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Navigate Life Texas: Resources for kids with disabilities and special needs
Navigate Life Texas: Resources for kids with disabilities and special needs
Learn more about this website, which has been created for parents of children with disabilities or special health care needs.
Answering the tough questions now might save you a lot of pain and trauma later. A mother and father talk about why knowing the answers to the tough questions was so important when they lost their own son.
Are you prepared for the next disaster? Learn about one mother’s experience after Hurricane Harvey hit her community and get tips on what to think about when preparing your family’s disaster plan.
Giving birth to a baby who needs to spend time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (N.I.C.U.) is incredibly difficult. Two parents who experienced having a baby in the N.I.C.U. share their frustrations, fears, and strategies for dealing with the situation.
Sometimes teaching your child the skills they need to live independently requires a little creativity and a lot of fun.
When you look for help outside of your family, you’ll find that you aren’t alone. Turning to your community for services and support can improve your child’s quality of life and help your family focus on being a family.
Seeing your family as a team can help you face any challenge and give your children the unconditional love they need.
When you start your journey raising a child with a disability or special health care needs, trust your instincts and don’t forget about the joys of being a family. Two parents share what worked for them when starting their own journeys.
You want to always be there for your child but you also want your child to succeed when you can’t be there. Catalina talks about the moment she realized her son Ghandhi needed to learn independence and how her family supported him to reach that goal.
Case managers can be very helpful for your child with a disability and your entire family. Hear from a couple of case managers who explain what they can do to help.
Immediate action helps you and your child.
See the story of Brandon—a young man with a disability, a supportive home filled with friends, a band, and a great job. Brandon also happens to be a big fan of The Beatles—maybe their biggest fan of all time.
Receiving a diagnosis for your children is hard. But counseling can help immensely. Here are some tips from professional counselors.
When married couples with kids with disabilities decide to get divorced, it can still be a healthy, productive process—especially for their children. Here's one family's story of how they maintained a collaborative divorce.
Meet Travis and Amy, two young adults with disabilities who have created independent, vibrant lives for themselves. From an early age, their parents involved them in everyday decisions.
Parents share some insight on ways in which they´ve helped their daughter learn to be independent. Mainly by giving her the opportunity to make her own decisions, and supporting her. The parents feel confident she will be able to live independently when they are no longer around.
Meet George, a young man with special health care needs from rural Texas, whose family has found ways to give him fantastic opportunities—despite living where support services are less available.
Families share their struggles in getting a diagnosis for their children.
Parents and their children on what made them decide to get help.
Parents and their children on what made them decide to get help.
How connecting with other parents helps.
Doctors and parents on how to make the most of each appointment.
Doctors and parents on how to make the most of each appointment.
A mother shares her story of how she and her family have adapted through the years and provided everything needed by her daughter with special needs. Hear how their love and support have helped her develop and thrive.
What if your child’s disability isn’t immediately obvious to the world? Here, experts and parents of children with “invisible disabilities” discuss their unique challenges—and how they deal with them.
A day in the life of the Geisinger family.
How other families have dealt with mental illness.
What a medical home is and why it’s important.
How parents have made it easier for their children to connect in the community.
Parents and respite caregivers on what respite care is, how you can find it, and why you need it.
A day in the life of the Barnes family.
An introduction to special education from parents and teachers.
An introduction to special education from parents and teachers.
Tips and facts about the Individualized Education Program (IEP) from other parents.
Parents and children on what to expect in an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meeting.
Tips from San Antonio’s Mental Health Squad about how to build relationships with law enforcement and communicate effectively about the needs of your child.
Parents and kids on how to deal with bullying.
Parents, adults with disabilities, and a transition professional on planning for transition.
Parents, adults with disabilities, and a transition professional on planning for transition.
Tips from a military family about handling transitions.
Parents and adults with disabilities on how to find a career if you have disabilities or special health care needs.
Children talk about education choices after high school.
Strategies from parents and children if your family has children both with and without disabilities and special health care needs.
Parents and a dentist share tips on how to get dental care for children with disabilities or special health care needs.
Parents’ experiences about the importance of getting on waiver interest (wait) lists as soon as possible.
A day in the life of the Sedas family.
A day in the life of the Rodriguez family.
Dads sharing lessons learned and what it’s like being a father of a child with special needs or a disability.
Speaking openly about mental health issues.
Learn about housing options outside of a parent’s home.
You know your child better than anyone. If you suspect your child has a mental illness, act now.
Learn what families can do to prepare for emergencies.
Learn about the benefits of coordinated care for your child.
Learn about planning for medical transitions for your older child.
What if your child’s disability isn’t immediately obvious to the world? Here, parents of children with “invisible disabilities” discuss their unique challenges—and how they deal with them.
Experts and parents discuss how to help your child with a disability avoid getting involved with the justice system.
When your child turns 18, the rules and laws governing them change. Here’s how parents and legal experts recommend you prepare for that transition—and create the best situation for your child.
How can parents and teachers cultivate collaborative relationships that best support the child? Learn how one mother worked with her daughter’s teacher to ensure her daughter’s education was as productive as possible.
Hear from young adults with disabilities—and their parents—who recognize the power of smaller, everyday victories. Celebrate!
These children and young adults with disabilities offer their candid insights into what they wish their parents knew about them—their dreams, their expectations, and their love.
Parents of children with disabilities share their honest responses to the powerfully simple question: What do you wish you’d known when you first had your child?
Mothers of children with disabilities share advice on ways to stay informed about resources and services available to Spanish speaking parents. Many are not aware of the support available to them, however they can find what they need through websites and organizations.
Adults Independent and Motivated (AIM) is an Austin, Texas, housing community of independent adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. AIM empowers its residents to live in their own apartments and engage in fun activities with their peers and neighbors, all while providing residents with the support they need to live their best lives.
Emergencies can be even harder to navigate for parents of a child with a disability, especially when their child needs special healthcare equipment. For Maureen and her son George, who is paralyzed from the neck down and requires total care, emergency preparedness entails much more than stocking food and water. Parents of children with disabilities must plan ahead and prepare for worst-case scenarios. Maureen shares her story of how she was able to find backup power sources to keep George’s healthcare equipment working during a power outage.
When Alan turned 19, his mother Rosalba noticed a change in his mental health. With the help of their doctor, Alan was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This diagnosis was a critical step in caring for Alan and helping him reclaim his zest for life. Along the way, Rosalba and her family received support from other parents of children with disabilities that let her know she was not alone.
A diagnosis is often the first step on your path to the right support for a child with a disability. For Patty, it took years to find the right healthcare experts who could pinpoint the root cause of her daughter Jessica’s health challenges. Patty’s friend insisted that Patty get a genetic test for Jessica. Once Patty had a diagnosis, she gained further clarity on how to navigate life with Jessica and she found a network of parents going through the same challenges.