In honor of Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), JCFS Chicago is proud to join Jewish local and national organizations in a unified effort to raise awareness and elevate the voices of people living with disabilities.

Disability Pride month is an opportunity to give a voice to people with disabilities and a platform to push for positive change.  

Safety is a critical concern for families who have children whose communication may not be understood by everyone. The most constructive way to face these concerns is to have a safety plan in place that is updated and addressed on a regular basis.

With speech and language disorders ranking among the most common disabilities in children, parents and caregivers are encouraged to learn the signs—and seek an evaluation—if they have concerns about their child’s ability to communicate. JCFS Chicago’s speech-language pathologists can offer timely guidance for families because May is recognized nationally as Better Hearing & Speech Month.

For as long as I can remember, camp has been a part of my life. From day camp as a young child to my first summer at overnight camp when I was 12, my experiences at camp shaped the person I am today. It helped me become independent and go outside of my comfort zone. Anyone who knew me growing up knew that Camp Chi was the place where I truly shined and was my best, happiest self.  

The swimming pool is not only a great place to have fun with your kids, but it is also a great environment to increase attention and build cognitive language skills and body strength.

With close to 15% of U.S. children ages 6–19 experiencing hearing loss, Integrated Pediatric Interventions notes that May Is Better Hearing & Speech Month is the ideal time for parents to learn more about the sometimes-subtle signs of hearing loss, ways it can affect school-aged children, and where to find help.

From the day we are born we are a member of a community. As our development progresses and we learn to convey our wants and needs, our involvement and inclusion in family and community life increases. In some instances, infants and young children require early intervention therapy to augment their social, emotional and physical development so that they become actively engaged in their community.

Q: We are planning an upcoming trip to see Grandma and Grandpa, but are nervous about traveling with our child who has autism. Do you have any suggestions to help?

A: A vacation or a trip can be an exciting adventure, but sometimes, getting there is the hardest part. When traveling with a child with autism, one of the best things you can do is have a plan.

Traveling can be a stressful experience on anyone.

by Lindsay Hardy, M. A., Pre-doctoral Psychology Intern

“Camp Firefly has been my ‘happy place’ for three years…friends and family know I am busy every year at the end of July because I make it a point to clear my schedule and head up to camp.”  – Returning camp counselor, 2013.

This counselor’s very special experience of Camp Firefly is not uncommon. A majority of counselors return to work at Camp Firefly each year, placing careers, family, school, and social lives on hold to spend a magical two weeks in Wisconsin under the bright July sun. They help children and teens with diagnosed social disorders such as Social Anxiety, OCD, Asperger’s and others make friends and have an authentic summer camp experience.  Campers and their families arrange their schedules each year to make sure that they are able to participate in yet another summer with the Fireflies.