Embracing Holland Angie Auldridge and Megan Barrett

Christina Adams, journalist, writer, disability advocate, and camel milk investigator, shares with us her powerful early intervention story of her son with autism and how she was able to help him through diet and camels. She outlines what she calls her “crazy camel journey” and how her research and travels to Isreal took her to a place of healing. She shares her website with us as a resource that details how camel’s milk can help several conditions, from allergies and gut issues to neurodevelopmental issues. Join us as we learn about the amazing qualities of camels and how their milk can be a part of your healing journey! 

This episode is all about taking care of the caregiver. Rory Lawrence, mother of a child with complex medical needs and staff member with David’s Refuge, talks with us about the organization she works for that pours into parents turned caregivers, and how she and her husband have found meaningful respite. We also talk about practical ways to weave in self-care that don’t require a sitter but can actually make a difference. 
 
Links
 
Sensory Pathway Booklet
 
The Intentional Family:  Simple Rituals to Strengthen Family Ties
 
Mae Bae Fan Club - Unique Apparel for Special Kids and Those Who Care for Them
 
David's Refuge
 
Rory’s Email - rorylawrence@davidsrefuge.org 
 
David's Refuge Private Facebook Page

For this episode, we share with you another Maryland parent and fellow autism mom, Lia McCabe, who started AutismWish.org which seeks to fulfill the wish lists of families across the country without all of the red tape of government programs. She and her husband also host a podcast called Embracing Autism, which is child focus and helps parents to understand and embrace their neurodiverse children. Give it a listen, follow, and subscribe to support their mission of helping families in the face of fear and the unknown. 
 
We talk about:
Neurodivergent parenting
Empathizing with sensory needs
The formation of Autism Wish and the Embracing Autism Podcast
Accepting behaviors that are harmless
How IQ testing is not designed for children who are non-verbal
Maintaining a positive perspective
Growing to understand that a diagnosis doesn't mean future dreams are gone
Lia’s website
Autism Wish
 
Autism Wish Facebook Page
 
Lia’s Recommended Books
 
More Than Words: A Parents Guide to Building Interaction and Language Skills for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Social Communication Difficulties by Fern Sussman
 
The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
 
Other books mentioned
Autism Breakthrough by Raun K. Kaufman
An Early Start for Your Child with Autism: Using Everyday Activities to Help Kids Connect, Communicate and Learn by Sally Rogers

This week we chat with Leylani Cardoso, warrior parent, and mother of Sophia, her daughter with Down Syndrome. Leylani and her family helped Sophia bring her passion for food and entertaining to life by creating the YouTube Channel Cheeky Sassy Me

If you’ve ever worried about what adulthood might look like after high school or you’ve ever been inspired to create a meaningful space for your child to spend adulthood, tune in to our interview with critically acclaimed author, Cammie McGovern. 
 
Cammie McGovern was awarded a creative writing fellowship at Stanford University, and has received numerous prizes for her short fiction. Her stories have appeared in many magazines including Glamour, Ladies Home Journal, Redbook and Seventeen , and she is the author of another novel, The Art of Seeing. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with her husband and three children, the eldest of whom is autistic. She is one of the founders of Whole Children, a resource center that runs after-school classes and programs for children with special needs.

Join us as we talk to Hannah Lowe, founder of the L-CMD Foundation and mother to Austin, who has LMNA-related congenital muscular dystrophy. Like many rare disease families we've talked to, her son's condition was caused by a random genetic mutation. There is no treatment or cure, and given how rare it is, they are unsure about his prognosis or life expectancy, making the mission even more urgent. The L-CMD Foundation she started inspires hope for a stronger tomorrow by seeking treatments and, ultimately, a cure. We talk about balancing grief with action, and Hannah exemplifies this in her graceful and determined approach to saving her son.