That Raise Money for Good Causes
Teach your kids compassion and the value of volunteerism. There are many annual fundraising walks in...
Westchester Mom's Book About Raising a Child with Special Needs Inspires Families
Leah Witman Moore, a Westchester mom, wrote a book telling her story of what it's like to raise a ch...
Sesame Workshop Creates New Resources Help Children with Autism
Sesame Workshop's new resources help children with autism and special needs create new routines, bui...
WCA's New Digital Dashboard Helps Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Westchester
Westchester County Children's Association has a new online dashboard that provides data to better he...
The Independence Café Sells Items Handcrafted by Individuals with Disabilities & Veterans
The Independence Café – A Unique Boutique, which sells items handcrafted by individuals with disabil...
New Website Rates Accessibility of Rockland County Public Spaces
UAccessLife.org rates stores, malls, restaurants, doctor's offices, and more in Rockland County base...
7 Ways Having a Pet Benefits a Child with Special Needs
Having a family pet can help children with special needs gain skills, learn responsibility, reduce a...
How to Avoid Comparing Your Child with Special Needs to Other Children
It's important to try to avoid comparing your child with special needs to other children, but it's a...
8 Special Needs Parent Self Care Tips
Eight ideas for parent self care and me time for parents of children with special needs. ...
6 Ways to Support Siblings of Kids with Special Needs
Supporting special needs siblings starts with acknowledging that its hard. Use these helpful tips to...
Study Finds Understanding of Autism Can Boost Social Inclusion
A new study from researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas has discovered that an increased u...
The Best Apps and Online Resources for Kids with ADHD
Help your child with ADHD gain new skills, learn to focus, and thrive in school with these apps, gam...
Accessible, ADA-Compliant Playgrounds in the NY Metro Area
These are the accessible, ADA-compliant playgrounds in the New York City, Long Island, Westchester, ...
How to Celebrate Halloween with a Child with Special Needs
Helpful tips for how to celebrate Halloween for parents of children on the autism spectrum or with o...
Here’s How Students with Disabilities and Their Parents Adjusted to Remote Learning
Four families share how their students with disabilities have dealt with remote learning challenges....
New York Rules Visitation is Now Allowed at Certified Residential Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
New Yorkers can now visit their loved ones living in certified residential facilities for individual...
LGBTQ+ Support and Community Centers for Families in the New York Area
Finding support and community can seem difficult for young people trying to figure out their identit...
Special Education Classes Can Be Held In-Person this Summer
Though remote learning in New York will continue with summer school, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced...
How to Navigate the Turning 5 Process for Your Child with Special Needs
The transition from preschool to kindergarten for kids with special needs in NYC is complicated. Her...
How to Ease Anxiety for Kids With and Without Special Needs During Coronavirus Isolation
Life is a little harder for every parent these days, now that schools are closed and kids are home. ...
How to Navigate Coronavirus Hospitalization for Your Child with Special Needs
The Self-Advocacy Association of New York's new guidebook will help you understand your child with s...
Does My Child Have a Learning Disability?
Although many kids may struggle with schoolwork throughout their academic careers, it’s often hard t...
Here’s How Proposed Medicaid Cuts Will Affect Your Child with Special Needs
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Medicaid Redesign Team II has proposed $2.5 billion in cuts to the state’s M...
What Do You Wish People Knew About Autism?
Many misconceptions still exist around autism spectrum disorder. So, in honor of Autism Awareness Mo...
As Special Education Complaints Pile Up, NY Seeks More Presiding Officers But Gets Pushback
To ease a massive backlog of special education complaints in New York City, state officials on Monda...
Support Groups for Parents of Children with Special Needs in New York
Raising a child with a unique set of special needs can have you feeling isolated and unsure of how t...
1,200 Attended the INCLUDEnyc Fair on Jan. 25
The INCLUDEnyc Fair is coming to Hotel Pennsylvania on Jan. 25 with more than 90 summer camps and af...
American Girl and Hearing Loss Association of America Team Up to Raise Awareness of Hearing Loss
American Girl and Hearing Loss Association of America announced they are teaming up in honor of new ...
State Education Department Awards INCLUDEnyc $3M to Improve Outcomes for Students with Disabilities
The New York State Education Department awarded INCLUDEnyc, a nonprofit dedicated to helping kids wi...
Mobile Gym Brings Fitness to Individuals of All Abilities
This fall, personal trainer Janet Perry opened Weight For It Fitness, a mobile gym created to accomm...
Web App Helps Kids with Special Needs Connect and Make Friends
Making Authentic Friendships is a new web app that helps kids and adults with special needs connect ...
747 Sensory-Friendly 'Santa Cares' Events Happening Across the Country This Season
This year, Autism Speaks and Cherry Hill Programs have partnered to offer 747 sensory-friendly “Sant...
Raising My Twins on Opposite Ends of the Spectrum
My twins were never in the same play group, class, or even grade. They were together only in the wom...
The Challenges of Being a Mother with Hearing Loss
“Is this the year we can finally get earbuds?” It’s a question my teenagers ask me every year on the...
Do You Need a Special Education Attorney?
You know when your child with special needs isn’t receiving the education that is right for him. May...
10 Kids' Books That Star Protagonists with Special Needs
Special needs books for kids about special needs protagonists are few and far between. So we’ve roun...
Back-to-School Tips for Special Needs Families
It’s never too late to make sure your child is succeeding in school—especially if your child has spe...
Groups Launch #SaveCDPA Coalition to Preserve Program for New Yorkers with Special Needs
More than a dozen New York organizations committed to preserving the Consumer Directed Personal Assi...
NYC Advocates Demand ‘Immediate Action’ to Overhaul Special Education Complaint System
This is part of an ongoing collaborative series between Chalkbeat and THE CITY investigating learnin...
UNO® Braille Now Available for Kids With Visual Impairments
Mattel announced the debut of UNO® Braille, the first UNO card deck that would be accessible for pla...
Speech Therapy Clinic in Stony Point Expands Mommy and Me Classes
Now You're Talking Speech Therapy Comprehensive Services is a practice launched in Stony Point by lo...
Studio Jacked in Nanuet is Offering a Hip Hop Program for Students with Special Needs
Owner of Studio Jacked Dance Company in Nanuet Jackie Galgano created a hip hop dance program for st...
How to Help Your Differently-Abled Child Succeed in the Classroom
Good parent-teacher communication is crucial for any successful school year, but being on the same p...
Check Out These 6 Accessible Clothing Lines for Teens and Young Adults with Special Needs
Once your child with special needs gets bigger, it can be even harder to find clothing that ensures ...
Check Out These 11 Adaptive Clothing Lines for Kids with Disabilities
These brands are making fashionable styles just as accessible for kids with disabilities through ada...
Staten Island Teen With Asperger’s Gains Confidence from Competing in Miss New York USA Pageant
Kids with autism spectrum disorders who struggle with social anxiety have a new role model in the pa...
Stanley Black & Decker Hosted a “Quiet Race” for Kids with Autism as Part of Initiative with Autism Speaks
Stanley Black & Decker and the Envision Virgin Racing Team created a unique racing experience for ki...
Marra & Glick Applied Behavior Analysts is Opening a New Hyde Park Location
This summer, Marra & Glick Applied Behavior Analysts is expanding to New Hyde Park with a new center...
The Mets Will Host First-Ever Inclusion Day at Citi Field
SO Fun City, an organization provides inclusive enrichment programming that suits the needs of all c...
Bronx Student Overcomes 3 Brain Tumor Operations to Go to College
Something as simple as a headache usually doesn’t alarm a parent too much, but when Robert Chapman c...
Impartial Hearings for NYC Special Education Services Are Not Effective for Parents Making Sacrifices
Many parents of the five boroughs say they are struggling to provide their kids with necessary speci...
John Cronin of John’s Crazy Socks Makes History As the First Person with Down Syndrome to Win Entrepreneur of the Year Award
23-year-old John Cronin, the founder and Chief Happiness Officer of John’s Crazy Socks, is the first...
Yankee Players Give a Brooklyn Child with Special Needs the Bike He Needs
Yankee members teamed up to present 14-year-old Kiko Mina with a bike created by AdaptAbility, a bus...
John’s Crazy Socks, A Melville Company, Is a Finalist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award
John Lee Cronin, who has Down syndrome, and his father Mark Cronin founded John’s Crazy Socks in 201...
Kids Can Enjoy Sensory-Friendly “My Way Matinees” at Regal Cinemas All Summer
This summer Regal Cinemas is offering “My Way Matinees” for viewers of all ages who want to enjoy mo...
Neuro-Diverse Theater Group, EPIC Players, Presents 'Little Shop of Horrors'
EPIC is working with the Department of Education and has invited District 75 (the special needs NYC ...
Chickenshed NYC Seeks Partner School to Launch Inclusive Theatrical Program
Chickenshed NYC, New York’s inclusive theater company for children, is searching for partner element...
Marra & Glick ABA Announces a Book Signing Event Honoring First-Time Author Ben Blanchet
On Saturday, June 1 from 11am-1pm Marra & Glick ABA will host a Book Signing Event in honor of first...
Making a Plan for Your Child with Special Needs' Life
In Susan Platkin’s eyes, self-direction has always been the only acceptable path for her daughter Ru...
The Benefits of Summer Camp for Children with Special Needs
For any parent, thinking of summer camp for your child can bring feelings of excitement and fear. Ad...
CDPAP Helps Parents Receive Financial Benefits for Assisting Their Children with Special Needs
Between coordinating education, enrichment activities, and future plans, raising a child with specia...
Students with Disabilities and Professional Dancers Will Share the Stage During “Superheroes” in New Jersey
This May, students from the A. Harry Moore School will dance with professional Nai-Ni Chen company d...
How to Encourage Social Development in Children
Children need to learn social skills as soon as they are able. Social intelligence is often a skill ...
According to a Rutgers Study, New Jersey’s Autism Rate Has Risen 43 Percent
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently released a study in which research from Rutgers Univer...
How to Sue Your Child With Special Need's School District for Tuition
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires school districts to provide all stud...
Chapin Sisters Headline Otto Specht School Spring Farm Faire
On Saturday, April 13th, the Chapin Sisters, known for their "enchanting harmonies and lyrics that a...
Sesame Street Unveils Julia’s Family in Honor of Autism Awareness Month
Julia, Sesame Street’s first character with autism, debuted in 2015. Now she’s back with the whole f...
Researchers at Stony Brook University Seek Children Ages 12-16 For Mental Health Study
The Lab for Scalable Mental Health at Stony Brook University in Suffolk County is seeking approximat...
NYC Department of Education Pilot Program Translates Students’ IEPs Into Parents’ Native Languages
The New York City Department of Education recently launched a pilot program that translates students...
How to Plan For Your Child With Special Need's Future
Parenting is challenging no matter what. But as Nicole Johnson of Port Washington in Nassau County p...
Creating a Future for My Son with Special Needs
When people ask what it’s like to have a child with special needs, my response is: It’s like dark ch...
NYU College of Dentistry Opens Oral Health Center for Individuals with Disabilities
The NYU College of Dentistry opened a dedicated treatment center in New York City for individuals wi...
Legoland Discovery Center Westchester Partnering with a Special Needs Pre-School to Launch Merlin's Magic Spaces Installation
Legoland Discovery Center Westchester is partnering with ACDS Westchester, a special needs pre-schoo...
Cognitive Behavioral Consultants in White Plains and Manhattan Now Offering Autism Diagnostic Evaluations
Cognitive Behavioral Consultants (CBC), with locations in White Plains and various locations in Manh...
Church in White Plains Holds Prom to Honor People with Special Needs
The first ever Night to Shine in Westchester, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, will be held in...
Gersh ABA Services to Open Five Applied Behavior Analysis Centers Throughout Long Island
In response to the growing population of children with autism spectrum disorder on Long Island, Gers...
New Study Shows a Correlation Between Media Use and ADHD
As if there wasn't enough to worry about when it comes to the media and your child's wellbeing, ther...
First Words Project Launches Free Online Resources for Parents of Young Children
Raising a young child is an exciting, and stressful, time for parents. From toddler-proofing your ho...
Can Your Baby's Teeth Predict Autism?
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an extremely common developmental disability with approximately on...
Soccer Shots in Syosset Launches New Program for Kids with Special Needs
Soccer Shots Long Island West has expanded its EMPOWER classes for kids with developmental and cogni...
Find Out What's So Special About the Gillen Brewer School
The Gillen Brewer School, an independent school that focuses on special needs education helps its st...
Autism Speaks and Manhattan’s Blue Man Group Present an Autism-Friendly Performance on Nov. 3
The Blue Man Group, in conjunction with Autism Speaks, is hosting a sensory-friendly performance for...
Fun Fit Kids Opens on Upper West Side and Develops Program for Kids With Special Needs
On September 4, Fun Fit Kids opened its first physical location on the Upper West Side. With the est...
What Happens If My Child Was Denied Early Intervention Services?
Young children who have developmental delays may be eligible for early intervention services, includ...
Little Steps Speech & Language Clinic Opens New Location in Rego Park
This June, Little Steps Speech & Language Clinic at Rego Park began accepting new patients. Little S...
Autism- and Sensory-Friendly Shows in NYC to Book Now
For families affected by autism or sensory sensitivities, going to see a show or theater production ...
Brooklyn Heights Psychologist Offering Free Support Group for Parents of Children With Social Difficulties
A free support group for parents of young children with social communication difficulties, ADHD, and...
Alternatives for Children in Aquebogue Expands to Include Physical and Occupational Therapy Gym and Speech Therapy Treatment Areas
Alternatives for Children Aquebogue expanded this January to include two spacious, accessible classr...
Land's End Launches Adaptive School Uniforms for Children With Special Needs
When you think of school uniforms, you might think of private schools, but a surprising 21 percent o...
How a Brooklyn Family is Raising Autism Awareness
After being diagnosed with autism, Brighton Beach resident Nicolas Sirota, now 14, struggled. But th...
Fast Feet NYC Launches Adaptive Summer Running Program
Fast Feet Track Club, an adaptive and inclusive track and field team in Manhattan, is launching its ...
4 Sensory-Friendly Amusement Parks in the NY Metro Area
“I’m bored.” It’s the most common two words any parent hears during the summer months. And to stay a...