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*****FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE*****
CELEBRATINGCHILDREN.COM ANNOUNCES NEW COLUMN THAT ADDRESSES FAMILIES
WITH SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN
Contact:
Stacey Montgomery, Publisher
PO Box 81
Eola, IL 60519
phone: 630/978-0198
editor@celebratingchildren.com
AURORA, IL, February 1, 2003 - Stacey Montgomery, founder and publisher
of CelebratingChildren.com, the premier African American parenting
website, announces a new column, "Special Needs Journey,"
written by freelance writer, Shannon King Nash of Thousand Oaks, CA.
In " Special Needs Journey," Shannon will provide parents
with practical information about raising children with special needs.
Approximately one out of five children under the age of 18 has a developmental
disability or neurological disorder - some 10 million children. In fact,
there are over 5.9 million children receiving special education services
in the U.S., and this number is growing rapidly.
Yet a recent study by the University of Pennsylvania, shows that African-American
children with special needs, in particular autism, are often misdiagnosed
or diagnosed late. This makes access to early intervention services,
which are often paid for by the state, unavailable or less effective.
"Special Needs Journey" will provide critical information
to an important segment of the African-American community and allows
CelebratingChildren.com to reach in a more personal way thousands
of African-American families.
Shannon and her husband, Bill, have found successful solutions to address
the needs of their 4-year-old son, Jason, who has been diagnosed with
autism. "Getting our son diagnosed was no easy task -- not to mention
figuring out the various services that he needed. I know first-hand
the power of being informed on these issues and much of this information
is lacking in the black community. From our 'journey' I want to help
other families get the information and support that they need. Our son
has significantly improved - from a child with no language to a vibrant,
active, and talkative four-year old. None of this would have been possible
without education on the issues, perseverance and early intervention."
The introductory article, "Isn't it Autism?" is the first
of 2-parts that will help parents identify signs that may indicate autism.
Parents will then be better equipped to discuss their children's needs
with a pediatrician in an effort to get appropriate testing and the
correct diagnosis.
Shannon King Nash joins Rick Badie (Fatherhood), Penny Powell (Stay-at-Home
Motherhood), Brian Thomas (History and Culture), and Tisha Tyler (Single
Parenting), who write columns for CelebratingChildren.com.
Shannon has published several articles on autism, including most recently:
"Special Needs Trust," Asperger and Autism Digest, and the
"Police Need More Training on Developmental Disabilities,"
Los Angeles Sentinel. Shannon volunteers her time with several special
needs and autism non-profits and is on the board of directors for the
United Autism Alliance. Shannon is an attorney, CPA and freelance writer
who primarily covers issues relating to autism and developmental disabilities.
She is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law. Shannon
is currently writing a handbook for special needs parents on the top
10 issues that they should know.
CelebratingChildren.com offers articles, tips, books, and gifts
that address the needs and concerns of African-American parents of young
children. By focusing on the people, places and products that recognize
the promise of the African-American child, CelebratingChildren.com
helps parents find ways to make every day in the lives of their children
a celebration.
Stacey Montgomery launched CelebratingChildren.com in February
2000. Stacey Montgomery, a graduate of Columbia University and Boston
University, has a background
in legal and technical writing. She also created a line of greeting
cards and invitations that are offered through CelebratingChildren.com
and through offline retail stores. She is a devoted wife and mother
of 2-year-old Isaiah.
For additional information, contact Stacey Montgomery, 630/978-0198,
editor@celebratingchildren.com, or Shannon King Nash, 805/496-9473,
specialneedscorner@hotmail.com.
Celebratingchildren.com is a trademark owned by Stacey Montgomery.
Stacey Montgomery owns the copyrights and trademarks on all artwork,
characters within artwork and articles that appear in celebratingchildren.com
unless indicated otherwise. All rights reserved.
Media Contact: editor@celebratingchildren.com
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