4MyChild’s goal, wherever possible, is to provide all families of children of special needs with Help and Hope For Life. 4MYCHILD may be able to help you become an informed advocate for your child so that you can give him or her the best life possible.
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Help is a four-legged word.
Founded in 1975, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships. Headquartered in Santa Rosa, CA, CCI is the largest non-profit provider of assistance dogs, and is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and the quality and longevity of the matches it makes between dogs and people. The result is a life full of increased independence and loving companionship.
Canine Companions for Independence
National Headquarters
2965 Dutton Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95407
PO Box 446
Santa Rosa CA 95402-0446
800-572-Bark (2275)
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Association for Conductive Education and Related Services, Inc.
What is ACERSI?
The Association for Conductive Education and Related Services, Inc. (ACERS, Inc.) is a non-profit association founded by parents and professionals to provide and promote Conductive Education (CE) services to individuals with motor disabilities and their families.
ACERS, Inc. has been offering its programs in NJ for over 10 years and now has programs in PA, NY and MA.*
Who benefits?
Conductive Education benefits individuals with physical disabilities (including traumatic brain injury) such as:
- Cerebral Palsy (CP)
- Spina Bifida
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- and other neuromuscular disorders
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@LA Los Angeles Disabled/Handicapped Services
@LA was created in 1995 to address what was then a gaping need ... to provide a jumping-off point for locals to find all that the 'net has to offer them. Despite the fact that the Internet and cyberspace is geography and boundary free, people, businesses and attractions still have a physical presence. The real world won't go away ... we still gotta eat out, shop at our local stores, socialize with others in the community, see plays and concerts, get jobs and generally have a life. While the 'net provides plenty of great cyber-hangouts, regional contacts have been much harder to come by.
@LA has grown quite a bit from those early beginnings. Although the web is a hard thing to keep up with, they are doing their best to live up to our motto, "If it's on the web and in LA, it's in @LA".
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Brandon’s Buddies Play Dates
On the first Saturday of every month they hold Brandon's Buddies Play Dates at Brandon’s Village. These are free programs open to children with special needs and typically developing children. They are from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Brandon's Village located at 25801 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Calabasas, California. We provide art and crafts projects, face painting, entertainment, snacks and fun! Please join us! For more information, contact Dina Kaplan via email at brandonsbuddies@pacbell.net.
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Bright Minds Institute (BMI) is a multidisciplinary diagnostic and treatment center for children with learning challenges and special physical needs. They offer advanced diagnostic testing and medical management for all levels of learning, attention deficits (ADD/ADHD), autism, speech and language disabilities, and sleep disorders. In addition, they help children with seizures, physical needs, gross motor delays, sensory integrative dysfunction, motor-planning deficits, and balance and coordination difficulties.
At Bright Minds Institute, parents will find a team of specialists who understand that to accurately create a long-lasting solution for a child with learning difficulties, developmental delays, or behavioral disorders a thorough medical evaluation must first take place to discover the problem’s cause. Once the source of the problem has been diagnosed, their skilled professional experts develop a focused, goal-oriented treatment plan. Their collaborative team of doctors, therapists, educators, and psychologists, work together to develop the comprehensive treatment plan and to continually monitor each child’s progress, goals, and plan-of-care. Their rehabilitation program includes traditional physical, occupational, and behavioral therapies as well as many unique and innovative therapies. Their licensed physical therapists have received additional specialized training in Intensive Physical Therapy, Suit Therapy, and the Universal Exercise Unit.
Bright Minds Institute
Los Angeles Office:
814 South Westgate Ave., #100
Los Angeles, Ca 90049
(At San Vicente Blvd.)
Phone: (310) 820-1084
San Francisco Office:
1199 Bush Street, Suite 350
San Francisco, Ca 94109
Phone: (415) 561-6755
Info@brightmindsinstitute.com
www.brightmindsinstitute.com
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Disabled Children's Relief Fund (DCRF), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, provides disabled children with assistance to obtain wheelchairs, orthopedic braces, walkers, lifts, hearing aids, eyeglasses, medical equipment, physical therapy, and surgery. Blind, Deaf, Amputees, and children with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Spastic Quadriplegia, Encephalitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Spina Bifida, Down's Syndrome, and other disabilities receive assistance. DCRF focuses special attention on helping children throughout the U.S. that do not have adequate health insurance, especially the physically challenged. In some cases, DCRF may be the last resort...
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Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Frankie's World is the area's leading non-profit medical daycare center for children with special healthcare needs. They welcome children ages birth to 8 years of age who need skilled nursing care for medical reasons.
Named for a special girl in Philadelphia who touched many lives, Frankie's World is licensed by the state of Pennsylvania to care for medically or technologically-dependent children. The center is an exciting place, where kids can be kids! It has a large play area, opportunities for learning and socializing, and offers recreation, therapies and education. Frankie's World is a Headstart program location with a full-time educator onsite, and we are staffed by experienced pediatric nurses.
Costs can be completely covered through your medical insurance. They will work with your child's doctor and insurance company to help your child qualify. Frankie's World is also available for families who prefer not to use medical insurance. Please contact Frankie’s World for more information or to arrange a tour!
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Friends of Special Children is an organization that welcomes all parents. They recognize that parents need support and that they can learn a lot from each other. Check out their different programs and events and the different ways that you can be involved.
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The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential - a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based nonprofit educational organization that serves parents and children. The Institutes introduces parents to the field of child brain development. Parents learn how the brain grows and how to speed and enhance that growth. See Blogworthy for reference to Glenn Doman book, What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child.
The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential
8801 Stenton Avenue
Wyndmoor, PA 19038
(215) 233-2050
institutes@iahp.org
http://www.iahp.org
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Institute for Applied Behavior Analysis (IABA) - dedicated to the advancement of positive practices in the field of challenging behavior.
The Institute for Applied Behavior Analysis (IABA) provides behavior management services, supported employment, supported living and supported educational services to individuals with developmental disabilities in Southern California. IABA is committed to providing the most advanced and highest possible quality services in support of people with challenging behavior. Our goal is to assure the highest quality of life possible for the people we serve by enabling them to live regular lives in natural settings with full, positive and valued community presence and participation.
Institute for Applied Behavior Analysis
5777 West Century Boulevard, Suite 675
Los Angeles, California 90045
(310) 649-0499
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Kennedy Krieger Institute is an internationally recognized institution located in Baltimore, Maryland dedicated to improving the lives of children and adolescents with pediatric developmental disabilities through patient care, special education, research, and professional training.
Kennedy Krieger’s clinical programs offer an interdisciplinary approach in treatment tailored to the individual needs of each child. Services include over 40 outpatient clinics; neurobehavioral, rehabilitation, and pediatric feeding disorders inpatient units; plus several home and community programs providing services to assist families.
Kennedy Krieger school, is a nationally recognized “Blue Ribbon School of Excellence”, and is a leader in providing model programs of innovative education for children, adolescents and young adults with a wide range of learning, emotional, physical, neurological, and developmental disabilities.
Faculty at Kennedy Krieger are among some of the world’s leading experts in this field and are attuned to the special needs of this population. These faculty have made crucial medical discoveries leading to innovative treatments and have improved the lives of individuals with disabilities.
In addition to providing evaluation, rehabilitation, educational services and cutting edge research on behalf of children with brain related disabilities, Kennedy Krieger also provides professional training by renowned experts dedicated to increasing the number of qualified specialists in the United States and abroad.
Kennedy Krieger Institute
707 North Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21205
(443) 923-9200 (800) 873-3377
info@kennedykrieger.org.
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MOVE (Mobility Opportunities Via Education/Experience) helps children and adults with severe disabilities acquire more abilities (and independence) to sit, stand, walk and transition. This is achieved through instruction and adaptive equipment.
With these increased abilities, there is: 1) better health, 2) less burden for care providers to move or lift people, 3) more dignity, and 4) new opportunities for fuller participation and inclusion in family life, school and community. Life is no longer relegated to a beanbag, floor mat, wheelchair or bed.
MOVE International
1300 17th Street
CITY CENTRE
Bakersfield, CA 93301-4533 USA
800-397-MOVE(6683)
move-international@kern.org
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Nicky’s World
Building a Community for Limited Communicators & Their Families
Communication is a basic human need & right
Mission: To provide the individual and their family with a place of their own where they can grow literacy, communication, friendships and a community to turn to and support them in order to improve their quality of life.
Every beginning is couched by the knowledge that the “Only constant is Change”. Nicky’s World is intent on supporting this community of limited and/or non-verbal individuals and their families to develop and move towards resolution of their needs, while supported by professionals and families whom are all experts in this area. The concept of Nicky’s World was built with the idea that a community without voice was isolated and had little hope to grow towards quality of life and change in all environments. Nicky’s World will have classes, parental and professional presentations and workshops, support groups, family outings, drum circle and much more! Membership will have tiers of involvement based upon class attendance, both without and/or with minimal charges.
Nicky's World
Sharon Hensel-Cohen, Director
18719 Calvert Street
Tarzana, CA 91335
nickysworld.sharon@gmail.com
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Rush University Medical Center - Nationally recognized for treating pediatric hemophilia, thrombophilia and hemostasis. A regional referral center for children with muscular dystrophy, movement disorders and epilepsy. The first and largest perinatal network for obstetrical and neonatal care in the state of Illinois. These are only a few of the many reasons why Rush University Medical Center is a leader in caring for children of all ages, from newborns through young adults.
Rush University Medical Center
1653 W. Congress Parkway, 770 Jones
Chicago, IL 60612
(888) 352-RUSH
contact_rush@rush.edu
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During critical periods in the early years, the child is particularly sensitive and teachable in given areas. Early language, sensory and motor experiences can have lasting influences throughout the life span. Since 1979, the Child Development Center (CDC) has ensured that children with identified needs are treated by therapists and interventionists who understand these needs. Each child is unique; everyone develops at his or her own rate and time. Many therapies, programs, and services are available at the CDC to challenge children to achieve their potential in numerous ways.
Simi Valley Hospital
Child Development Center
1900 Los Angeles Avenue
Simi Valley, CA 93065
(805) 955-8120
millarrp@ah.org
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The XCell-Center is a private clinic group and institute for regenerative medicine located in Düsseldorf and Cologne, Germany. Bringing together therapeutical use of autologous adult stem cells and medical research, it is their mission to:
Provide therapeutic application of autologous adult stem cells to patients at the highest medical standard;
Extend existing knowledge on the effects of autologous adult stem cells by supporting pre-clinical and clinical research.
They offer patients with degenerative diseases the opportunity to undergo an innovative and promising stem cell treatment.