Our daughter was adopted from China’s Special Needs Program in 2017. As soon as she was placed in my arms, I entered the world of special needs parenting. (Read more about our China adoption journey.)
There is a wide spectrum of medical, developmental, and neurological diagnoses for a child to fall into the special needs category. I consider my daughter’s sensory processing disorder, language delays, beta thalassemia trait, and low tone to be relatively minor. Her long-term prognosis is good.
Even still, our weeks are filled with appointments, therapies, successes, and challenges that other families may not face. For us, it’s our normal life. That’s why I was thrilled to be interviewed by Milestone Mom for her Special Needs Interview Series. You can read my story of special needs parenting here.
Special Needs Parenting Resources
Special needs parenting requires a few more tools in the toolbox than “typical” parenting. So I thought I’d share a few of the products and resources mentioned in the interview or that I’ve found helpful over the years. Let me know if there is anything I should add to the list in the comments below.
Safety Helmets
Cushioned Safety Helmet to protect against head banging. We have this one, available in several colors and patterns.
Chewy Toys
Chew toys help with oral motor strength
Weighted Blankets
Weighted blanket for calming. This one is washable and made in weights for kids.
Compression Clothing
Compression shirts for body awareness. The Kozie Clothes brand is a good alternative to the Spio ones that weren’t covered by our insurance.
Indoor Climbing Equipment
Indoor climbing equipment for gross motor play all year long. Amazon has tons of options.
More Links and Resources
Our state’s early intervention services were invaluable. Find resources for your child here.
See my list of the 10 Best Developmental Toys for Young Children for ideas of things you can do at home to help your child’s development.
Milestone Mom has tons of information from a pediatric developmental therapist. (Don’t forget my interview with her here!)
The Inspired Treehouse has a great website run by pediatric OT and PTs.
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Hi! I'm Jessica! I help people fund adoptions, navigate parenting, save money, and enjoy the good things in life. 
Safety helmets… Such a good tip. Thank you for sharing a great article.
It has made such a difference for us!
So helpful to have some tools in your toolbox. I’ve also heard of parents using sand timers to help with transitions.
That’s a great idea!
We were thinking of getting a helmet for our 4 yr old for rides at WDW but I didnt know where to start looking. THANK YOU!
Happy to help!