Metropolitan Library System

I was married right out of high school and bore two sons within the first two years. Needing extra income but wanting to stay home with my sons, I decided to do in home child care. I did child care for the next forty-two years. I had many children enrolled in my child care facility all with different wants and needs. One of the children I had was partly deaf. During our reading hour, I had to spend a little extra time with this child. Some of the...

"Jimmy" joined the church a year ago. Before long, he volunteered to teach a Sunday School class and got to know eight-year-old "Peter." Things started innocently. A hug at the end of class. Gifts for Peter. Lots of extra attention. And then it happened. Jimmy took advantage of Peter. Since Sandusky and the scandals in the Catholic Church, the issue of sexual abuse has shifted to the forefront of our collective mind. Many churches are poised for action...

Jennifer Giustra-Kozek is a therapist who practices in Connecticut, and is also the mother of a son with Autism Spectrum disorders. After treating Evan bio-medically, along with other healing practices, Jennifer witnessed the kind of improvements that every parent of a similarly diagnosed child dreams of: Evan no longer grunts and screams, throws toys, hits others, or has mood swings. He no longer throws himself into fits of uncontrollable rage, listens...

A Comprehensive Guide for Parents and Caregivers! As any parent or caregiver of an individual with developmental disabilities can tell you, planning for the future of an adult with intellectual disabilities, Cerebral Palsy, severe autism, or another such condition requires hard work and good advice. While complete independence and self-reliance is out of reach for many adults with developmental disabilities, a productive, stable, and enjoyable life...

There is a place deep in your soul that aches when you realize that there is something not quite right with your child. "Not quite right" is not necessarily a bad thing; it's just something different than what you may have imagined. This book will take you along our journey with autism-from the beginning of acceptance to the amazing, self-directed life that can be achieved. My goal is to encourage parents and caregivers of children with special needs...

Finding out that a child has dyslexia can be shocking and confusing - and thousands of parents get this disturbing news every day. Appearing as early as when a child is struggling to say "Mama" and "Dada," dyslexia is a condition that will affect a child's ability to read, write, and understand basic language construction - and for a parent, this can be a tough reality to take in. Covering information on every stage of diagnosis, treatment, and growth,...

The premature birth of a baby is both a medical and family crisis. Within the pages of this comprehensive guide, parents will find compassionate support, practical suggestions for coping and adjusting, and advice that empowers them to handle an array of emotions.

Morgan, a young woman on the autism spectrum, was diagnosed at age three. In her early years, she had very little functional language. Most of her meaningful communication consisted of scripted lines picked up from favorite cartoons and movies. Over the years, she has developed an unfiltered way of stating what's on her mind. It has often been said, she's just saying out loud what the rest of us are thinking to ourselves. This is a collection of her...

Karen Nicksich and Heritage University Assistant Professor Miguel Juarez are celebrating the publication of their co-authored book, Earth Angels, a pictorial documentary chronicling the lives of "specially-abled" children. Earth Angels features the personal stories of nine families who have children with special needs. It chronicles the joys and challenges the parents of these children face on a daily basis. Heritage University social work students...

A riveting and redemptive family memoir, The Four Walls of My Freedom is Donna Thomson's account of raising a son with cerebral palsy and a passionate appeal to change the way we think about the good life. Donna Thomson's life was forever changed when her son Nicholas was born with cerebral palsy. A former actor, director, and teacher, Donna became his primary caregiver and embarked on a second career as a disability activist, author, and consultant....