February 22, 2018  LAFAYETTE, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Stepping Stones Group, a provider of therapy and education solutions to children with special needs and autism in educational settings, today announced the acquisition and recapitalization of Cobb Pediatric Therapy Services, a provider of speech language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and school psychology services to school districts in the Southeastern United States. Stepping Stones is a portfolio company of Five Arrows Capital Partners, the North American corporate private equity business of Rothschild Merchant B ..read more

In case you needed another reason to finally buckle down and learn a new language, new research suggests bilingual brains actually age slower. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied the brains of 835 native English speakers who were given intelligence tests in 1947 at age 11 and again when they were in their 70s between 2008 and 2010. (Via History Channel) The study helps answer the question of whether learning a new language improves your thinking skills or whether individuals with better thinking skills are just more likely to become bilingual. The researchers say their findings ..read more

Staying organized while supervising graduate student interns can be difficult. When I get that email asking if I’ll supervise a graduate student, paperwork is the first thing that pops into my head! After that, it’s time. Do I have the time it takes to really give them what they need? I hate the idea that either of these reasons overwhelms us and would be the reason not to volunteer your time to supervise a student. As with everything, a little preparation can save you a lot of effort in the long run. Here’s a few tips from my experience! Set up a routine with time built into your schedule. P ..read more

Sensory-Friendly Santa Welcomes Kids With Special Needs Shared from Disability Scoop Ally Marotti, Chicago Tribune/TNS | November 30, 2017 Rian Bee helps his foster son Justin, 5, who has autism, as they meet Santa at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Ill. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune/TNS) CHICAGO — Hours before Woodfield Mall opened on a recent Sunday morning, before workers turned on the holiday lights and the halls filled with shoppers, 4-year-old Liam Munnelly’s parents placed him on Santa’s lap. Though Liam couldn’t talk back, Santa spoke to him, pointing at the decorations overhead. The l ..read more

The bravest new face on television is a Muppet that doesn’t say much. But she speaks volumes about life on the spectrum. Shared from Smithsonian Ron Suskind Before we get to the matters at hand—including the ways in which we humans judge one another and an energetic puppet with autism named Julia—let’s consider the current value of a piece of imaginary real estate known as Sesame Street. Since its launch in 1969, the show has often been kids’ first step into the world beyond their living room rugs, the common cultural campfire for 95 percent of preschoolers—about 200 million Americans—wh ..read more

Below, you will find information on the tactile sensory system and how tactile challenges to the sensory system can result in difficulties tolerating clothing textures. The strategies below are helpful tips for getting sensory kids to wear winter clothes. Tips for Getting Sensory Kids to Wear Winter Clothes The Tactile Sensory System is one of the earliest developed senses of the body. The skin is the largest and the most prevalent organ. The skin performs unique duties for the body. Most importantly, the skin protects and alerts us to danger and discriminates sensation with regard to locat ..read more