Children who are blind or have low vision can benefit greatly as toddlers if parents provide opportunities and support for learning to read storybooks with Braille text and make certain that as older students their children can both read Braille and take notes using a Braille slate and stylus.

What has been described as the "Disability Hierarchy" can also be seen as the multiculturalism of our advocacy community. As diverse as individuals are within disability labels throughout cultures and ethnicities, we are also within coalitions. Equity is critical for advocacy groups and individuals.

Children with disabilities as well as their mainstream peers benefit from being included in peer mentoring and buddy programs in schools and community recreation.

World Down Syndrome Day 2009 will be celebrated along with the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the genetic cause of Down syndrome. In 1949, Dr. Jerome Lejeune observed and reported the chromosomal anomaly in people with the syndrome having 47 chromosomes due to a third copy of chromosome 21.

Teaching children their home address can be a life-saving lesson in emergency situations. When travelling or moving to a new location, knowing a current or previous home address helps first responders to discover your child´s identity, to contact you for medical information, and get them home again.

The updated version of the Amazon Kindle reader for books and magazines may be more useful than the original for children and adults with disabilities. Advocates for the vision impaired would improve text to speech controls but recognize Kindle 2 provides better access to visually impaired readers.

Recent discussion of the birth of octuplets to Nadya Suleman has included criticism and negative views of the higher risk of developmental disability and other special needs in 'multiple birth' babies. Families raising children with special needs are alarmed by these prejudicial, hateful comments.

Symptoms of depression in teens and young adults with Down syndrome may be mistaken for intentional misbehavior, laziness, regression, age appropriate moodiness, and sometimes psychosis. Even close family and long-term staff may not recognize when significant changes have had a negative impact.

Grandparents fill an important role in the lives of all children and may be the best resources and advocates for a children with chronic health conditions, developmental disabilities, or other special needs; helping to maintain strong relationships in the family and to advocate for community support

Children rely on their immediate and extended families for care and nurture, social and cultural education, and a sense of who they are in the world. Those who have a complicated diagnosis may lose connections with extended and even immediate family members, increasing vulnerability due to isolation