Why ban straws? Each day, Americans use approximately 500 million drinking straws. According to the National Park Service (NPS), this amount could fill 46,400 school buses every year (1). Straws and other plastic products take a very long time to decompose. Therefore, they either end up in landfills or make their way to the ocean, […]
How to Behave Around Service Dogs
If you do not personally work with a service dog, or have someone close to you who does, it can be difficult to know how to behave around them. Even well-meaning people often make faux pas when it comes to service dog etiquette and rules. Some of these errors may simply annoy service dog owners, […]
Adaptive Clothing Lines for Children with Disabilities
Although there are many companies that sell adaptive apparel for children, their offerings often prioritize functionality at the expense of fashion. However, a few clothing companies have recently launched lines specifically for children with disabilities and designed with trends in mind: *Please note that we have no affiliation with any of these companies* Tommy Hilfiger’s […]
Haircuts for Children with Sensory Processing Issues
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and sensory processing issues may react negatively to personal hygiene and grooming routines because they become overwhelmed by certain types of touch, smell, etc. Although kids with sensory challenges are often upset by day-to-day tasks such as brushing teeth, many parents report that one of the most distressing activities […]
Controversial “Baker Act”: Elementary Schoolers Arrested
Although many adults have never heard of the “Baker Act,” 10-year-old Kevin Bowles is well aware of its meaning. Kevin is a student at Gulfstream Elementary School in Florida. He is on the autism spectrum, has ADHD, and is prone to meltdowns. Recently, he became agitated at school and heard one teacher tell another to […]