Julia, a Muppet with autism, was welcomed to Sesame Street in April 2017. She's an old friend of Elmo's but a new addition to the neighborhood. Watch the clip below to see her debut. For more information about why Sesame Street team created a character with autism, be sure to read this Smithsonian Magazine article. Written by Ron Suskind, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who explored life …
Blog
The Season of Giving
The Season of Giving. We all know the phrase and hear it regularly throughout November and December every year. A cursory search for its origins turns up speculation, at best. But its meaning is implicitly understood – the end of the calendar year is marked by holiday celebrations which provide opportunities to both receive tokens of love and regard from friends and family, as well as to give to …
Happy Holidays From the Orange Effect Foundation
Sharing the Christmas message from this special needs family that things get better, there is hope, and children do adapt. Happy Holidays from the Orange Effect Foundation! https://youtu.be/Bzi2R2wslfQ …
Find the Perfect Gift With These Special Needs Gift Guides
If you won’t be caught within 1,000 feet of a mall this time of year, you’ll probably be doing a lot of online shopping, and scouring for those specialty items your child might enjoy. This online gift guide is just what you need to find the perfect toy or therapy item for a special needs child. Therapist Recommendations 1. 2017 Holiday Gift Guide From pediatric occupational therapist Meghan …
The Battle For Insurance Coverage–We Won!
Let me just start by saying that this blog post is not to bash our insurance company. In fact, you will rarely hear me speak in a negative way about our insurance company because of the incredible coverage that we have and the benefits that our company provides. I have learned that most families that have their children in regular speech therapy run into some trouble with getting insurance to …
Recipient Spotlight: Maya
Maya has a severe phonological processes disorder. At age 4, she could only make vowel sounds and not a single consonant sound. Because of her inability to communicate, she was frustrated and withdrawn. Lacking insurance coverage for speech therapy, two years of twice-weekly sessions cost her family more than $11,000. Maya’s family reached out to the Orange Effect Foundation for help. The …
Happy Thanksgiving!
5 Things That Made Holidays Hard For My Autistic Son
As the holidays approach, I reflect on how tricky they were for my son Joshua. There are a number of things going on at one time, which often challenge an Autistic child, regardless of where they are on the spectrum. By no means did we ever expect our family and friends to cater to us, but there are issues that affect an Autistic child that often do not affect a “typical” child. Here are some …
For Girls With Autism, Differences Matter
When you think of “autism,” does a male child come to mind? It’s understandable if you answer “yes.” Past estimates have suggested that for every female on the autism spectrum, there are three to four males. On the high-functioning end of the spectrum, estimates have been even higher — in the ream of nine males to one female. But those estimates are changing as we learn more about girls and …
Age-Appropriate Speech and Language Milestones
The ability to hear is essential for proper speech and language development. Hearing problems may be suspected in children who are not responding to sounds or who are not developing their language skills appropriately. The following are some age-related guidelines that may help to decide if your child is experiencing hearing problems. It is important to remember that not every …
The Orange Effect Spreads as Foundation Awards $29,000 in Grants to Children with Speech Disorders
CLEVELAND - Oct. 16, 2017 - PRLog -- The Orange Effect Foundation proudly announces that this month it awarded more than $29,000 in grants to children and young adults in need. Following a thorough review process, recipients were awarded grants to pay for speech therapy that will help them overcome Childhood Apraxia of Speech and other debilitating speech disorders, or received funds to purchase …
Enhancing Fluency For Those Who Stutter
The Orange Effect Foundation recently awarded a grant to a young adult with a severe stutter. The grant funded a SpeechEasy device which uses delayed auditory feedback and frequency altered feedback to enhance fluent speech production. Watch this video to learn more about how this device eased a stutter and improved the quality of life for a teen in Jacksonville, Florida while also boosting his …
