Ask the Community - Austin, TX

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06/29/2009 We are relocating to Georgetown / Liberty Hill ISD is our zoned school district. Our 4 y/o son is PDD-NOS and I'm wondering if anyone could give us feedback, negative or positive, on the PPCD program at Liberty Hill Elementary? Please share any experience or advice for special needs preK children in this area. Many thanks in advance! see answers    email to a friend

06/05/2009 Our family may relocate to Austin. We have a 3 yr old son and an 18 month old son with down syndrome. What are the best school districts for inclusion and services? Currently I am interested in Austin ISD and Eanes ISD. Are there private schools for children with intellectual disabilities? Also, are their better counties to be in for Early Intervention? Medically related - Do people use specialists in Austin or surrounding cities like Houston and San Antonio (specifically for ENT, Cardiology)? I am very encouraged to have found the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas and the Down Home Ranch online. Thanks for feedback :) Suzanne Wilson see answers    email to a friend

06/05/2009 My name is Jordan Peterson, I am a high school Junior (rising Senior) who has been working with children (pre-k to post high) with autism and other intellectual disabilities for five years. I will be applying to college for Special Education in the fall and have found that this is my true passion. Since I moved to Austin about a year ago I haven't been able to find and opportunities to work with this population via employment (which obviously would be ideal) or volunteering. I've worked both in and out of the classroom setting and am looking to babysit, work with, play with, tutor kids of any age with any severitiy this summer. I have ample experience, have worked with children with multiple disabilities (mentally handicap & blind etc..), am learning Sign Language, have dealt with communication techniques such as PECS and others and am familar with other systems used in teaching children. Please, please contact me if you know anyone in need of tese services, I'm available all summer and dedicated. I really would like to spend my time contributing to an individuals life, like I know they contribute to mine. Thank You! Jordan Peterson fliesbackwards@gmail.com see answers    email to a friend

06/03/2009 I have a daughter with Down Syndrome who is 4 years old. Traditional daycare in no way shape or form can "meet the needs" of my daughter. I am not certain if typically developing children are having their needs met either. The child to adult ratios are unacceptable. I can't fathom having more than 6 toddlers at once and being able to get them fed, changed, entertained, educated, spend the time "emotion coaching" potty training, Maybe pre-K kiddos, but I have substituted in classrooms ranging from 12 to 25 pre-K children and felt like I could have done SO much more if the ratio was 8 at this age level etc. Anyway, I am willing to babysit this summer if I am unable to find a babysitter so I can go off to work. As I mentioned I have a 4 yr old non-verbal daughter. I try and do as much speech therapy exercises throughout the day as possible. My home is baby proof since Mary eats paper cardboard and crayons. She can use markers and we have magna doodle. I have a small apartment jammed full of toys and educational materials. Laminated flashcards are Mary's favorite. I am big on literacy and have faith that even though my daughter cannot spit out much information she is taking much of it in and will learn to read if given the right tools to do so. If I were in a better financial situation and had a House I would open "Mary's" house. A TRUE non-profit cooperative parent driven faciity with the ability to handle the most difficult behaviors. I am going to make this one see answers    email to a friend

05/08/2009 Hello! I live in SW Austin area. I have 2 boys, one will be 6 soon and he was diagnosed w/ ASD, and my 4 yr old is typical. I'm having difficulty finding child care that suits them both. My 6 yr old is verbal, but does need someone who is patient and can provide redirection. I'm having difficulty finding employment as it is difficult to locate good care for them. Does anyone know of a child care facility that is accommodating to special needs, or (since I can't find a job) is anyone seeking care for a child with moderate special needs. I would be willing to provide care over the summer and make that my job. :-) If anyone is interested or has info, you can email me at v4benson@yahoo.com. see answers    email to a friend

05/04/2009 Goodwill Industries is offering a youth program for teens with disabilities. The program is 5 weeks and it involves job readiness, employment in the community for 8 hours per day with 8 hours pay and transportation to work sites. Job coaches will be available. Contact Tanya at 512-637-7139 for more information. see answers    email to a friend

05/01/2009 Are there any support groups or families with speech disorder children (i.e, expressive/receptive, not autistic or autistic spectrum), who may or may not homeschool? see answers    email to a friend

04/21/2009 Does anyone know of a volunteer organization that would pair me up with a young adult who has special needs? My children and I would love to take him/her out for ice cream or do other fun activities with him/her about once or twice a month. see answers    email to a friend

04/21/2009 I am a local occupational therapist who is looking for various resources regarding swimming lessons for children with special needs in the Austin and surrounding areas. I have several parents looking for an instructor or program that would work with water safety as well as learning the basic strokes. If any of you have had a good or bad experience I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks! see answers    email to a friend

04/17/2009 I am a mother of a 6 year old daughter who has ADHD and ODD and an 8 year old son who has ADHD , Bipolar and FAS. My children are currently not on medication due to difficulty finding a decent doctor that accepts Medicaid. I am a CNA that also takes care of my husband on disability and I really need so help. Any suggestions please contact me back at Andresmommie@yahoo.com. Thank You see answers    email to a friend

04/16/2009 Parents of children with autism: Hi! I am currently conducting a survey, and I would truly appreciate your help. Please follow this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=XZ_2fgOl9dgwGn_2bKHNzlKqpg_3d_3d Dear Parent, Hello. My name is Michelle Skrobarczyk, and I am a graduate student at Texas A&M University-Kingsville pursuing my Master’s degree to become a speech pathologist. I am writing to ask for your help in filling out a short survey that will help me and other researchers answer questions about the timing of diagnoses of autism. Specifically, the purpose of this survey is to determine whether there is a significant discrepancy between when first symptoms of autism are noticeable and the diagnosis of autism. There is no immediate benefit for you in filling out the survey, but by completing the survey you would be providing information that could potentially help us gain a better understanding of the time it takes to diagnose autism, which could potentially help other children and families afflicted by autism. This survey does not require that you give your name, so your identity will be kept completely confidential. This survey should only be completed by the parent or parents of a child with a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. One survey should be completed per child with autism. Participation in this survey is strictly voluntary. By filling out this form and returning it, you are informally agreeing to participate in this survey. see answers    email to a friend

04/08/2009 After looking at prices on weighted blankets online, I decided to make some for my autistic son myself. Now that I know how to make them, I would love to make more for other children. I've not decided on prices yet, but I would not charge more than $75 for a twin-size blanket, or $20 for a lap pad. I can also make weighted vests and stuffed animals. If you are interested, you can e-mail me at bryndyllyn@yahoo.com. Thanks. see answers    email to a friend

04/01/2009 This is a Wonderful opportunity for an experienced, compassionate live-in caregiver. I am a caregiver in Dallas, Texas. I am helping a friend who is resides just outside of Austin to find the right live-in caregiver for her24 yr old daughter with special needs. Her parents feel very strongly about not placing her in an urban-model group home when she aged out of public education. About four years ago, they purchased some acreage in the Hill Country outside of Austin, renovated the main house for their daughter and built a smaller guest home for themselves. They felt that This way, they could comfortably provide a live-in assistant or two, she could still be close by, but as independent as possible. She is in a Medicaid-Waiver program which allows her to have a full-time assistant for her very full days (she also puts in her time at the local county courthouse shredding documents, which she LOVES) plus about 5 hours a week of rec therapy. In addition, there are nearly two weekends per month of respite care. All of this is established, but they are still looking to fill the position of the live-in. They are looking for someone to make a commitment to live in, rent-free with a monthly $600 from the State to assist their daughter in the mornings and evenings. Days would be free to pursue other employment and/or education and since the parents are close by to lend a hand, they are very flexible with times. I know the right person for this labor of love is out there see answers    email to a friend

03/30/2009 We are seeking Special Needs Neighborhood.com Ambassadors to help us get-out-the-word about Special Needs Neighborhood.com in your locality. These are volunteer positions. You will receive a Special Needs Neighborhood.com t-shirt and Special Needs Neighborhood.com goodies to share with your local community. Contact me at kim@specialneedsneighborhood.com to express your interest. Thanks! see answers    email to a friend

03/19/2009 I have a 4 yr old boy with sensory disorder and development delays. He's getting help, but I need some! Are there parents with special needs kids out there talking? Please direct me to some support meetings for parents. I live in Cedar Creek and not far from south or central Austin. Thank you. see answers    email to a friend

03/06/2009 Do you love children? Total Communication is looking for a creative, fun loving occupational therapist with 3-5 years experience to join our therapeutic team. We are committed to providing high quality therapy in a child oriented environment. Responsibilities include providing evaluations and treatment for children 0-17. Experience in sensory integration a must. Applicants may e-mail resumes to tammyclark1@me.com or fax 512-444-3320 see answers    email to a friend

03/05/2009 I am a mother of a 2 year old boy who has bilateral Cochlear Implants. I am in desperate need of some speech therapy for him. He sees ECI but I don't feel he is getting what he needs. I live in the Fort Hood area and there isn't many options. If anyone could please help me find some place that I can take him to help him listen, talk, or even sign it would be greatly appreciated! I am willing to drive anywhere for services! Oh, and he has had the implants for almost a year and I am not having any luck. Anytime I ask for resources I am pushed aside and never given any help. see answers    email to a friend

03/05/2009 Did you know that a Special Needs Cub Scout Den is forming in Round Rock? We will meet one-time each week. We are seeking interested boys, grades 1-5, with disabilities/special needs, who can attend meetings regularly with a parent. Contact Jennifer for more information: caliban@ganymeda.com. see answers    email to a friend

03/03/2009 I have a one year old and I am wondering if there are daycare centers in Austin that are more sensitive to developmental delays than others. Any information or suggestions on questions to ask when evaluating daycare centers is appreciated. see answers    email to a friend

02/26/2009 I currently have my 3 year old on the waiting list for an appt with one of the Neurologists at Specially for Children in Austin. We are seeking a dx, probable PDD-NOS, for insurance purposes. Initially it was recommended that we see a Developmental Pediatrician. The only D.Pedis on my insurance plan are located in San Antonio. Is this a better fit? Should we make the drive and seek services there or stick with the Neuro? see answers    email to a friend

02/26/2009 We're relocating to Austin and are looking for a school for our 5-year-old daughter who has Asperger's Syndrome. We've heard wonderful things about the Zilker School. Does anyone have any feedback about the school to share positive or negative? see answers    email to a friend

02/26/2009 we are looking at schools right now and do not feel that public school is the right direction for our daughter. we are trying to search for financial aide and scholarships/grants for private schools that are appropriate for her needs but we are having a super difficult time. any resources for funding would be greatly appreciated. thanks, leah see answers    email to a friend

02/11/2009 The Austin Area Association of Speech-Language Pathologists (AAASLP) gives a Client Scholarship of up to $500 each year to a client who is receiving services (either school-based or private) from a member of our organization. If a parent in the Austin area would like to apply, please ask your child's speech pathologist if he/she is a member of AAASLP. If he/she is, ask if she would be willing to submit your child's name for consideration for the scholarship. The due date for the application from the speech therapist to the AAASLP committee is April 9th. see answers    email to a friend

01/07/2009 I am a mother of a 7 year old, wonderful little boy with autism, who is also non-verbal. We live in the Ft. Hood/Killen area, and are in dire need of speech, OT, ABA, and sensory therapy. The school district here is not providing the help we need, due to not enough staffing, and the therapy centers here have a waiting list of about1 year. There are quite a few of us in need of the same services. We are willing to travel, or if someone would like to come here maybe 1 or 2 days, and see our children. Please if anyone can help us, feel free to contact me. We are all military families. Valerie Hughes see answers    email to a friend

01/06/2009 I have a 5 year old daughter with ADHD and I need to find a private (or public?) school which is equipped to deal with her social and emotional issues. She has difficulty controlling her anger, dealing with conflicts and tends to be very negative/anxious. She also needs a super-consistent environment and special help to manage changes/transitions. She is exceptionally bright and personally engaging (to a fault) and just needs a smaller teacher to student ratio and folks who are trained to manage her behavior consistently. We would prefer a Christian school, but are open to all suggestions/ideas at this point. Thanks! see answers    email to a friend

01/04/2009 I am seeking someone in Austin to help me toilet train my 8-yr old with Down Syndrome. He has the peeing part down somewhat but he will not have a BM in the potty. We've tried all approaches and nothing has worked so far. Its a control thing at this point. He does pretty well at school with prompts but has BM's in the afternoon while at home NOT at school- so its not on their radar. We have in home training help approved but they have not been able to find us a qualified person. I cannot get any BCBS to call me back...Any ideas? or names? Thanks see answers    email to a friend

12/14/2008 I was wondering if there was a list of recommended preschools for my son who needs a transitional kindergarden for the fall. Academically, he is above average--but needs help socially and emotionally, along with his play skills and language delay (although doing fabulously in speech therapy). Could anyone recommend some places that I could put my name on their list? Thank you so very much! see answers    email to a friend

11/23/2008 My daughter, Hannah, is 7. She has Soto's Syndrome and epilepsy. Kids at school are distant from her when she goes to her mainstream class for a few hours. She looks different from theSoto's so I guess that is why. How do other parents handle this? I feel so sorry for her when I see the other kids play together and she is alone. She does not seem to realize it but I know the time will come when she does. Any advice would be great. I can be reached at loribd216@aol.com Thanks in advance! see answers    email to a friend

11/22/2008 I am looking to converse with someone who has a child with congenital hypothyroidism. My daughter is 17 years old and I have been looking for someone to discuss issues related to this for 17 years. Please contact me at jsmery@sbcglobal.net Thanks! Janet see answers    email to a friend

11/22/2008 My son has Spina Bifida and has been trying so hard to learn to ride a "regular" bike. His balance is significantly challenged, though, so I guess it's time to start looking at what our adaptive bike choices are. Does anyone have any suggestions as to vendors or good sources of information on adaptive bikes? Thanks! see answers    email to a friend

11/22/2008 Does anyone know of social networks in the Austin/Central Texas area for adult with special needs? I have a 19 y/o son who is mildly mentally challenged and loves to socialize. His peers at our Church totally ignore him. He has a "Myspace" even though he cannot read or write and (his computer reads to him and we write his e-mails) He has cultivated several friends in the music industry in Austin and they seem to be more accepting. We have even built a stage at our place and had a live concert for some of his friends. If I cannot find a network I will form one myself. If you have any intrest in meeting in the Austin area for concerts, boweling, movies or an occasilnal concert at our place (we live in the country next to Down Home Ranch)just e-mail me Joe Potts joseph1313@eccwireless.com see answers    email to a friend

11/06/2008 I'm depressed. I've tried support groups and joined a gym, but just feel really sad and am having trouble accepting and embracing my life and what it is. Anyone have a great therapist they can recommend for me? I'd prefer a woman (and in South Austin if I can get really picky about it!) I printed out a list of people from the Blue Cross website, but that was a year ago and I'm just not sure how to really find someone who may be able to help me. Thanks! see answers    email to a friend

10/11/2008 We are looking for anyone with a daughter with special needs who might be able to interact with our daughter, Elona. She is 12 years old with about an 8-year old's cognitive level, and was initially diagnosed as ADD. We have been home-schooling her for 4 years now, and she has improved enormously under the programs developed by the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential (www.iahp.org), but she is sorely lacking in social interactions. Could your daughter perhaps become her friend? Renee and Michael see answers    email to a friend

10/06/2008 I'm looking for information concerning HCS providers in the Austin area. Does anyone have any strong feelings- positive or negative- about their provider? Thanks! Nancy see answers    email to a friend

10/02/2008 I have a 7year old and 5year old, one in 2nd grade, the other in prek; both have behavior problems at school. I am divorced from their father and now have twin 1 yrolds, and live with my new husband. They've been adjusting to all of this change; one by inverting and carrying guilt (7 yrold), the other by taking on the bully role (5yrold). I guess I'd like to hear from others who have overcome these type of issues. see answers    email to a friend

09/19/2008 I was wondering if anyone knew of any resources up in Cedar Park or Leander. I am looking for a child care facility for my 4 year old son who has a speech delay. His current daycare is not able to handle him. If anyone knows of anything in the area, please let me know. He is already in the PPCD program in LISD, but we need afterschool care for him. see answers    email to a friend

08/30/2008 My 13 year old son was just diagnosed with dyslexia. I have been trying to find a reasonably priced education specialist for him. I am a single parent and $60 a week x 3 days is a lot. I work for a non profit and don't make a lot. Martha see answers    email to a friend

08/10/2008 I have a 17 year old that has mild MR. She is high functioning, however academically is at a 4th grade reading, 5th grade math. Looking long term, she wants to move out on her own, maybe with a room mate. She cannot make enough money to live in a "safe" place and I think she is too high functioning for a residential program. Anyone with any suggestions? see answers    email to a friend

07/23/2008 Hi I have a Deaf son who is twelve and we have been looking for a daycare for him, does any one know of any childcare - daycare for special needs children age 12? see answers    email to a friend

07/18/2008 Hi, I am a mum of a 12 yr old daughter with Down syndrome. I was wondering if anyone knows of a Social Skills class here in Austin. Something teaching appropriate behavior with others. Any suggestions? see answers    email to a friend

06/26/2008 I am looking for other parents who are teaching asl to their kids for whatever reason. I have a 6 year old girl who needs to be exposed to other children signing. Do you know of any parents who would like to start a group or already have one going I could contact? see answers    email to a friend

06/25/2008 I am looking for a reliable special needs swimming instructor. I would prefer private lessons at our pool, but willing to go to another pool. Please contact me at home@masts.us if you know of anyone. Thank you so much. see answers    email to a friend

06/24/2008 Is anyone in need of Epilepsy Seizure Recognition & Response Training? The Epilepsy Foundation Central and South Texas provides free training to the community! Perfect for schools, daycares, camps, clubs, etc. see answers    email to a friend

05/12/2008 THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORK IN CREATING THIS WEBSITE !! I 'm wondering if others are having the same problem I am in leaving an email on Outlook Express in the "Contact Us" section. I also encountered a problem trying to "Add a Resource," since what I'm trying to add is not an organization per se. It's "Resources for Real Kids with Real Needs" -- an innovative, online guide for parents and professionals found on the website of our local Easter Seals chapter.: http://centraltx.easterseals.com To access the guide, click the gold icon on the right-hand side of the homepage that says "Resources for Real Kids with Real Needs." Susan Hawkins Sager see answers    email to a friend