I don’t think it is true for everyone, but for me I am always a little extra proud when things originate in my home town. I’m just a huge Cleveland fan. So when I heard that Cleveland Hearing and Speech, whom Orange Effect Foundation has partnered with for several years to provide summer camp for kids with speech disorders, was the only area provider of Opti- Speech, I was pretty darn …
Checking Life’s Milestones Off The List
Do you do that? Do you keep a mental tally of the things you hope your child will successfully do and give yourself a pat on the back when they accomplish something? I sure did. Maybe it’s because they (doctors, society) harbor on it so much during a child’s first year. Did hold their head up, roll over, sit up, crawl, stand etc.--all within their first twelve months of life. Yikes that’s a …
Does Your Autistic Child Do That?
I love seeing the differences in my two sons. I am so blessed that they are best friends (knock on wood that sticks forever) and I know I am lucky that they do get along so well. In part, I think that is due to Joshua’s autism. He doesn’t see the value in arguing over very much except maybe iphone versus everything else. I started to wonder if his laid-back temperament was really due to his …
What Moms Really Want For Mother’s Day
I truly believe that family is a top priority. Many friends will tell you stories of my “family first” mentality. For me, my family includes my girlfriends. They are my rocks. They have gotten me through so much it’s truly indescribable. I think of them as heroes. They work hard, play harder, and parent like the amazing women that they are. So, as Mother’s Day approaches they are on my mind. They …
Do You Have Any Regrets? My Story With an Autistic Son.
I love connecting with parents. I have a soft spot for parents who recently had a child diagnosed with a special need. I tell them to focus on the special, and not on the need. The question I get asked the most is if I have any regrets, or anything I would do differently. I know why they ask and I don’t mind at all. Why reinvent the wheel they are thinking. Tell me how to fix this ASAP. …
The Orange Effect Foundation is Expanding!
As we begin our fourth year of independent operations, we are overwhelmed by the need for speech therapy and speech generating devices. Research shows that children with any speech delay or disorder have a higher chance of success with early intervention. Yet, every day we see children denied health insurance benefits that would help them achieve their therapy goals. At our first quarter …
Help! My Child Isn’t Motivated for Speech Therapy!
We started speech therapy for our son when he was two years old. Because he was autistic, and loved his routines and familiarity, we found someone who was willing to complete the sessions in our home. Still, it took months before he would participate in the activities or cooperate at all as he always had his own agenda! I’ve run into other parents who have had similar experiences, but many go …
Autism, Speech Therapy and Minecraft
Today a photo popped up in my Facebook memories that actually caused me to have a true emotional gasp! Look at the big genuine smile on those boys! That’s Adam on the left, and Joshua on the right. The photo was taken 5 years ago at Minecon - yes, that is right - the convention for Minecraft! Minecraft had a lasting impact on our family - so much so that one of my husband’s most popular …
To Declare or Not to Declare a Disability
Joshua, the subject of many blog posts, and driving force behind the building of the Orange Effect Foundation, applied for an internship for next summer. I’m super excited about it, although I think the position is for college students and he is only in high school - but still, take a shot, right? During the application process Joshua had to do several things including write a poem - pictured …
Schools and Parents Don’t Always Agree On the Best Route for Kids: What Can You Do?
In this final post in our series, we ask the experts a really tough question and they do not disappoint with their answers. It is important to note in this post that procedures for diagnosing a child as well as getting help in school may vary by state, or in some cases, even by school district so it’s important to talk to someone local! What can you do when your child's school does not agree …
Being Grateful For the Little Things
We at the Orange Effect Foundation find it easy to be grateful. We have over 100 reasons to be thankful. In 2018, we have funded speech therapy for over 100 children across the United States. We are making a difference. We are grateful to all our sponsors who help make this happen. To show how far the gratitude goes, here is what some of our Orange Effect grant recipient families are thankful …
Is it Ever Too Late For Speech Therapy?
Continuing in our series of blog posts answering some of the FAQ’s we get here at Orange Effect Foundation, we have reached out to our experts today to find out if you are ever too old to start speech therapy. We started the series last month by asking how these amazing professionals can do work with toddlers. We know that not all kids hit their milestones at the same time but our experts were …
