Autism is a developmental
disability affecting communication and social interaction that
affects one in every 150 children in the U.S. And families are
looking to the churc...
Kyla's* seen a lot in her 11
years. Her mom, who's been in recovery for almost two
years, was addicted to meth for 20. Kyla's dad was recently
court-ordered out of her life...
Sally Castle
When a child with special needs first comes into a
classroom, quick assessment of a child's needs is probably one of
the most difficult things to do, because it involves a l...
Pat Verbal
The Real Me* by Joe Bishop
Don't just see my legs not running;
Don't just see my hands not writing;
Don't just see my mouth not talking;
These broken pieces are not...
Sally Castle
Billy is an energetic, curious, 6-year-old boy with type 1
diabetes who attends Sunday school and many activities at our
church.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is defined a...
From "Special Needs": List of Gluten-Free snacks all
kids will love...
According to Webmd.com, "Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and
barley. Common foods that contain glu...
Sally Castle
If you have a child in your classroom who appears to
have problems with muscle and vocal control, it may be Tourette's
Syndrome...
Tourette's is an inherited neurological...
Sally Castle
Special Needs: Allergies are likely the most common
problem teachers face in the classroom, because allergies are on
the rise in all children and are considered a special
n...
Read three amazing stories of ways God's people are
ministering to children in need...
1. Ella Newmiller
Five-year-old Ella Newmiller was diagnosed ...
Craig DeMartino
Editor's Note: Children's Ministry
Magazine staff photographer Craig DeMartino is an avid rock
climber. Seven years ago while climbing he suffered a terrible
fall, crashing...
Pat Verbal
For children who are medically fragile, Sunday school doesn't
have to be on Sunday. Julie's first cancerous tumor was removed
when she was in first grade, ruining her near-p...
Children's Ministry Magazine
From Big Fun On Any Budget
more information about playspaces and links to playspaces for
kids with special needs
For Special Needs Playspaces:
www.boundlessplaygro...
Barb Malone
Make a difference with children who may have trouble
learning
"Every evening, the Israelites had meat from the quails that
flew into the camp. In the morning, they ha...
Children just seem to not listen or pay attention as much
anymore. This could be due to the noisy environments we now live in
that make it difficult to listen. Or it could b...
Jennifer Buell
Church should be a welcoming, safe place for every child. But
for many families of children with special needs, it's yet another
place for their children to stand out or be ...
Beth Greenawalt
All right kids, let's read the lesson. Tracie, will you
begin?"
"Th-then a Samaritan..."
Johnny, the boy next to Tracie, fidgets.
"Johnny, do you need something?"
...
Gail Cannis
Katy is a fourth-grader with severe learning disabilities. When
she first started attending Sunday school at our church, she was
very shy and fearful that the other children...
Pat Verbal
According to the National Organization on Disability, there are
fifty-four million people in the United States with disabilities.
That means one in five Americans have a dis...
Joni Eareckson Tada
When a boy's arms are paralyzed, how does he raise his hand in
Sunday school? How does he manage eating lunch at a church picnic
when he can't hold his Kool-Aid or squirt mu...
Donald Welch
Be the one to prescribe God's love to kids in
crisis.
Imagine your Sunday school class -- all the kids are engaged in
the lesson, intently focused on what Joseph's father...
Sally Castle
Children in Wheelchairs
Rosie was a 6-year-old girl I met when I taught Sunday school. She
spent the majority of her time in a wheelchair because she lost the
use of her...
Sally Castle
Developmental Disability
Years ago I had a developmentally disabled child with dwarfism in
my classroom. The other fourth-grade boys in my classroom learned
important bi...
Doctors were first to use the word "special" when it came to
Linda. From the moment of Linda's delivery, she was labeled
"special." Through the years, hundreds of well-meani...
Thinking about starting a special needs ministry in
your church? Here are tips to get started.
Children's pastors are often the first members of a church staff
to encoun...
Sally Castle
Sensory Integration Disorder
Tommy is a third-grader who's challenged by sensory experiences
that most of us don't even notice or think about. A tag on the back
of his s...
Sally Castle
Children's decreased attention spans, in general, can be
attributed to a faster paced media, but when a child has Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), maintainin...
Tension was high that steamy July afternoon as the preteen boys
of Wigfield Dorm squared off against the boys of Long Dorm on the
kickball field. Tempers had already flared ...
Scot Butwell
Addressing the unique needs of children with
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in your
classroom.
Even when you understand why kids misbehave and you have
strate...
Barbara Beach
A roundtable discussion to help you effectively
reach kids with attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder.
A lot of these kids feel like nobody loves them and that they'r...
Christine Yount Jones
When children kill in cold blood, hope for the
future dies. But in cities across America, God's people are showing
how light shines in the darkest of places.
" 'God, why...
Dr. Paul White
In this article, Dr. Paul White, a child psychologist in Kansas,
deals with readers' questions about Attention Deficit
Disorder.
Q: What is Attention Deficit
Disorder?
...
Barb Malone
"Every evening, the Israelites had meat from the quails that
flew into the camp. In the morning, they had manna for bread," the
teacher explained before asking, "Where did t...
Use this teacher training plan to train your children's ministry
teachers to how to help children with special needs or learning
disabilities.
1. Tough duty-Form three g...
For a children's leader in Maryland, it
happened during the Wednesday night program: Without warning, one
of Barbara's preschoolers fell to the floor, jerking with muscl...
Pat Verbal
A recent case in Wylie, Texas, puts a face on abuse suffered by
children with special needs. Gerren Isgrigg, a 6-year-old boy with
disabilities, was found dead on April 15, ...
When a child
with emotional disabilities and anger issues became unmanageable in
class, volunteer coordinator Elizabeth Temple took action; she
didn't wait until a special ...
