As we watch the last episode of Speechless, Season One, it’s obvious that we have been given a rare and beautiful gift – an incredible look at what it means to live a life with CP. Both for the person and for the family.

We hope you feel the same way about our expert videos – which now comprise a library of 45 videos, dealing with critical issues across a broad spectrum. If you want to get a full sense of this information, you can see the entire library here.

For this last week, we turn to two more of our valued friends in the medical community to give us a sense of how to better understand the needs around CP: from the earliest moments, to the growing child. Dr. Andrea Guzzetta discusses General Movement Assessments, which allows us to detect the potential for developmental delay in a baby as young as three months. And Dr. Josh Hyman, who can help you understand x-rays that your child might need.

It has been a glorious season. All our love to our friends at Speechless. And to all our CPF families and friends.

Come back next week, when we’ll share our final thoughts on what this year has been like for us, some friends, and our ambassador, Micah Fowler.

Parents are protective. That’s their job. So what happens when your child needs surgery? Not just once, but over and over again. Parents certainly understand the need, each and every time, but it sure doesn’t make the moment any easier.

Imagine knowing you can’t fully protect your child. Imagine the difficult decisions you need to make. Imagine the strength needed to keep going on and always being there.

That’s what this week’s Speechless episode is all about. The DiMeo family, as JJ gets surgery. This moment is something many people in the disabilities community know too much about.

However, there are parts of surgery we should know more about. So this week CPF introduces you to two of our close friends: Drs. Roye and Hyman. Both are orthopedic surgeons, who can explain some of the intricacies of hip and back surgery – in language we can all understand. Surgery never ever gets any easier, but understanding the process can help.

Everyone feels like an outsider sometimes. We all have triggers which rile us up every time we hear that same…. thing…. about…. ourselves. Everyone has moments when they just want to get away from the people who don’t understand them – and only stop running if they find that world where they fit in.

And, yes, these things are also harder in the world of disabilities.

Getting someone to see you for the person you are and to look past things which feel dissimilar should be so easy, but if we are honest with ourselves, it’s not.

In this episode of Speechless, JJ finds himself in an iconic moment: Prom Night. With usual bravery, Speechless shares how tough and confusing these moments can be. It also shares the hopes which all of us will always chase after.

To help in that chase, CPF introduces you to two new friends: Dr. Heakyung Kim, who talks about social and medical issues around drooling, and Dan Herlihy, who talks about finding the things you love to do.

Enjoy tonight’s fantastic and poignant episode, P-P-PROM NIGHT. And, of course, save your last dance for CPF.

Everyone feels like an outsider sometimes. We all have triggers which rile us up every time we hear that same…. thing…. about…. ourselves. Everyone has moments when they just want to get away from the people who don’t understand them – and only stop running if they find that world where they fit in.

And, yes, these things are also harder in the world of disabilities.

Getting someone to see you for the person you are and to look past things which feel dissimilar should be so easy, but if we are honest with ourselves, it’s not.

In this episode of Speechless, JJ finds himself in an iconic moment: Prom Night. With usual bravery, Speechless shares how tough and confusing these moments can be. It also shares the hopes which all of us will always chase after.

To help in that chase, CPF introduces you to two new friends: Dr. Heakyung Kim, who talks about social and medical issues around drooling, and Dan Herlihy, who talks about finding the things you love to do.

Enjoy tonight’s fantastic and poignant episode, P-P-PROM NIGHT. And, of course, save your last dance for CPF.

Every parent wonders how their child is doing in school. Are they making friends? Are they studying? Are they learning?

There’s rarely an easy answer. It’s rarer still in the world of disabilities. Students with CP and similar conditions often rely on many supports and services. From scanned materials, to augmentative communication, to paraprofessionals who sit beside kids and transcribe answers for tests. It’s no wonder that grades of kids with disabilities don’t always reflect their true abilities.

If you’re a parent of a child with disabilities, you’ll instantly relate to this week’s episode of Speechless, where Kenneth’s support of JJ goes a bit too far when he asks “JJ, is the answer A, or B, or, get ready, how about this one: Ceeeeeeee?” It’s a fabulously funny moment. Yet it’s an honest look at the real complexities around finding the right amount of support in the classroom.

We’re thrilled this week that our classroom has two super thoughtful experts, Kirk Behnke and Craig Bugaj, who explore how to find the right level of guidance and intervention – in everything from communication to taking tests.

In this week’s fabulous and hilarious episode of Speechless, JJ DiMeo heads to, of all places, the supermarket aisle to develop all sorts of clever strategies to assert his independence.

Learning to effectively tap into those skills should start early, with a focus on finding the best ways to support a developing brain. We hope this weeks insights – more from Dr. Ros Boyd, and new ones from Karen Janowski – will provide some great tips on how to make that happen.

If you want to understand someone’s life, listen to their stories.

It’s been energizing – and a bit dizzying – as Speechless has looked at the diverse challenges faced by individuals who struggle with speech. But if there’s one thing we can take away, it’s that addressing these challenges is important. Communication, in any form, is central to life.

So as Speechless brings together a group of kids with diverse challenges for an Oscar Party, we’re bringing together a diverse group of experts to help you support the challenges faced by kids who use speech generating devices. Thanks to Pati King-DeBaun, Deanna Wagner, and Howard Shane for sharing their expertise and insights. In fact, we’re voting them all Best Supporting Speech Therapists!

Tonight, JJ goes AAC! (That means Augmented and Alternative Communication).

In tonight’s episode of Speechless, JJ finally answers the question: “Why do you use Kenneth instead of a speech device?”

The answer is a complex one – because communication is a complex thing. That’s particularly true with AAC. It’s not the way most of us communicate – and so it can be difficult for a parent or teacher to support.

This week begins a three part series on Speech Generating Devices. We know you’ll enjoy these valuable tips and insights from our experts. Share them with teachers and professionals. Share them with your kids. And, most of all, share the belief that we all have so much to communicate! (And that’s especially true for the writers, cast, and crew of our favorite TV show!)

In this week’s episode of Speechless, JJ DiMeo confronts the challenge of loving chocolate too much. It’s a great episode, but it only hints at the many far more difficult challenges in the world of CP. From getting the supports needed for a good education, to dealing with the truly debilitating effects of body pains, to finding a life of love and understanding: having CP just makes things harder. Which is not to say it makes them impossible. Instead, with understanding, shared commitment, and knowledge, a life with CP can be just what we all desire: typical. In other words, life with CP is also like a box of chocolates. So eat up!

We hope you enjoy this week’s videos and the diverse and valuable insights from our experts.

When we think about disabilities, most people often go to the emotional aspects of it. But for families, many issues are in fact simply about logistics! How do you deal with schedules, helpers, adaptations, and getting around? Just who does what? And, just plain and simple, how can you possibly get done all the things that need to get done?!?

In this week’s Speechless, we see what happens when Maya is sick and Kenneth has to take a day off. It doesn’t just rock the boat: it rocks a few worlds.

So we hope our experts this week – one a parent advocate and one a daughter – give us all some insights and thoughts that help us all navigate all the very practical challenges which flow through a life with disabilities.