Family

Special needs

Are you raising a child with special needs? We're here to help with personal stories, expert advice, the latest research, and tips on how to support your child.

How my son’s autism taught me to say no

How my son’s autism taught me to say no

I used to think I had to do it all—until my kid’s diagnosis gave me a much-needed reality check.

Alexandra Samuel

Special needs parents: Here’s how to make sure your other kids are supported

Special needs parents: Here’s how to make sure your other kids are supported

When you have a kid with a special need or disability, your other kids can sometimes get lost in the mix. Here’s how to get them the support they need.

Kara Melissa Sharp

What developmental trauma disorder looks like in kids

What developmental trauma disorder looks like in kids

Developmental trauma impacts the physical development of a child’s brain, affecting their mental health and more. But there are ways to help deal with it.

Sarah Treleaven

Can a blood test predict if a sibling will also have autism?

Can a blood test predict if a sibling will also have autism?

Canadian researchers are hopeful a genetic test for autism could be “one tool” to help diagnose autism earlier, but the science has a long way to go.

Wendy Glauser

Everything you need to know about autism treatment

Everything you need to know about autism treatment

From autism therapies, autism medications and autism diets, here’s everything you need to know about autism treatment and whether there’s a cure.

Arlene Karidis

Doctors should start screening for autism as early as 6 months, says CPS

Doctors should start screening for autism as early as 6 months, says CPS

The Canadian Paediatric Society hopes to shift diagnosis and care for kids with autism from specialists to community practitioners.

Lisa Kadane

How to plan for post-secondary education when your child has autism

How to plan for post-secondary education when your child has autism

Making the jump from high school to college or university is especially challenging for a student on the spectrum. Here’s how to support their transition.

Joel Yanofsky

Everything you need to know about weighted blankets

Everything you need to know about weighted blankets

Everyone wants a good night's sleep, but not everyone can get one. Weighted blankets can aid relaxation and promote a feeling of calm.

Christen Shepherd

A hand-holding guide to IEPs

A hand-holding guide to IEPs

This is your guide to the Individualized Education Plan: what it is, how to get one and why and IEP may be the key to your kid’s success.

Claire Gagne

The invisible part of special-needs parenting is what makes it so tough

The invisible part of special-needs parenting is what makes it so tough

It's super hard to parent through issues in private that nobody can see, that nobody really gets and nobody wants to talk about.

Jacqueline Miller

10 inclusive playgrounds in Canada where kids with disabilities will love to play

10 inclusive playgrounds in Canada where kids with disabilities will love to play

At these Canadian playparks, kids with mobility, sensory and sight challenges can get active and have fun alongside non-disabled peers.

Lisa Kadane

The way your toddler looks at your face could be an early sign of autism

The way your toddler looks at your face could be an early sign of autism

A new technique that analyzes kids' eye-gaze patterns might be the key to helping doctors more quickly and accurately diagnose autism.

Anita Layton

6 autism-friendly airports parents and caregivers should know about

6 autism-friendly airports parents and caregivers should know about

These airports want to make flying less stressful for kids with sensory sensitivities.

Valerie Howes

I coped with my son’s special needs by throwing myself into my job

I coped with my son’s special needs by throwing myself into my job

But then I got fired—and had to find a new identity apart from my work.

Imogen Wallace

Yes, people like me can have babies

Yes, people like me can have babies

What it’s like to give birth as a woman with a physical disability.

Kalli Anderson

9 apps that help kids with autism develop new skills

9 apps that help kids with autism develop new skills

Innovative new apps and mobile technology can open doors to how kids learn.

Christine Elgersma, Common Sense Media

My son has autism, but I refuse to let it limit our family

My son has autism, but I refuse to let it limit our family

How our family copes with the realities of my son’s autism, where the victories are small and the challenges ever-changing.

Lisa Kadane

Why my son’s pool party made me choke up

Why my son’s pool party made me choke up

Most parents don’t think twice about their kid’s friends dropping by at their house. But as the parent of a teen on the spectrum, I think about it a lot.

Lisa Beach

How changes to the Ontario Autism Program will hurt kids like my son

How changes to the Ontario Autism Program will hurt kids like my son

The Ontario Autism Program gives families a lump sum of cash based on age and income. This criteria unfortunately ignores a child’s actual needs.

Janet McLaughlin

Having autism made me a better mother

Having autism made me a better mother

Laura James only learned that she had autism at the age of 45, after her kids were grown. But in many ways it helped—rather than hurt—her ability to parent.

Laura James