Balancing a marriage and kids with special needs

Noor Al-Shaikh (above) and his wife Rita have three children. Gisele, 10, and Sienna, 5, have a rare, non-progressive condition called Juvenile ALS type 2. They can’t walk on their own and use canes, walkers or a wheelchair. Sister Iliana, 7, is not affected. While challenging, Noor believes raising children with disabilities has strengthened his relationship with Rita. In this BLOOM clip he shares strategies for keeping a marriage strong. To view this on a full screen, go directly to YouTub...

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When is autism an advantage?

Changing perceptions: The power of autism is an interesting piece in the online Nov. 2 issue of Nature magazine which has produced a lot of blogger discussion. Author Laurent Mottron, a University of Montreal researcher in the cognitive neuroscience of autism, has eight people on his research team who have autism. "As a clinician, I...know all too well that autism is a disability that can make daily activities difficult," Mottron writes....

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Filmpossible fever

Gabi Cherng and Gavin Daley, second and third from left, were recognized at the filmpossible awards last week as the stars of the first-place entry in the photo category -- Lucky fin love -- and the I can be me! video, which won the Cisco Visibility Award. They accepted the first award for Toronto photographer Annya Miller, who was unable to attend. Their submission included the comment: "Left...

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Parents play critical role in safety of hospitalized children

A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal this week underscores the importance of families in identifying adverse events or near misses (medication errors, treatment complications, equipment failures or miscommunication between staff or between staff and family) in the care of hospitalized children.   Over one year, 544 families of children on a single ward at British Columbia's Children's Hospital were...

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Talking about limb difference

In the first of a series of BLOOM clips, Janelle Cherng talks about explaining daughter Gabi's limb difference in social situations. In BLOOM clips parents and experts talk about childhood disability. Send us your ideas for future topics! Thanks, Loui...

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Violin solo: 'It's not something I thought I'd be able to do'

We've written about Eric Wan (above) before, a graduate student in engineering at Holland Bloorview who helped develop the Virtual Music Instrument, a software that allows children who can't manipulate conventional instruments to make music. Eric, who was paralyzed at age 18, will play violin -- with head movements -- with the Montreal Chamber Orchestra tomorrow. Watch this YouTube video and read more in this Montreal Gazette piece...

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'The third parent'

Sophia Isako Wong (left) is an associate professor of philosophy at Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York. She is also a sister to Leo (right), who has Down syndrome. Below is a short story Sophia wrote about her childhood. But first she speaks about her research into children who take on a parent role in caring for siblings with disabilities or other members of the family. In my research, I analyze existing psychological...

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Seeing through a parent's eyes

  I'm speaking to a group of student engineers next week about our journey trying to find a robust means of communication for Ben. These students work with families to develop technology that gives children who can't speak or move access to communication and control of a computer. As I was putting the presentation together, it struck me that there were two distinct ways of "seeing" Ben. One was through medical descriptions that...

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This and that

Sara, BLOOM's designer, and I walked in Spiral Garden the other day (above). It's the magical location for a summer program run by practising artists that brings together children with and without disabilities. It's a peaceful place that fills you up with nature and growth and colour. I've been mulling over some blog ideas in the last couple of days, but none have come to fruition. One is about what I perceive to be an unhealthy, over-emphasis...

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Cognitive disability and personhood

  Author Donna Thomson (The Four Walls of My Freedom) directed me to a book called Cognitive Disability and its Challenge to Moral Philosophy. It's a collection of essays that address philosophical questions raised by people with cognitive disabilities, which the authors define as those with intellectual disability, autism and Alzheimer's disease. I haven't read the book yet, but the introduction notes that people with intellectual disability fall...

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We had the same ache in our hearts

We've had guest blogs about the impact of a child’s disabilities or special needs on a marriage. I found a piece I wrote about the different ways that my husband D’Arcy and I reacted to Ben’s genetic condition early on. It can use some work, but I thought it might be of interest to other parents. D'Arcy read the piece and remembered some of these things differently, but was okay with me running it! Louise We had the same ache...

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Does disability dampen teen sexuality? No! doctors say

Teens with physical and intellectual disabilities are just as interested in romance and sex as peers, but are less likely to have a partner because they lack social opportunities and sex education, say two McMaster University doctors. “Most of the challenges are a result of the widespread myth of asexuality and other negative stigma surrounding people with disabilities,” said Dr. Jan Willem Gorter, a physiatrist who runs a teen transition clinic at McMaster. Gorter was speaking with Dr. Natasha Johnson, a pediatrician in adolescent...

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Silent Sunday night

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Silent Sunday

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Resting in that grey area

Some of you noticed that I deleted a post I wrote last weekend. I had wanted to share something going on in our lives -- from Ben's perspective -- without getting into a lot of detail. But because I felt compelled to respond to comments, I wrote more than I was comfortable with. I felt I had to defend my choices. It got me thinking about how there is no one "right" way to parent a child -- with or without disabilities. Our children and families are too unique to benefit from cookie-cutter solutions. But sometimes within the parenting community...

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What advice would you offer a younger you?

BLOOM contributor Amy Baskin has a moving post at Today's Parent: it's a letter she wishes she could have written to herself as a brand-new mom to a child with autism. If you could look back and give yourself advice for those early days, what would it ...

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Talk to me!

I'm keen to film and post a series of short video clips with parents talking on topics that matter to you. What would you most like to hear another parent talk about? Please let us know. Thanks! Loui...

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Take your kid to work day

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