Planning for your special-needs child's future must start early
Just two weeks down the calendar loomed the day Carol Patinkin had dreaded since her little boy was a toddler.

Many siblings are simply expected to take over parents' role one day
Francine Eberhard wishes she just had one more chance to talk with her mom before cancer stole her away.

Awareness key when autistic behaviors can be misread by police
Many of the behaviors manifested by people with autism are the same behaviors officers are trained to perceive as suspicious.

Adopting a child with special needs brings challenges, great rewards
Since Anne O'Hara adopted a special-needs girl in 2006, many people have asked her, "Do you know what you're getting into?" She tells them she signed up to be as mother -- and all that comes with it -- just like any parent.

River Forest family counts 6 adopted special-needs kids among brood of 12
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Mary Gaskill of River Forest has adopted six children with special needs, including a terminally ill baby girl.

Photo Slideshow | A walk with Damian
"He thinks he’s Mowgli," Jerry says of his autistic son, Damien, naming the character from Damian’s favorite movie, "Jungle Book."

From the Editor | Illinois must make special needs a priority
Our state legislators should be ashamed of Illinois' rankings when it comes to people with special needs.

It's not just about numbers
Sam Collins arrived into this world weighing less than 2 pounds and accompanied by enough doom and gloom predictions.

Let’s get physical
Children feel better and grow stronger when they feel the joy of movement.

Where joy gets a workout
Jump for Joy, a dance class sponsored by the Evanston Dance Ensemble, offers free physical exercise and dance education to children who, organizers say, might be lost in an ordinary class.

Restaurant behavior 101
Why does it seem that as soon as your perfectly behaved kids set foot in a restaurant, all bets are off?

Bibs in all sizes
Bibs with Love for Special Needs offers three sizes of bibs that can help keep clothes clean for children and adults

My Life | Doctor's word helps family see their child's possibilities
There is an expression, "Desperation is the enemy of a parent with a sick child." The grief can be overwhelming, paralyzing. It can leave you breathless. It is so hard sometimes to push it away, but of course you must pull yourself together to take care of your child.

‘The Lokomat has brought hope’
The Lokomat is robot-assisted technology that helps with walking. In the past several years, some adults who had suffered a stroke or spinal cord injury used the Lokomat for rehabilitation.

Bears star Tillman turns family crisis into helping others
The call came while he was at practice—his baby daughter Tiana was in the emergency room, her condition life-threatening. Suddenly Charles Tillman’s life went from happy-go-lucky family man and Chicago Bears cornerback to a whirlwind of hospital, football, hospital, football.

How we do it
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It can be a lonely, frustrating place as a mom of a special needs child.

Looking cool with hubcaps
Trick out your child's wheelchair with reflective safety stickers in the shape of stars, hearts, dogs, flame and flowers.

Scootin' around in style
What kid doesn’t like zooming around on a scooter? And with a new line of foam scooters, children with special needs can get in on the fun.

Pups make great read
Meet Brandy and Val, two rescue dogs that found their way into a home in Palatine.

Educating others about Tourette's
Ariel Small’s accomplishments include captain of the freshman football team and feshman wrestling conference champion. But add the obstacles he has faced from Tourette Syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and they start to look even more remarkable.

Raising readers
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Many kids, especially those with reading difficulties, are captivated by television and video games rather than books.

Kids with special needs go center stage
MPowered Kids puts children who tend to be more comfortable in the background center stage.

My Life | The bookshelf
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As with every new chapter in your life, you prepare for your long-awaited miracle baby.

Group focuses on kids' equipment needs
Getting into a bathtub shouldn't be a luxury for kids. Neither should getting from point A to point B.

Learn to advocate for your child
This book provides information about the special education and disability rights laws in the United States.

Children's playtime gets financial boost
The Chicago Children's Museum's Play for All initiative for children and families with disabilities has netted it a $10,000 award that will allow it to expand its efforts for children with special needs.

From cats to confidence
Tree House, a nonprofit animal shelter devoted to the care and placement of stray cats with physical and emotional needs, opens its three-floor facility to youth volunteers intent on making a difference.