OcalaMom.com

If you have a child with special needs, where do you find the best resources to help you? There are a lot of agencies in the area, some through the public school system and some that are non-profits. Which ones are most helpful to you and why?

Hi, I'm a grandmother of a 5 year old boy with high functioning autism. He was diagnosed at Shands when he was 4. They referred us to CARD (Center for Autism & Related Disabilities) at UF. They gave us an abundance of info as well as connecting us with their Ocala rep. Sylvia Miller. Sylvia had started a support group for parents. Helping Hands not only meets the last Wednesday of every month at the library. But it also helps locate specific resources, helps with school issues, and puts on conferences.

I have a 5 year old daughter with high-functioning Autism also. We were sent by her daycare (CFCC) to FDLRS when she was 3, which is part of the Marion County School System. She received a complete evaluation with phyical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, a psychologist, and a few other people. This lasted at least 2 hours or so. They said she qualified for all the therapies and they started her at Harbour View Elementary almost immediately. She attends Pre-K with about 16 other kids aged 3-5 with special needs. She has made AMAZING strides in the last 2 years there. When she started, she was non-verbal. Now, she speaks in mostly full sentences and says some of the funny "kid" things that we associate with 5 year olds! I was very impressed with the attention and care she has received from everyone involved in her schooling, including her 2 teachers, 2 aides, bus driver and aide, and countless therapists.

I would love to hear from other moms of special needs kids also. It's a little isolating when all my co-workers have little girls the same age and my girl isn't doing the same things.

Our support group that meets on the last Wednesday of every month has a group of pretty terrific moms and grandmas who share resources and celebrate in even the tiniest accomplishment that our kids with ASD make. We recharge each other every month and for the people who can't make it, they form relationships that take place even when we are not together. You are always welcome to join us at the Ocala Library between 6 and 8 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month. Next month we have the Director of CARD (Center for Autism and Related Disabilities) coming to join us and we have a lot of events going on during Autism Awareness month that you might find interesting. If you go to my website http://phpf-fountain.org and click on the autism pages and scroll down to conferences or just go to http://card.ufl.edu and click on the calendar to find out about all the goings on around town next month. Stop by the mall this Saturday for the "Hands are not for hurting" expo and visit our Autism and Other Disabilities Workgroup table. I'd love to meet you.

CARDlady:
You should add your events and meetings to the calendar. Anyone can upload public events and even use the calendar to send notifications. It's a really neat resource. The Star-Banner is also using this calendar to pull events for the calendars that appear in the paper. There's not guarantee that it will make it into the paper, but chances are pretty good.
Keep up the good work in the community.
Robyn

I have been volunteering at a therapeutic riding center for many years and I have seen wonders accomplished at these centers. I work with Stirrpus n' Strides Therapeutic Riding Center in Citra. The director Betty Gray has a daughter that suffered head trauma many years ago yet she functions well. Betty takes anyone with a disability from a young child to an adult. I have seen children with Autism utter their first words such as "whoa" when asked to stop their horse. I have seen children walk in on crutches and after a few sessions, attempt to walk without the use of the crutches. Please check out www.stirrupsnstrides.com or go to www.narha.org to find out more about therapeutic riding