Welcome to Part One of our series on how meditation and mindfulness can make a profound difference in the lives of children with speech disorders. In this installment, we'll explore the impact of anxiety in children with speech and communication challenges and how meditation plays a vital role in reducing anxiety and promoting better communication. Join us on this journey to discover how these …
parenting
Board Member Spotlight: Tom Leskovec
Welcome to our Board Member Spotlight, featuring Tom Leskovec. Tom is a valued member of the Orange Effect Foundation's board of directors, working hard to ensure informed and impactful grant-making decisions are made each quarter. Today, we take a break from our usual topics as Tom shares with us how embracing surprises can bring us closer to our loved ones and make a positive …
Have You Met Jessica Park?
Not quite 20 years ago, while visiting the Yale University Art Gallery, I happened upon a brightly colored, dazzlingly detailed painting of a house. Such a simple subject for a painting, but seen through the creative eyes of Jessica Park, whose fame as an artist with autism was growing internationally, the house almost pulsed with life. That is where I met Jessica Park. Jessica’s story is …
Why a Night at the Races?
We’ve written before about fundraising. It’s tough. Many organizations have a staff person dedicated to it, because fundraising needs time and attention to be successful. For the past couple of years here at The Orange Effect Foundation, we’ve done an event called Silence for Speech. We asked people to go a day without talking to learn what it's like to be a person with a communication …
Eyes?
My oldest (who is autistic) just returned from a weeklong trip going to theme parks on the East Coast with the goal to ride as many roller coasters as possible! Not my idea of a great time but something they’ve been looking forward to for a long time. The trip made me a little sentimental. First off, my baby was covering over 1000 miles of driving on their own and second managing all the things …
Speech-Language Concerns? Don’t Wait – Evaluate!
“They’re still young - let’s just wait and see.” Coming from a pediatrician, this phrase holds a lot of power over parents worried about their child’s speech and language skills. The parents may have expressed a concern that their two-year-old hasn't started talking yet, is only saying a few words, or is very hard to understand. When the pediatrician brushes it off as not a big deal, the natural …
Honoring Mothers
I’ve had a lot of people in my life who have been a role model to me. I am thankful to every one of them. However, especially now as a mom, I find Mothers Day to be extra special. It’s fun to look back and reminisce about the things our parents did for us. Most of us don’t recognize the sacrifice parents make until we are adults ourselves. Here are some thoughts from our board members about their …
When Someone Else Can Put It Into Words
Being the parent of a child with Autism is no easy task. To those of you doing it every day this is not new news. I’ve read so many books by the experts about everything from causes to best practices, but never have I been so struck by a book as I was when I read The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer. Let me backtrack just a little. I am in a book club that I love. After so many years of …
The Effect of Covid on Speech Therapy
Kids Who Need Speech Therapy In An (Almost) Post Pandemic World In this first of a three part series of blog posts, we reached out to several of the speech therapists we have been privileged to work with, and asked them for some feedback to share with our families and supporters. The first question we asked is, What effects have you seen on students since the impact of …
THE ORANGE EFFECT FOUNDATION AWARDS SPEECH GRANTS FOR FIRST QUARTER 2023
The Orange Effect Foundation recently awarded $28,411 to 18 children across the United States with speech disorders. This quarter’s grants were awarded after a thorough review process by dedicated members of the Orange Effect Board of Directors. “It’s an amazing feeling to help children in need.” said Kristin Erbacher, Orange Effect Foundation Board Chair. “On top of funding speech …
Everyone Deserves a Voice
Sometimes big ideas start in small, unexpected places. You might be surprised to know that speech-generating devices (SGDs) began in a basement in rural Ohio. Two engineers, Ed Prentke and Barry Romich, connected over a mutual passion to help individuals with disabilities. In 1966, they launched their incredible work to give a voice to those who can’t speak for themselves. PRC-Saltillo …
How Do You Know Which Resources To Trust?
I am always happy to sit down and chat with parents and caregivers about anything related to Autism or children with special needs. I enjoy learning about the new things they are able to do because of research and technology, and am mesmerized by their passion and commitment to their children. I often sound like a broken record saying ‘wow, back when my kids were little we didn’t have anything …