Feeding Tube Awareness Week

Posted on February 9, 2022 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Date: February 8-12. 2022

The Feeding Tube Awareness Week was created by the Feeding Tube awareness Foundation organization to increase awareness of feeding tubes and enteral feeding. The first awareness week was launched in 2011. The mission of Awareness week is to promote the positive benefits of feeding tubes as life saving medical interventions. Each year, the third week of February is designated as Feeding Tube Awareness Week.

What is a feeding tube?

A feeding tube is a device that is inserted in the stomach wall and goes directly into the stomach. It bypasses chewing and swallowing in a student or individual who no longer has the ability to safely eat or drink. This allows for students and individuals to receive adequate nutritional support.

A feeding tube is also used for students and adults who cannot take in enough food by mouth. Feeding tubes can be temporary or permanent .

Reasons to use a feeding tube

The student or individual may have a swallowing disorder or dysphasia. This means there is an increased risk for the student or individual to aspirate their foods or liquids into their lungs. Causes of swallowing problems include low-muscle tone, brain injury, genetic conditions, sensory issues, neurological conditions, cleft lip/palate and birth defects of the esophagus or stomach.

Neurological and Genetic Conditions Requiring Tube Feeding

Some students and individuals with neurological and genetic conditions often require tube feeding due to gastrointestinal issues including constipation, reflux, and abnormal food-related behaviors. It For example, it is estimate that 11% of children with cerebral palsy use a feeding tube due to difficulty with eating, swallowing, and drinking.

The following are different types of neurological or genetic conditions that may require the use of a feeding tube.

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

Angelman Syndrome

Aspiration

CDKL5 Disorder

Dysphasia

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fragile X Syndrome

Hydrocephalus

Lennox-Gestaut Syndrome

Microcephaly

Ohtahara Syndrome

PPD- Not Otherwise Specified

Turner Syndrome

Trisomy 18

Spastic Diplegia

Traumatic Brain Injury

West Syndrome

Williams Syndrome

Resources:

Book Review: My belly Has Two Buttons

Updated 12/29/23

International Day of Acceptance

Posted on January 20, 2022 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Date: January 20, 2022

The International Day o Acceptance was founded by Stevie Hopkins in memory of his sister, Annie in 2010. Annie Hopkins along with her brother Stevie, founded 3E Love, a social entrepreneurial business that is disability owned and operated. 3E Love and the wheelchair heart has become an international brans and a symbol of love, strength, and hope.

International Day of Acceptance recognizes that people with disabilities have social rights and should be treated with respect.. Acceptance Day purpose is to focus on recognizing a disability without trying to change it. Disability acceptance is recognizing that a disability is part of the person and cannot be separated from the person.

World Braille Day

Posted on January 4, 2022 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Date: January 4, 2024

World Braille Day is an international day sponsored by the United Nations to celebrate the importance of braille and to celebrate the birthday of Louis Braille, the creator of the braille writing system.

The first World Braille day was celebrated on January 4, 2019. The proclamation was signed November, 2018 by the United Nations General Assembly.

Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809 near Paris, France while playing with his father’s tools at the age of 3, he lost his sight and at the age of 10, was sent to the Royal Institute for Blind Youth. Inspired by Charles Barbier night reading system at the age 15, Louis invented the braille system which became more widely used in 1854. The braille system was quickly adopted by other schools in France and would eventually be used worldwide.

Updated 12/29/23

2021 Special Needs Awareness Observance Calendar

Posted on January 10, 2021 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Download printable here: 2021 Special Needs Awareness Observance Calendar

Did you know that 1 in 6 or 15% of children aged 3 through 17 have one or more developmental disabilities? Or that according to the World Health Organization (WHO) that over a billion people live with some form of disability? This means that nearly 1 in 7 people on Earth have some form of a disability. For this reason, disability awareness and acceptance is more important now than ever before.

What is the Purpose of Disability Awareness?

Disability awareness serves many purposes including informing and educating people on a certain cause. In some cases organizations and agencies use it as part of their annual campaign in an effort to bring awareness and raise money for their cause. Employers often conduct trainings on disability awareness as an effort to educate employees and to decrease bullying in the workplace. Disability awareness also can be used to address myths, misconceptions and the realities of having a disability. Ribbons are also used that are specific to awareness activities. Through disability awareness campaigns it is hoped that people learn and develop a greater understanding of those with a disability. Annual awareness observances are sponsored by federal, health and non-profit organizations. In some cases observances are worldwide including World Autism Awareness Day or World Cerebral Palsy Day.

Types of Awareness Campaigns

Awareness campaigns fall under three categories:

Day- this is often held on the same day each year regardless of the day it falls under. There are cases where an awareness day falls on a specific day such as the last Thursday of a month.
Week – The dates dates change and vary based on the week. In some cases, awareness activities are held on the first week of the month to the fourth week of the month
Month- activities and awareness celebrations are held throughout the month.

The 2021 calendar includes major special needs awareness days, weeks, and months. Most websites include awareness toolkits, promotional material and fact sheets. This page focuses on awareness activities that impact people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Click on the month below to go to a specific month.

January /February/March/ April/ May/June/July/September/October/November/December

January

Louis Braille

January (Month)

National Birth Defects Month

January 4- World Braille Day

January 20- International Day of Acceptance

January 24- Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day

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February

February (Month)

Turner Syndrome Awareness Month

February (Week)

February 7-14 Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week

February 8-12 Feeding Tube Awareness

February (Day)

February 15- International Angelman Day

February 28- Rare Disease Day

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March

March (Month)

Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Kidney Awareness Month

Multiple Sclerosis Month

Social Work Awareness Month

Trisomy Awareness Month

March (Week)

March 21-27- Poison Prevention Week

March (Day)

March 1- Self-Injury Day

March 1- International Wheelchair Day

March 21- World Down Syndrome Day

March 26- Purple Day for Epilepsy

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April

April (Day)

April 2- World Autism Awareness Day

April 7- Paraprofessional Appreciation Day

May

Better Hearing and Speech Month

Ehlers-Danlos Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month

National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month

National Mobility Awareness Month

Prader Willi Syndrome Awareness Month

Williams Syndrome Awareness Month

May (Week)

May 5-12- Cri du Chat Awareness Week

May (Day)

May 1- Global Developmental Delay Day

May 5- World Asthma Day

May 14- Apraxia Awareness Day

May 19- National Schizencephaly Awareness Day

May 15- Tuberous Sclerosis Global Awareness Day

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June

June (Month)

Aphasia Awareness Month

Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month

June (Week)

Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week (Last Sunday in June)

June (Day)

June 7- Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day

June 17- CDKL5 Awareness Day

June 23- Dravet Syndrome Awareness Day (Canada)

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July

July (Month)

National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month

National Frag ile X Syndrome Awareness Month

July (Day)

July 18- Disability Awareness Day (UK)

July 22- National Fragile X Syndrome Awareness Day

July 26- American Disability Act Day

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September

September (Month)

Chiari Awareness Month

Craniofacial Acceptance Month

Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) Awareness Month

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Awareness

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Syndrome Awareness Month

Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

National Spinal Cord Awareness Month

Sickle Cell Awareness Month

Sepsis Awareness Month

September 7- World Duchenne Awareness Day

September 9- Fetal Alcohol Awareness Day

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October

ADHD Awareness Month

Disability History Month

Down Syndrome Awareness Month

Dysautonomia Awareness

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

National Dyslexia Awareness Month

Occupational Therapy Awareness Month

October (Day)

October 6- World Cerebral Palsy Day

October 15- White Cane Awareness Day

October (Week)

October 13-19 Invisible Disabilities Week

Rett Syndrome Awareness Month

Spinal Bifida Awareness Month

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November

22q Awareness Month

Epilepsy Awareness Month

November 1- LGS Awareness Day

November 7- National Stress Awareness Day

November 15- World Ohtahara Syndrome Awareness Day

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December

December 3- International Day of Persons with Disabilities

December 1-7- Infantile Spasm

Updated 1/5/2021

2021 Special Needs Awareness Observance Calendar

Posted on January 5, 2021 by specialneedsresourcetrainingblog

Download printable here: 2021 Special Needs Awareness Observance Calendar

What is the Purpose of Disability Awareness?