Blog Posts

The start and end of anything can feel scary for a child with disabilities, especially one who thrives on structure and routine. And what’s the biggest constant in that cycle? School!  

As a parent of a child with special needs, there have been many times when we’ve felt alone. I often found myself escaping into social media, television, and series. Unplugging from “mom life” and plugging into popular media has helped me relax countless times. But when my son started watching television, I began noticing something important, the need for representation. I started intentionally looking for it more often.

Implementation is a wonderful word.  Sometimes the process of creating policy designed to help students recover from concussions and other brain injuries can be so burdensome that it is hard to visualize the implementation process until after the policy is formalized.  

Each child I meet is navigating a unique recovery. In the hospital setting, my job is not just about academics-it is about reassurance and restoring a sense of normalcy.

Children younger than 5 have higher rates of hospital stays in the United States for traumatic brain injury (TBI) than children of other ages, primarily due to falls. 

Through my research, I became empowered. One piece of advice stood out to me more than any other: “Don’t be afraid to speak up. You know your child best.”

I learned a long time ago that things run their course, things change, and as challenges are met and overcome, the conversation changes also. 

From then on, I celebrated every win: walking up stairs using both feet, unzipping his jacket on his own, using a spoon without spilling half the food. These moments aren’t small to me, they’re everything.

According to the Texas Education Agency, approximately 6,000 Texas children are hospitalized each year due to TBI, with 1,300 of these cases resulting in long-term disability. 

As awareness of  traumatic brain injury (TBI)  grows, parents are seeking answers about its causes, long-term effects, and how to best support their children.