With a non-verbal child you become accustomed to watching out for signs. Sé feels pain the same as everybody else, but he doesn’t know how to express it, so we watch him and mind him and do our best. Right now, he’s got something brewing. How do I know? Because he’s being nice and helpful….
When our son was born with Down Syndrome, the path of our lives changed forever. All our plans and expectations were suddenly put on hold and our lives became a rollercoaster of doctors and hospital appointments and therapy sessions. While we reeled from the shock of being thrown into this new world, we had…
This time last year, my son finally got a place in special school and the difference it has made to all our lives has been incredible. To see him thrive in a place where he is valued rather than tolerated has hammered home to us the importance of true inclusion rather than the tokenistic version that…
The discourse around the most recent referendum has been yet another exercise in soul baring to beg for access to basic human rights. We did it for marriage equality, we did it for repeal the 8th and now here we are again, telling our stories about the inhumane ways we have been treated and neglected…
As my son gets older, he finds ever more ingenious ways to keep us on our toes. Over the years, he has filled the oven with random stuff and turned it on. He has chopped blueberries with a chefs knife. He once painted his entire head black – face, neck, hair, even the insides of his…
We had a significant birthday in our house this week. Our son with Down Syndrome turned 12. And what a 12 years it has been. I cried in the lift heading up to the labour ward – I knew something big was about to happen. A couple heading out with their newborn, thinking I was…
My friend and I had 24 hours away together to celebrate Nollaig na mBán. We’re both musicians, we have both travelled extensively and we have both lived large lives. And now, we’re both parents to children with special needs. In a previous lifetime, 24 hours away would have meant eating, drinking and partying on…
These teeth. They have been with us for a very long time. My son didn’t have any teeth at all until he was almost 3 years old. His first tooth was a big, back molar. Then, gradually, teeth started popping up all over the place, some at the back, an odd one near the…
I’m a music loving mother with a passion for human rights and social justice. I’m a campaigner and advocate for children with disabilities and special educational needs. I like to be heard and I love to help others find their voice.I’m back in college studying Media and Broadcasting, working towards my degree in Creative Media…