Special Needs

Find support for parents of children with special needs. Learn how to advocate for your child, raise funds for needed equipment and find helpful organizations.

Filter by: Advocacy, Assistive Technology, Autism, Schools for the Blind, Support, Visual Impairment

multi-colored neon glow sticks

Light Play, Toys, Visual Impairment

Top 10 Light Toys for Kids Who Are Visually Impaired

It may seem like $10 won't get you much these days, but here you'll find the best inexpensive light toys for kids who are visually impaired!

baby's hand

Parenting, Visual Impairment

My baby is blind… What do I do?

When your baby is diagnosed with a visual impairment you may at first feel lost. What do you do? Where do you begin?

girl with low vision writing with a crayon

Education, Visual Impairment

Diagnostic Evaluations help guide educational plans for blind students

Perkins School offers diagnostic evaluations for blind and visually impaired children ages 3-22.

happy baby

Support

Please Don’t Feel Sorry for Me or My Special Needs Child

I don't want my friends or family to feel sorry for me or for my child. I'm not saying this in a tough "I can handle this so you don't...

8 misconceptions about CVI

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

Top 8 Misconceptions about Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)

Do you know the facts of Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)? Here are 8 myths you may have heard that just aren't true!

Tommy with his brailler

Education, Special Needs

Funding Accessible Learning Tools in 4 Easy Steps

The problem isn't that you need to find the perfect learning tool for your child... the problem is finding a way to afford the perfect learning tool for your child!

touching an exhibit at a tactile museum

Visual Impairment

Visiting a Tactile Museum with Your Blind Child

Tactile museums are designed for visitors to touch each exhibit and experience the art and history through their fingers.

Woman meditating on a dock

Support

The one thing I haven’t learned as a special needs parent

A lot of people write about what they've learned as a special needs parent, but there's one thing I still haven't learned yet.

close up of Google's Smart Contact Lens

Assistive Technology, Visual Impairment

Is Google Planing to Cure Blindness?

With recent patent filings and new applications for Google Glass, it does look like Google is interested in getting into the vision business.

mom and baby

Visual Impairment

Can Someone Who is Blind Be a Parent?

The Parenting with Vision Loss series from VisionAware provides helpful tips and advice from a genuine expert.

boy using a slate and stylus

Braille and Literacy, Visual Impairment

Do Blind Kids Still Need to Learn Braille?

From screen readers like JAWS on your computer or VoiceOver on your iPhone to audio books and MP3s, there are multiple ways to listen to words rather than read them,...

young boy smiling at school

Education, Special Needs

When our school gave up on my special needs son

Are you a parent of a special needs child whose school isn't working hard enough to help him reach his goals? A message to you: Never give up.

mom and baby

Education, Visual Impairment

Is Early Intervention Always the Best Approach for a Blind Baby?

Anastasia writes about her daughter Lydia, who has anophthalmia. Lydia is still a baby and Anastasia has decided that Early Intervention services are not helping Lydia develop so she's opting...

blue Kindle Fire Kids Edition device

Assistive Technology, Visual Impairment

NFB and Amazon Work Together for Improved Kindle Accessibility

NFB joins forces with Amazon to improve Kindle accessibility for blind students

person working at desk with laptop computer

Assistive Technology

Get a computer for your blind child!

Computers for the Blind provides computer equipment for families of children who are blind.

child in front of television

Assistive Technology

FCC Proposes Increased Audio Description Access

The FCC seeks comments on the rules proposed to increase access to audio description for blind viewers.

tactile caliper measuring a AA battery

Math and Science, Visual Impairment

Tactile Caliper Provides Braille Output for Blind Users

The Tactile Caliper puts measuring to the 1/16" in the hands of blind users with braille output!

Sensory Sun Logo

Visual Impairment

Sensory Sun Resources for Kids Who are Visually Impaired

Sensory Sun Educational Technologies is a website that shares information about raising and teaching children with visual impairments.

IDYOURIRD rainbow dot logo with title

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

ID YOUR IRD Offers Free Genetic Testing for Families with Inherited Retinal Diseases

Spark Therapeutics launches ID YOUR IRD genetic testing info site offering free genetic testing for people with inherited retinal diseases.

two friends having coffee

Support

An Open Letter to the Mom Who Just Wants to Help

Remember that you're my friend, not my therapist.

fun fall activities

Holiday Crafts and Ideas, Tactile Arts and Crafts, Visual Impairment

Fall Sensory Art Projects for Visually Impaired Kids

Choose from five wonderfully crafty art projects adapted for blind children that celebrate fall! Make prints and wreaths with apples and leaves, create your own tree, or decorate pumpkins!

young girl with painted hands

Education, Special Needs

11 Things to Look for When Choosing a Special Needs Preschool

If you're in the market for a preschool program for your special needs child, you may be wondering what to look for, what questions to ask the teachers, and how...

A collection of WonderBaby.org wines

Support

Wine for Moms of Blind Kids

A glass of wine with dinner helps iron out the stresses of the day for lots of moms, but us special needs moms have more stresses than most!

A group of four yellow labs

Orientation and Mobility, Visual Impairment

Guide Dogs of America

Guide Dogs of America is dedicated to its mission to provide guide dogs and instruction in their use, free of charge, to blind and visually impaired men and women