Your Special Needs Child is Spoiled

We held a garage sale yesterday.  It was likely the first time in my life where I separated myself from those sentimental feelings that prevent you from parting with possessions.   I've been keeping a lot of things that I don't necessarily use or need just because I associated them with a memory I wanted to hold onto. 

But before you know it memories start to add up and so does your basement and things just gather and sit, collecting dust and taking up space.  So I tried not to think too hard about what anything meant to me and said "self you are not using this, you do not need it, time to go."

Easier said than done until you get to things like Noah's life-size bear that I bought for his first Christmas at Sam's Club that nearly cost me $60 with the hopes I could use it to teach him to sit independently.   Stuff it in a bag and keep going I told myself.  And up the stairs the bear went and out into the garage.  Wasn't even truly sure how I'd feel about selling my childhood pink Huffy bike that I nicknamed "sweet thunder,"  but there it sat too in close proximity to the bear.    A piece of my childhood and a piece of Noah's side by side.   Luke wasn't exempt either, out went a rocking horse that we bought last Christmas that he quickly outgrew.   Luke watching from the living room window, obviously distressed about seeing his horse for sale, so we tried to put it out of the line of his sight. 

Goodbye Bear.  We'll miss you, thank you for all you tried to do.

Most of what went were things Noah had simply outgrown.  We've acquired several highchairs... like more than five. Tons of toys that have lights, sounds, and movement littered our driveway.  My basement contains likely seven types of swings and ten therapy balls.  Even things I imported from the UK that cost us hundreds of dollars, like a baby seating system and even a bath seat that I purchased from Australia for Noah.   Things no one would ever pay that price for, except for me.  I'm sure the value of what was out there would have just surprised everyone.   But when you lay it all out there for a garage sale you know you won't even see half of what you paid for it.   Garage sales are such a funny thing, even if you give it away dirt cheap the negotiations to get it for less than .25 cents is the ultimately goal of most prospective buyers - one of the many reasons I'm not truly a fan of holding garage sales.  I really dislike when people act like your $1.00 price tag is terrible for an item in new condition that cost you $35.   I even had hoped that by posting a poster of Noah and telling them where the money from their sale was going that it would make a difference.  It did to I think two people who directly donated to Noah, but most of who came were people obviously trying to scoop up your possessions to load up their trucks to re-sell it all for a higher price.  

A garage sale customer made a comment to my mother about all the really great things that we were selling, and said "wow you really spoil your children."   To which my mother replied, "You don't understand, my daughter has a special needs child and we literally kept trying everything we could."

Just thinking about that statement makes me more teary than the fact that I let go of things that had memories.  Because in the end, you know my mother was right.  I kept trying and trying and trying some more.  And I'm still trying.  It's not about spoiling Noah, it was about giving him every opportunity - any opportunity I could find to soothe him as a distraught, inconsolable baby, to find ways to get him to engage with toys, to try to help him get past sensory aversions, to find ways to even sit comfortably with lack of head, neck and trunk control and purchasing every promising high chair I could get my hands on.  And most importantly a way to make him feel included and engage and participate in the world around him.  

And I'm still trying to do that.  With buying a $630 special needs sled from the UK, obtaining the GoTo Seat, the Upsee, and my mind still keeps wandering as I learned of a specialized GoKart that I would love to have that exists in the UK that allows the parent to drive while having a adapted seating for a special needs passenger with a five point harness.   I don't want Noah to feel like he is missing out on life - on experiences that he cannot have because he is severely disabled.   And maybe you might point the finger and say I'm spoiling him.   But if you could see the sadness in Noah's eyes and hear his pleas and cries watching his little brother do something he cannot, I guarantee you that the thirst to obtain anything to make all your child who cannot otherwise participate without specialized expensive toys, or experimenting with more highchairs that the average mother needs, would drive you to sell off all your precious memories with the hopes you could find a way to keep offering him everything you could.  

It's not like a typical child that can just play with a stick and a make mud pies.  He needs a lot of sensory stimulation and he needs access to toys that do half the work for him and often times have the ability to move or function independently from him making them do so.  And sometimes you buy things thinking they'll work and then they don't.  But you convince yourself they don't work today, but hang onto it, Noah will improve and they'll work tomorrow.   In the end you realize that that a lot of it simply needs to go.  It has served it's purpose and done the most it can do and then you find yourself staring at all these things in your driveway with a for sale sign.   All these beautiful things that look like they were never used, many items still new in boxes.  Because you gave it your all and kept trying.

Love,



Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Noah's Power Wheels

Noah waiting to see his power wheelchair

Even though studies have proven the importance of power mobility for toddlers and young children outlining benefits in social-emotional, cognitive and spatial perception associated with power mobility, some therapists still haven't gotten on board.   We spent five appointments out of a scheduled six trying to prove to a therapist that Noah deserved at a chance to drive a power wheelchair.   As I sit here writing this I'm still shaking my head at the fact that Noah even needed to prove himself.  What should have occurred is simply an assessment of how he'd best access and operate a power wheelchair.  But at the end of the fifth appointment it was clear that the therapist decided to road block Noah intentionally from being approved for a power wheelchair by refusing to recommend he was skilled enough to drive.   She was mad that Noah was acting age appropriate and didn't want to stop every time she asked him to.  Who would want to stop when you just realized you could make yourself move independently?  So, on the fifth appointment we were told not to bother coming to the next one as she had made up her mind.  She wasn't going to recommend Noah have a power wheelchair.  Her comments were rather rude, curt and very unprofessional.  It left me feeling like she had a personal grudge against Noah.   All of it lit a fierce fire within me, along with some maddening tears.  But once I picked myself and my heart up off the ground, I made it my mission to seek out another opinion and continue to pursue a power wheelchair in which I knew Noah could drive.

It cost us a private independent evaluation out of pocket.  But in just one evaluation appointment we accomplished more than we did at the previous five appointments.   Which makes you feel like they were simply milking Medicaid funding.   Finally, a therapist evaluated Noah who understood the research backing the benefits of early mobility for children.   A recommendation was given, paperwork submitted and then the Medicaid approval waiting game. 

I fully expected to have to challenge and appeal some accessories for the power wheelchair, like the stand attachment for Noah's Tobii eye gaze device, or the parental remote control that disables Noah from driving when we want to take over.  But much to my surprise Medicaid didn't deal me any fits.   It was ordered and delivered to be customized for Noah a two days ago. 

The appointment was really exciting.  We had waited over a year for this day to finally arrive after all that it took to find another way to get someone to believe in Noah.  His custom Aspen seat will be transferred back and forth from his Koala Permobil Power Wheelchair and his Zippie base.   His headrest was adapted with a head switch on the right hand side which allows Noah to stop and go with his cheek.   And he turns left and right by using each of his legs.  At first I wasn't really sure about the head switch.  We played around with it realizing that if we put it on Noah's cheek instead of his head that he didn't have to turn his head to go and stop but merely just put his cheek to the switch and still be able to look in the direction he was traveling in. 

Noah's power wheelchair

He got the hang of it fast.  Faster than I even expected him to.  He figured out how to do circles going left and right almost immediately.  And then we took him out to the parking lot and set him free!  There was Noah, with our supervision driving!  It was a pretty amazing moment.  I knew he could do it.  I just wish I didn't have to fight so hard for others to believe in him and that it hadn't taken me so long to find a way to give him this opportunity.   Part of me would just love to send a video and a picture to the therapist who refused to recommend a power wheelchair for Noah reminding her to believe in all her clients and to kind of say yes I found a way around you denying my child something he needed and deserved to promote his independence and personal growth.   But in the end, you can't convince people that what they are doing is wrong.  They have to come to that conclusion all by themselves.

Noah working on left and right turns

My future is so bright that I need shades!

And this is about Noah's victory, not how hurt I was by what a therapist said or did.  Noah is a soul that goes about his success rather quietly.  He has been proving all the naysayers wrong since the moment he was born.   And he'll never have to worry I will always believe in him.

Love,



Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Parent's Perk of the GoTo Seat

When you think adaptive equipment, the first thing that usually comes to mind is how is this going to make my child's life better.   In fact, until today I don't think I've ever looked at a piece of equipment and said how is this also going to make my life better?   But when I sit back and look at a product like the GoTo Seat, it's not just about how it includes my child in activities and family participation, but also the conveniences it provides me as a parent. 

Noah has numerous pieces of equipment.   And those pieces of equipment are cumbersome.  And really they only benefit Noah.  Some of his equipment causes me extra stress trying to find ways to lift it, move it from floor to floor, or even load it into the car, unload and then reload it and then find places to store it all.  I often times find myself counting bruises - not advantages.

Today as I looked at Noah's GoTo Seat in the closet, where it's safely stored to prevent Luke from thinking that he owns it, and I thought gosh what an easy little gadget.   Easy, but it serves so many different purposes and includes Noah in a variety of activities.   I can't say that with all of his equipment.   I never have to worry about finding a place to put it, I could put it anywhere, in the closet, under a bed, in a drawer even!  It's a product that earns its keep just in the fact that it's storage friendly!

The GoTo Seat... safely tucked in Noah's closet

Luke thinking he wants to steal Noah's Seat

And I can easily tote it around anywhere I go.  I attach the back straps together and literally carry it like a purse.  It's become the latest special needs fashion accessory.  Who needs a Louis Vuitton designer bag when you have a GoTo Seat?  And besides lime green is totally all about summer fashion!  Hands down makes me the hottest mom on the block.  With all seriousness though, it's really easy to carry around.  And comfortable for me to have it over my shoulder. Sometimes I wish it had a bag to preserve it's cleanliness, but so far I've been fortunate that even when I store it or travel with it in the car I make sure to put it under Noah's feet because he refuses to travel with shoes and I know he won't get it dirty. 

Traveling with the GoTo Seat

Easy to carry over your shoulder

The Goto Seat is a highly versatile piece of equipment.  And it's okay that it's not just about our children, it's about making our lives easier too.  Noah grabs and swipes a coloring book while sitting in his GoTo Seat and I watch leisurely sipping on an Arnold Palmer. Thinking these are the days.

Love,



Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

A Call to Action

Have you ever had one of those moments where you feel like something is pulling your attention to take notice, or calling you into action for a reason?   Whether that is God, or the Universe or something just plain bigger than you, that says something is placed before you intentionally because you need to carry out a purpose.  It is in that moment when the Universe is literally screaming at you to get your attention and there is an occurrence that you might even call coincidence, except for the fact that the timing is too perfect.

I had one of those moments Father's Day.  

Noah decided to wake up exceptionally early on Father's Day,  but he didn't demand anything he simply wanted to squeal and party in his bed for a few hours and then fall back asleep.  Of course when he parties he's rather loud about it and keeps the entire house up.   So we all slept in a bit causing us to have a later start to the day.   The boys gifted Chris with two shirts.  Luke picked a minion shirt (of course), and Noah picked the Muppets.   The boys get tremendously excited about cartoon shirts on Dad.  So much so that Noah refuses to eat until Dad shows him the shirt he wore when he gets home from work.   It's funny, but Noah takes what his Dad wears rather seriously.   Thank goodness Chris is so proud and brave to wear all these crazy kid inspired shirts to work.   He has a wide collection now from Elmo, to Star Wars, to now many minions.

Chris wanted to head to the zoo with the boys and it was the perfect overcast day with minimal heat for Noah.   We packed our lunches and had just finished eating when I realized that Luke needed a underwear/pants change so I left Chris and Noah to clean up and meet us at the restroom area. The ladies room was rather busy.  I walked in and immediately noticed that the handicapped/family stall was being used by a little girl who's wheelchair sat outside the door because there was no room, while her mother was taking off her pants to change her diaper on the floor.   I kind of cringed at the sight under the door.  Because I had a moment of a flash forward to many years... that could be you I thought.   That WILL be you.   No privacy... nothing sanitary... no dignity for my child with special needs.

I refocused my agenda trying to block out those thoughts so I could change Luke and make sure he didn't touch not one thing in this tiny gross stall while I changed him standing up.  I was so thankful that the child I needed to change could stand while I switched out his pants.   I was just pulling up Luke's shorts when I heard a flush and then a mother's cry saying, "Oh my God, oh my God."  I came out to see that the stall next to the mother changing her daughter on the floor had backed up and overflowed and was flowing onto the floor getting her daughter's hair full of sewer water.   The mother was able to get her child up off the floor before he clothes were soaked but her long blonde hair was a different story.  Caked in gross water and debris, we made eye contact and as I watched every single other woman just stand there with blank stares and shock.  I knew that I was all she had.  She lifted her daughter in a panic to the sink.  All I can remember her saying is she's 9 years old, she can't walk or talk.   But I already knew that when I noticed the wheelchair, but she likely felt the need to justify why her child was laying on the floor to begin with.  We didn't have time to exchange names, or stories, or even tell her that I had a special needs child too.  I was wrangling Luke with one hand so he didn't get away from me, and washing and rinsing this child's hair the best I could with my other hand while her mother held her up.

She was crying heavy tears, I started to cry too.  Such sadness that this happened, and to no fault at all of the mother who was just doing her best to find a way to change her daughter's diaper.  I remember her saying thank you many times, and I only remember telling her it was going to be okay many times.   I walked out first when I knew that her daughter was placed safely back in her wheelchair.  I was surprised at how she was able to lift her all by herself as she was a heavier child for her age.  And was worried she'd need help getting her daughter back into the wheelchair but she did it.  Just like any super strong Mom would.   She followed behind me as I scurried to catch up with Chris and Noah, knowing Chris would be worried about what took me so long.  I looked behind me and she seen Noah and smiled and started to cry again.  She then fully understood our connection.  

Sometimes nothing is chance.   I was absolutely meant to be there in that moment.  God called me into action for a reason.   And as life would have it, I learned of Firefly's campaign called Space to Change.  Firefly, the makers of the Upsee and GoTo Seat, sent an email today containing a survey that I'd like to pass along to others about the tremendous need for better changing accommodations for children with special needs in public places.  The timing of the survey is also something bigger than me.  I feel like not only is it a call for change - but the season for that change.   Please take a moment of your time to complete this brief survey so that information can be gathered to support a campaign in order to prevent something like what I witnessed from happening to another parent ever again.

How do you toilet/change your disabled child on days out? We want to hear from you! Together we can lobby and encourage the places you visit to provide a space to change and make Special Needs Family days better! https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YLNV2ZV
SPACE TO CHANGE – A FIREFLY CAMPAIGN
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Love,




Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Catching the Calm

Let's face it special needs parenting could push the best of people over the edge.  The stress is heavier than a 300 pound gorilla sitting on your chest, the daily demands of coordinating therapies, appointments, not to mention all those battles that we're fighting behind the scenes.   If I didn't find a break in the challenge of it all, I'm sure I could wind up bat crazy.  Just not just plain crazy.  But bat crazy - yes believe me, that is so much worse.

The key to my sanity or even recharging my special needs parenting battery is catching the calm.  The moment in time where you've done all you can do.  You've fought for equipment as far as you can go, have submitted all that has been demanded of you from social security, researched the latest therapies, technology and equipment,  and have sent 100 emails to county services attempting to convince them to pay for your child's therapist and you can do more other than just wait for the results from all your efforts.  It is when you force yourself to take a moment to just breathe and literally watch a garden grow.   Watching the grass grow or smelling the roses works too, whatever floats your boat. 

For me, I've been spending a few days watching Noah's Miracle Garden growing big with all of his Firefly Garden Seeds.  A very special garden this year, as I carried seeds of hope and growth all the way from Ireland for Noah.  And everything is thriving.  Beyond thriving.  Not one seed decided not to try.   I wish I could take the credit for being this master gardener, or this super human parent who can do everything in a day including cultivate an amazing garden, but the truth is The Miracle Garden just does what it does... grows happily.

Much like Noah, this incredibly happy human being.  I'd love to take full credit for that too, but I can't.  Noah is just this very special soul and he's just happy because he exists.  And I'm so ever thankful for his joy.  I soak it up so the sadness, frustration and disappointment that I can't do more for Noah with all these roadblocks and lack of help doesn't consume me. 

I've had some great conversations with the onions, radishes and garlic that are growing.   Yes don't judge, doesn't everyone talk to vegetables?  I wish I could tell you that The Miracle Garden is so awesome that it talked back.  But it doesn't.   But I can tell all these sprouts how grateful I am. I can release my troubles, tell them my greatest hopes, and it offers me the promises of growing endless possibilities.  And added bonus, according to a British study conducted in 2007 there is also evidence that microbes in the soil may lift your mood.  We all can use a little mood lifters... so go dig, go talk to those plants!

Love,




Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Firefly & Proprioceptive Sensory Feedback

As most of the special needs community has heard, Firefly currently has two products that are making a big buzz.   The GoTo Seat and the Upsee.   I can't even say I have a favorite.  Both have made a huge difference in Noah's life.   I now find myself looking around the house for things that we already have that simply can be made better by placing the GoTo Seat in it as an insert. 

In a basement corner I located Noah's childrite seat.   He's had it for a few years.  It works okay, but I have always wished for it to have a higher back that didn't stop at the child's shoulders.  It offers great trunk support for a child who can't sit unassisted, but I found myself always needing to prop it up against the back of a couch and then put pillow behind it to make it more comfortable for Noah.   So I decided to see how it would look with the GoTo Seat and perfection!   Noah can now sit on the floor and play at floor level with his little brother. 

We also decided we'd take the boys for their first ride in the wagon together.  They've never had an opportunity to sit together in the wagon.  We initially bought it for Luke so we could pull him behind Noah's wheelchair. We were unable to attach other chairs like the Special Tomato Chair to the wagon because the straps simply weren't long enough and the angle it would have to be positioned at would not allow for another child to be in the wagon,  and the securing straps were never long enough to wrap underneath the wagon to make is sure it was fastened properly for safety.  

The GoTo Seat 2, has remarkable strap extenders.   Firefly is pure genius for realizing that we needed extra long straps that could be extended both underneath the seat and the two back attaching straps.  They also can be shortened if needed by way of a simple clip attachment.   Because of these super long straps we were able to secure the GoTo Seat all around the entire width of the wagon and secure the back around the back bars.  Noah was so comfortable that every time we pulled into our driveway he had a mini tantrum indicating he was not ready to be home and we better take yet another walk around the block.  We did that until Noah finally decided we had given him an adequately long ride.

I really loved Noah's GoTo Seat size 1, but he is just a big guy now, and fits so much better in the size 2.  The side laterals that draw in are great because it gives him the little hug he needs to sit comfortable and secure.  The adjustable headrest is a dream come true!  I am not sure how I ever did without this chair.   And am so thankful that it exists now for children like Noah. 

Recently some parents have asked me about why their child is experiencing slight hesitation with the Upsee reporting their child seems nervous, scared, and cries.   And as a special needs parent with a very physically involved child, I sat down and really gave some thought as to why some children take off loving it from the start while there is still a small percentage of children that seem to be unsure of the Upsee in the beginning.

Then I seen a child using it alongside a hola-hoop and it was like a light-bulb going off.  Of course, some children - especially sensory seeking children could very well be struggling with their body's orientation relative to gravity.  Now granted, I'm not a therapist, but I have lots of years of on-the job special needs training and I've absorbed a lot of knowledge like a big sponge.  I think what many of these children could be experiencing is something called the need for Proprioceptive Sensory Feedback.  For many of these children it's the first time they've had the opportunity be in an upright position without a walking frame.  Naturally some children might be feeling a little lost in space.

This helps explain how proprioceptive feedback works:

Proprioceptors are sensors that provide information about orientation of the body relative to the body's orientation with respect to gravity, movement of the body relative to the external medium and movements and forces in localized regions of the body. Muscle spindles are primarily responsible for position and movement sense, Golgi tendon organs provide the sense of force and the vestibular system provides the sense of balance. Feedback from proprioceptors feedback is essential for the accurate execution of movement execution. For voluntary limb movements in primates, proprioceptive feedback can regulate the generation of motor command by correcting errors using negative feedback loops; providing timing cues about an ongoing movement to initiate commands required at a later time within a movement sequence; and by providing signals used in the planning of movements by providing information about starting limb position to set parameters of feed forward commands. Proprioceptive feedback is also required to modify motor commands slowly in response to alterations in the biomechanical properties of the limbs.  http://www.els.net/WileyCDA/ElsArticle/refId-a0000071.html

So the key is how can we find each child's comfort zone and offer them the proprioceptive feedback that they are seeking when using the Upsee.   Some kids are content and don't need that sensory feedback, while others do crave it and frankly need it.  By giving a child something to hold onto in front of them, such as a hola-hoop it helps give them a sense of balance and proprioceptive recognition.  Now this doesn't have to necessarily be a hola-hoop, you could do it with a broomstick,  we even tried some ideas with Noah to give other parents some picture ideas, Noah held a child's putter that went to a play golf set.  Could even be a stick.   Just as long as it is something in front of the child that they can hold while walking.  Some children like Noah, struggle to hold onto things, but I find even Noah can hold on with at least one hand even if the other has difficulties joining it.  And as you can tell sometimes Noah needs a little help with us holding our hands over his to help him hold onto something, which is okay if you need to assist your child with holding onto an object. 

Many of you may have seen Noah in Firefly pictures holding daffodils.  Very content and full of smiles.  And while he doesn't seem to require having to hold objects to enjoy the Upsee, I do see that he seems happier when he's touching or playing with something, because he's getting positive feedback through his hands at the same time he's in an upright position.   I certainly think to some degree Noah might even enjoy the proprioceptive feedback he gets from touching or holding objects while using the Upsee.

Most humans move their arms when walking.  Have you ever noticed?  You might wonder why that is.  Your arms act as counter balances for the legs and help to maintain an steady posture while walking. I've watched a lot of videos of children using the Upsee and I'm always curious to see how different children are handling their arms.  I remember watching this one precious video of this little girl who was so excited about her Upsee, and was able to talk about it.  She moved her arms almost in an Egyptian-like fashion.  It was adorable and I'm sure melted the hearts of anyone who seen it.  I couldn't tell if she was doing it intentionally or if that was her way of feeling a sense of balance when she walked.   Some videos I see children have their arms straight out and look like they are getting ready to fly, others seek out the comfort of their parents hands to hold onto, some are giving show-hands, some are able to double wave continuously. 

Some neurological disorders like "cerebral palsy, cause constrained or opposite arm motion. This abnormal movement negatively affects sufferers’ walking balance and energy expenditure." Studies have shown "Arm swinging is a sensible part of an economic gait on two legs.”
http://cosmosmagazine.com/news/why-we-swing-our-arms-when-we-walk/

Some children simply are not physically able or ready to swing arms in relation to the steps they are taking, and in these cases offering the child something to satisfy the need for proprioceptive sensory feedback, might just do the trick.  If nothing else, it will give you one more adventure and something else to try in the Upsee!

"Walking is man's best medicine."  Hippocrates

Love,





Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Five Special Needs Summer Essentials

I love stumbling upon great products that work well for Noah and other children who have special needs. Last week we toured Walmart going isle to isle to keep Noah happy (he was in the mood to shop), we found a new product called Rise by Sprout.

Chef Tyler Florence is the maker of the very popular brand Organic Sprout Baby Food line.  It has always been a great line of food.  But I've always wished for pouches to have a slightly higher calorie count for children that are past the toddler stage, but still are in need of pureed foods.   So I was thrilled when I seen that Rise by Sprouts was on the shelves sitting between all the granola bars.  The calorie counts range at 130 calories per pouch to 150 a pouch.   They come in approximately 8 different flavor combinations. These little cuties seem to be currently only homed at Walmart and Amazon for purchase.

I'm always in search if toys that have the potential to be easier held and grasped by hands that have some challenges. I found this bathtub ball in a child's magazine.  It's called the Begin Again Bathtub Ball and can also be purchased through Amazon.  For expert hands the toys within the ball can be taken out and re-inserted.

Noah has very sensitive skin and his eczema always seems to flare up, especially seasonally.  We're always balancing that combination of what works well on his skin without creating additional skin irritation.   We have fallen in love with the light scent and smooth lotion feel that Goddess Garden Organic Sunscreen provides.  We happen to love the spray, but there are other varieties and scent combinations available.   It rubs in easy and doesn't leave a film or greasy texture.  This is very important for a child that has sensory challenges both to smells and products that rub the skin.   I also have to hand it to the company when I heard that they donated a case to a family with a child in need.

We are always looking for creative new ways to incorporate family participation and found this product called Can You Imagine Air Power Soccer Disk-Light Up (can be purchased on Amazon)
It glides on the floor and allows you to play indoor soccer in the Upsee by Firefly!

We love finding new clothing lines that take into consideration sensory challenges that many children with special needs face.  Two new lines which we love are Kickee Pants, and the Butterfly Brand.  Kickee pants is a Bamboo blind that feels softer than silk.  It is so heavenly for even the most delicate of skin.  The Butterfly Brand is also a new line that recognizes how irritating seems can be for children with delicate skin and sensory issues and has a line where the seams are inverted and remain on the outside of the clothing.   Noah has tried both and they are very popular with him.  Both are brands that will be on his wish list each season.  And I also love how these two companies give back to the special needs community.  A short video about the Butterfly Brand, featuring Noah's awareness card can be viewed here.

ww.kickeepants.com/shop/pc/home.asp

https://squareup.com/market/butterfly-brand

Love,



Noah's Miracle by Stacy Warden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.