Children who do not use speech to communicate are highly motivated to make their needs, interests and preferences known through the use of picture communication cards or boards. Standardized graphics programs like Boardmaker, PECS and Makaton are useful in education and easing scheduled transitions.

Raising a Sensory Smart Child - Helping Your Child with Sensory Integration Issues, by Lindsey Biel and Nancy Peske, forward by Temple Grandin. The strategies and advice offered through this book make it a treasure for parents and professionals who care for children with sensory integration issues.

Issues to consider when supporting teens transitioning from special education in high school to post-secondary education or adult programs are often the same shared by their mainstream peers and siblings. Goals include improving quality of life and encouraging responsibility and better decisions.

Feeding therapy is a big help for babies and young children who have sensory issues with food, motor planning problems related to mouthing, chewing or swallowing, or who are transitioning to taking nourishment by nursing or eating. Pleasant mealtime social interactions can be reflected in therapy.

Literacy Skill Development for Students with Special Learning Needs, by Leslie Broun and Patricia Oelwein, describes fun, effective strategies for teaching reading to students with different learning styles, including those often considered unlikely to learn to read who have Autism or Down syndrome.

Most fathers of kids with disabilities were civilians when their son or daughter was diagnosed. Many resources for parent support and information are offered through a mother´s perspective, with the needs and concerns of siblings and grandparents higher priorities than the husband and father.

Children with special needs often learn new games at summer picnics, parties and on vacation visiting relatives just like their mainstream brothers and sisters. It is delightful when we see any child teaching their cousins, neighbors and classmates games that are cooperative as well as competitive.

Parenting Children With Health Issues: Essential Tools, Tips, and Tactics for Raising Kids With Chronic Illness, Medical Conditions, and Special Healthcare Needs by Foster W. Cline and Lisa Greene

Building good communication and healthy relationships between our sons and daughters is a high priority for parents who have one child with a developmental disability, chronic health condition or other special needs. Sibshops can naturally encourage sibling support and soothe sibling concerns.

Explaining to a child that a parent, relative or close family friend has a serious or life threatening condition can be difficult for adults who may feel overwhelmed themselves. National and regional treatment centers may have resources for families to share with children, who have special needs.