Amber Bobnar

Originally from Hawaii, Amber and her family moved to Massachusetts to be closer to Boston Children’s Hospital where her son, Ivan, now receives medical care.

 

She has a Master’s degree in English from Tufts University and spends most of her “free time” writing about being a parent of a disabled child on WonderBaby.org. But really most of her time is spent caring for and playing with her son.

Ivan and family at first day of preschool

IEPs, Visual Impairment

IEP’s for Parents of Blind or Visually Impaired Children

Learn the basics of creating an IEP for a child with a visual impairment so you can walk in to your IEP meeting perfectly prepared.

Ballyland Magic app

iPad Apps and Accessibility, Visual Impairment

Ballyland Magic App: Introducing iPad Accessibility to Children Who are Blind or Visually Impaired

Ballyland Magic app introduces visually impaired and blind kids to iPad accessibility features like VoiceOver through a fun game. The game is entertaining so they don't even realize they are...

diagram of gene therapy in the retina

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

A Shared Vision: Resources for Inherited Retinal Diseases

Spark Therapeutics has launched a new website designed to help patients, caregivers and health care professionals better understand inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) and the importance of genetic testing.

reading the braille on tactile stickers

Braille and Literacy

Tactile Stickers with Braille

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if children with a visual disability could have as much fun with stickers as their sighted friends, whether as a reward for an achievement or simply...

Resurrection Eggs

Holiday Crafts and Ideas

Resurrection Eggs: A Tactile Easter Story

Resurrection Eggs are filled with tactile objects that tell the traditional Easter story of Jesus and the resurrection.

DIY stay put play spaces

Fine and Gross Motor, Sensory Activities

Hold Everything: “Stay-Put” Play Spaces for Infants and Young Children with Sensory Impairments and Other Special Needs

This guide provides you with DIY Stay-Put play spaces for infants and developmentally young children with sensory impairments and other special needs.

Madilyn at Build-a-Bear

Play, Sensory Activities

Build-a-Bear Workshop: A Multi-Sensory Experience!

Ivan went to Build-a-Bear with his friend Madilyn and they had a great time building bears! This is a perfect activity for kids with special needs.

closeup of animals book

Giveaways

DK Braille Books Giveaway

Enter to win two braille books with tactile images from DK publishing. Contest ends March 31, 2016.

scientist in the lab

Health & Nutrition

Gene Therapy: What is it and how does it work?

With so much in the news these days about gene therapy, you may be wondering if there really is a treatment on the horizon to benefit inherited eye diseases. The...

Parenting, Special Needs

What I wish people understood about raising a medically complex child

Here's something I've learned in the last 10 years: Raising a special needs child is hard, but raising a special needs child who is medically complex is much harder.

Ivan sleeping in his new bed

Sleep, Special Needs

Getting a Special Needs Bed Funded Through Insurance

Does your child need a special bed in order to be safe at night? Special needs beds can be prohibitively expensive, so most of us require our insurance to cover...

Ivan reading braille

Braille and Literacy, Visual Impairment

Our Favorite Tactile Books for Blind Kids

The best tactile books for blind kids. Find books that provide some nice feedback for kids reading with their fingers!