The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Special Needs

Five Essential Ingredients at Home and Beyond

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Crystal and Neel during a visit to New York last Thanksgiving.
Crystal and Neel during a visit to New York last Thanksgiving.

By Bal Agrawal

After raising an older teen with special needs, I believe I have narrowed down the bare essentials of what your child needs to prosper at home and also once he or she is grown.

1  Unconditional love

2  Structure

3  Activity

4  Medication and 
 Psychological Help

5  Positive Vision and Hope

When my son Neel was 18 and diagnosed with mental illness at the University of Southern California,  my world had come apart. He was hospitalized with serious psychotic episodes. He was catatonic and not even taking food or medicines at times.

I made a vision and etched it in my head. Through ups and downs over the last 10 years,  and all sorts of challenges, I never let my vision fade away.

The vision was that someday he will ring my door bell and there he will be with his wife and children. He has done so much hard work in the last 10 years. He gave up drugs 10 years ago, smoking and drinking eight years ago, junk food, five years ago, and sugar and soda, three years ago. He also now walks three to four miles a day, has lost 50 lbs and looks great.

The best part is that he got engaged a year ago, and his fiancé , Crystal, has a daughter. They also got a dog recently–Sasha! His meds have been reduced from four daily to two! He goes to college, and helps me in my business as well as making movies.

I just love him dearly and the way it all worked out and he has worked so hard to get there. God bless him and the power of positive thinking…

Bal Agrawal is the founder and CEO of LifeWorx, a Greater New York company. With its beginnings in the basement of Bal’s home in Chappaqua, LifeWorx has now grown to four offices in Westport, CT, Manhattan and  Englewood NJ. LifeWorx is the premier child care, elder care, nanny and chef service provider with a mission is to enhance the overall quality of life for Clients. It has provided over 40,000 services to hundreds of clients throughout Westchester, Fairfield and NYC. LifeWorx trademark is flawless customer satisfaction with a personal touch. The 250+ LifeWorx experts are chosen from thousands of applicants, and are simply the best. 

 

Activities & Resources Abound at the Chappaqua Library

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Article and Photo by Ronni Diamondstein

A public library is a strong reflection of its community and the Chappaqua Library is no exception. Catering to the entire community and in particular to those with special needs, the Chappaqua Library is in the forefront of services in Westchester.  “We’re the only library in the county that provides a special program for children and extensive resources,” says Pamela Thornton, Library Director. “For me and the library staff, it is a basic service for us to provide for our patrons.”

Lifelong Chappaqua resident Elizabeth Garrigue browses The Learning Center collection with Library Assistant Chin-Say Edrich.
Lifelong Chappaqua resident Elizabeth Garrigue browses The Learning Center collection with Library Assistant Chin-Say Edrich.

One of the special needs activities that Thornton applauds is a monthly program sponsored by the Children’s Room, Saturday Specials.  Miriam Budin, Head of Children’s Services, started the program three years ago when she saw that some parents felt uncomfortable bringing their children to the library’s regular children’s programs. “I wanted them to feel welcome at the library.  I wanted to get to know their children better so that I could provide better library service to them going forward,” says Budin.  “We’ve had children with hearing loss, cerebral palsy and autism.” Families must register for these thematic programs that include stories, songs, sensory activities, schmoozing and surprises. “The program is open to all,” says Budin “and provides a fun environment for the whole family.” Such fun includes puppets and sensory activities like painting with shaving cream, stringing beads and playing with balloons.

Frequently parents come in to the library with a particular concern and they can find a wide selection of books at all levels to deal with difficult topics. The Parenting Collection includes picture books on tough topics from divorce and bullying to toilet training. The regular library collection contains many books for older children that deal with a wide range of topics like death, disabilities and other special needs. One of the many knowledgeable library staff members will happily help patrons find just the right book.

Another source of Thornton’s pride is The Learning Center, a wide-ranging collection of materials that provides resources on all aspects of human learning. “It started as a collection of materials for vision and hearing concerns,” explains Deb Donaldson, the head of Technical Services who oversees The Learning Center. “The collection is quite extensive and covers topics from ADHD, Autism and Asperger’s to Executive Functioning,” says Donaldson whose own child had Learning Disabilities. “The collection has branched out as things come up,” says Donaldson. There are now over 1900 materials–books in English and Spanish, DVDs, CDs, books on tape and periodicals–on a wide range of topics from Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia and Borderline Personality Disorder to Gifted Education. Information on popular therapies such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy is also available. “There are resources for kids who are not necessarily on the spectrum, but may have some sensitivity. We’re looking for solutions,” says Donaldson who works closely with the Special Education Committee of the Chappaqua Parent Teacher Association.

Materials from The Learning Center are frequently inter-library loaned to other residents in Westchester. Thornton, a board member of Westchester Institute of Human Development, is proud that her staff offers these services to the community.  “There are 17,000 developmentally disabled people living in Westchester County,” says Thornton “and we’re here to help.”

Ronni Diamondstein, owner of Maggie Mae Pup Reporter, is a Chappaqua based freelance writer, PR consultant, award-winning photographer and a School Library Media Specialist and teacher who has worked in the US and abroad.

New Summer Day Camp for Children with Cancer

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sunrise camp special needsThis summer, children with cancer and their siblings will have the opportunity to attend the new Sunrise Day Camp at Pearl River, free of charge. This camp was first launched in Long Island, and is now expanding to Pearl River, NY, to serve children from Westchester and other northern suburbs, as well as the northern tip of New York.

Sunrise Day Camp at Pearl River will be open on a non-sectarian basis to all children ages 3 1/2 to 16 years who are coping with any type of cancer at any stage, provided their doctors clear them to participate. Siblings are also welcome to attend. In addition to specially trained counselors, specialists, and assistants, the camp will be staffed by on-site pediatric oncology nurses and supported by volunteer pediatric oncology doctors from area hospitals. Affiliations are in place with some of the most renowned hospitals and medical centers in the service area in the field of pediatric oncology, including Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and St. Barnabas Medical Center.

“Children with cancer are often isolated from the normal activities of childhood. Rarely do they have a chance to see beyond the closed worlds of home, hospital, and doctors’ offices,” said Ellie Aronowitz, Executive Director of the Rosenthal JCC, which is partnering with the Friedberg JCC to launch the camp. “Sunrise Day Camp opens the door to a new world by making it possible for campers to enjoy a summer filled with exciting activities daily, enduring friendships and joyful experiences, while paying careful attention to their special medical and emotional needs.”

There will be a SunriseWALKS family friendly walk-a-thon taking place on June 9 to help the sun rise for children with cancer. Anyone interested in participating in the walk or supporting Sunrise Day Camp at Pearl River can visit www.rosenthaljcc/sunrise or call (914) 741-0333, x23.

Theater Helps Children Rise Above

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special needs theatre“My Favorite Things” and “Getting to Know You” might be big hits, but for a group of children at the Rosenthal JCC on Wednesday, Apr. 17, singing these songs on stage was the biggest hit of all. The Rise Above theater group, a new program this year for children with special needs, performed these and other songs in front of an emotional audience. “It was the culmination of an amazing effort by these very special children,” said Jennifer Ruoff, Director of Programs for Enhancing Potential at the Rosenthal JCC.

This theater group is the brainchild of two local 7th graders–Michelle Morgenthal and Noah Silverman–who love theater and have themselves been in many local and NYC performances. “We wanted to help these children sing, dance and perform, but also work together and gain self-confidence,” said Michelle and Noah. “This has been such a rewarding experience.”

The Rise Above program is part of an expanded roster for children with special needs at the Rosenthal JCC, enabled by a grant from the J.E. and Z.B. Butler Foundation through UJA-Federation of New York. Other new programs this year have included Trailblazers at the JCC (a one-of-a-kind after-school social skills/childcare program with the option for mainstreaming), social skills classes for K-2nd and 3rd-5th grades, Saturday Night Chillin’ for tweens and teens, and daytime and evening parent support groups. The RJCC has been running Trailblazers at Camp Discovery for dozens of years for high-functioning children who can be mainstreamed, along with many other programs.

Anyone interested in these or other programs should call (914) 741-0333, x29 or email JRuoff@rosenthaljcc.org.  

Integrating Special Needs Children In the Early Childhood Education Classroom

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By:  Roxanne Kaplan

One of the very first lessons I remember being taught when I was a student in the field of education was that every child is unique and, as educators, it is our responsibility to meet the special needs of each child.  It was a very important message that, throughout my career, allowed me to treat every student as a child with special needs.

world cup special needsI began my career in Early Childhood Education in 1988.  Back then, most classrooms would consist of a head teacher and one or two assistant teachers. At best, teachers were only equipped to handle children with minor unique needs, so they were less inclusive of children with more substantial special needs.  If you were to visit most early childhood centers today, you will find more than just the teachers and students in the classroom.  There could be a speech therapist, an occupational therapist, a physical therapist and/or a SEIT (Special Education Itinerant Teacher) in the room.  At World Cup, we believe that early intervention and a team approach where teachers, students, therapists and parents work together will ensure that all special needs students become successful learners.

When the parent or teacher notices that a child may have some developmental delays, we encourage the parents to have their child evaluated.  Because research has shown that the rate of human learning and development is most rapid in the first five years, we know that the quicker we can get services in place the better we will be at enhancing the child’s development. Although it is oftentimes hard for a parent to accept that their child has a special need, we encourage them to act as soon as possible.

Our team approach works because we value each other’s input as we identify specific goals for each child and then create a plan to help the child achieve his goals.  We also create an environment that makes every child feel included. This can be as simple as ensuring that all artwork is displayed and celebrated, regardless of its appearance to recognizing and celebrating every milestone, even if it is as minor as a child finally asking another child to play with them.  We are also very fortunate at World Cup to have a facility that helps support a plan to improve physical development. With large, well-equipped classrooms, two gyms, two outdoor playgrounds and an indoor and outdoor bike track, there is more than enough equipment to help support a child’s fine and gross motor development.

We as educators must be sure to reach every child and ensure they feel needed, cared about and successful. It is our responsibility to recognize that all children have special needs. Some needs require more attention and an expert intervention while others may be as simple as adhering to a special diet.  No need is too minor. Throughout the years, we have learned that children with minor needs benefit from the inclusion of children with special needs in their classroom.  At an early age they learn that other children who may not be as able as they are can still contribute. They learn at an early age to accept the differences in others.  Although early childhood education has come a long way to help children with special needs, I look forward to the day when we can include all children, even those who have more extensive needs.

Roxanne Kaplan is the director of World Cup Nursery School & Kindergarten in Chappaqua.