The Director of the Special Needs Chapter of the theAsianBridge is Alyssa Ericksen. Please direct all calls regarding special needs to 303-459-2340 or email her at brennensmom@yahoo.com.   Click here to go directly to Special Needs Resources.

About the Director...

My family has one biological son and two adopted children from China – both through the Waiting Child program.  We have been undeniably blessed to be the parents of our three children.

In August of 2005, we were referred our first child, a 15 month old girl with a congenital heart defect.  We met our “Ping-Ping” in Jiangxi in March of 2006.  Shortly after returning from China, I saw a little boy in a web page, and watched sadly as his file was returned to China twice without finding a family.  His file then arrived at CCAI, our agency.  We decided that he was ours, and we were blessed to meet our new 4 year old son in Guangxi in December of 2007.  He has Goldenhar syndrome – a complex set of birth defects including microtia/atresia, hemifacial microsomia, skeletal abnormalities and eye tumors.  His challenges will be great, but his joyful spirit and loving heart will carry him through the many surgeries and therapies ahead.

I am thrilled to be a part of theAsianBridge, gathering and evaluating information resources for prospective parents of special needs children.  I earned an MLS (Master’s degree in Library Science) in 2004, and look forward to giving my research skills some exercise in the service of bringing children into their forever homes.

Special Needs Resources

Provided by The 2009 Graduating Class of the Elmhurst Life Skills Academy

ADD/ADHD Resources

http://borntoexplore.org/
The goal of this site is to consider the many possible sources of ADD-like behaviors, including natural temperament traits, diet, and other factors, because there is rarely a case of "pure" ADD.

http://adhd.com.au/
A resource website on the investigation and treatment of underlying causes of ADHD, Adult ADHD, Learning Difficulties Dyslexia and IBS.

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/behavior/118.html
ADHD: What Parents Should Know

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/behavior/103.html
ADHD Medicines

http://nichcy.org/enews/foundations/ADHD101.asp
A Web resource page of the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/default.htm
Symptoms and treatment options on ADD/ADHD

http://schwablearning.org/resources.aspx?g=1&s=4
A parents guide to helping children with learning disabilities

Autism/Asperger Syndrome

http://autism.com
The Autism Research Institute (ARI), is primarily devoted to conducting research, and to disseminating the results of research, on the triggers of autism and on methods of diagnosing and treating autism and provide research-based information to parents and professionals around the world.

http://www.usd.edu/cd/autism/autismhb.pdf
Autism Spectrum Disorders Handbook
http://autism.org/asperger.html
Asperger’s Syndrome - Center for the study of Autism, written by Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.

http://www.accessscience.com/content.aspx?id=YB040835
Research update

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/tc/aspergers-syndrome-topic-overview
Asperger’s Syndrome – Topic Overview

Cerebral Palsy

http://www.cerebralpalsytreating.com/
Causes, prevention, care & treatment information

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00260
orthopaedic information

http://cpconnection.com/Therapies/HBOT/index.htm
General questions on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Cerebral Palsy

http://deafblind.com/cerebral.html
Cerebral Palsy and Children with Vision and Hearing Loss

http://cerebralpalsy-educationandsociety.com/03-education.html
Social and education issues surrounding cerebral palsy

Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate

http://www.dmoz.org/Health/Support_Groups/Conditions_
and_Diseases/Facial_Differences/Cleft_Lip_and_Palate/
Support groups for cleft palate

http://hopkinsmedicine.org/craniofacial/Gateway/CleftLip.cfm
The Center for Craniofacial Development and Disorders was established at The Johns Hopkins University to provide a comprehensive program in craniofacial research, education, and clinical care.

http://www.faces-cranio.org/disord/cleft.htm
The National Craniofacial Association

http://childrensdisabilities.info/cleft-links.html
Cleft Palate and Cleft Lip Resources

http://samizdat.com/pp3.html
Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate –Internet Resources

Congenital Heart Defects in Children

http://americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=12012
Fact Sheet

http://www.lpch.org/DiseaseHealthInfo/HealthLibrary/cardiac/phyex.html
Cardiovascular Disorders from Lucile Packard ‘s Children Hospital at Stanford

http://americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4885
Feeding your infant with congenital heart disease

http://tchin.org/index.htm
Congenital heart information network

http://www.chdinfo.com/
Promoting awareness of congenital heart defects

Deafness and Hearing Loss

http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs3txt.htm
Fact sheet including resources and organizations

http://gupress.gallaudet.edu/annals/
A professional journal dedicated to quality in education and related services for deaf or hard of hearing children and adults.

http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/InfotoGo/563.html
Helpful books and resources for parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing

http://ahaanet.com/children.asp
Articles of interest

http://www.hearingexchange.com/blogs/?p=36
Workshops for families of children with hearing loss birth to 5

http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/lib_deaf.htm
The who, what and where

Spina Bifida

http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/921988096.html
General descriptions from the Medical College of Wisconsin

http://ninds.nih.gov/disorders/spina_bifida/detail_spina_bifida.htm
Spina Bifida fact sheet

http://partnerstx.org/Resources/Spina_Bifida/Main.htm
Frequently asked questions about Spina Bifida

http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/spina_bifida.html
Types of Spina Bifida, diagnosing and treatments

http://www.sbaa.org/site/c.liKWL7PLLrF/b.2642297/
k.5F7C/Spina_Bifida_Association.htm
Spina Bifida Association Home Page

http://www.sbaa.org/site/c.liKWL7PLLrF/b.2642345/k.C49F/Clinics.htm
Clinics across the country

http://search.medscape.com/emedicine-search?queryText=spina%20bifida
Articles

Chicagoland, State of Illinois and National Special Needs Resources

Chicago Support Groups

Chicago Support Groups ~
http://chicago.parentzone.com/parentresources.asp?prid=47

Chicago Area Special Needs Camps ~
http://www.chicagokids.com/campguide/specialneeds.html

Chicago Parent.com Resources ~
http://www.chicagoparent.com/search.asp?keyword=Special%20Needs

Illinois Department of Human Services ~
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx

Illinois Early Childhood Intervention Clearinghouse ~
http://www.eiclearinghouse.org/about.php

Department of Human Services Office Locator ~
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?module=11

NICHCY, Illinois State Resources ~
http://www.nichcy.org/stateshe/il.htm

Illinois Department of Human Resources, Early Intervention ~
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/ei/

Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) information, research, & resources ~
http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/html/categories.htm

Special Education Resources for Parents ~ Illinois State Board of Education ~
http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/html/parents.htm
Kids Health Organization Kids with Special Needs ~
http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/friend/special_needs.html

Centers for Disease Control Listing ~
http://www.cdc.gov/az/a.html

Special Needs Grants from the Community Health Partnership ~
http://www.communityhealthpartnership.org/
programs/special/special_needs.html

Grants.gov
http://www07.grants.gov/aboutgrants/about_grants_gov.jsp