Last week, I started a new blog series all about invisible disabilities and today I am back to share Part Two. To review, an invisible disability is an umbrella term used to describe any disability that is not immediately apparent to another person and invisible disabilities make up 90% of all disabilities. It is estimated that approximately 10% of people in the United States has an invisible disability.

Disability EducationMacy GilsonJanuary 30, 2021invisible disabilities, hidden disabilities, disability stereotypes, disability education, epilepsy, seizure disorder, lupus, autoimmune disease, hidden disability, learning disability, language processing disability, auditory processing disability, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphiaComment

Invisible Disabilities: Part One

Invisible Disability, or Hidden Disability, means exactly as what it sounds like - a disability that is hidden. This umbrella term is used to describe any disability that is not immediately apparent to another person. An invisible disability most commonly refers to a person who does not use an assistive device (such as a cochlear implant) or other support (such as a white cane for the blind), though it can also include people who occasionally use an assistive device/support. For example, a person with lupus may only use a wheelchair during a flare up to relieve joint pain.

Disability EducationMacy GilsonJanuary 20, 2021invisible disabilities, hidden disabilities, disability stereotypes, disability education, epilepsy, seizure disorder, lupus, autoimmune disease, hidden disability, learning disability, language processing disability, auditory processing disability, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphiaComment

ScriptSpeak x Macy Gilson

Last fall I had the opportunity to partner with ScriptSpeak, a text-to-speech software company uses AI to convert written content into verbal speech. Trent and Clay Martin, the founders of Script Speak, are helping companies reach a larger audience by making written content more accessible and I am so impressed with their innovation and attention to detail. After using ScriptSpeak for the past few months, I can assure you that it is the best feature on my website, for a variety of reasons.

Parent Resources, Educator Resources, Speech/LanguageMacy GilsonJanuary 11, 2021text to speech, audio software, ScriptSpeak, AI, artificial intelligenceComment

A Letter to Mom from Your Daughter with Down syndrome

Dear Mom…

Parent ResourcesMacy GilsonJanuary 3, 2021letters to mom, down syndrome, nothing down about it, special needs parenting, special needs families, up syndromeComment

#MacysMustReads Fall 2020

With everything going on in our country during election season, I decided to dive into some books written by former first family members, as well as read some fiction books about our government. If you’re new, I a started #MacysMustReads during the summer of 2019 and it has quickly become a blog favorite.

Macy's Must ReadsMacy GilsonNovember 10, 2020must reads, macysmustreads, book club, books, fall 2020 reading list, fall reading list, fall 2020 books Comment

My Instagram Fam | Down syndrome

I have met so many amazing people through social media, so I have decided to start a new series on the blog called My Instagram Fam. I am constantly inspired by these accounts and I want to share them with you all today in the hope that you will be inspired, too! If you’re looking for great Down syndrome resources, ideas, tips and information, follow these accounts!

Parent Resources, Social Media Faves, Educator ResourcesMacy GilsonOctober 27, 2020instagram accounts, social media, must follow accounts, inspiring accounts, speech and language, speech language pathologist, #BetterSpeechandHearingMonthComment

How to Talk to Your Children About Disabilities

Talking to your children about disabilities does not have to be scary or awkward. There are so many little things you can do on a daily basis to educate your children! I have compiled by top five tips to increase your child’s disability awareness to create a more inclusive home and community.

Parent Resources, Disability Education, Educator ResourcesMacy GilsonOctober 12, 2020how to talk about disabilities, how to talk to your children about disabilities, talking about disabilities, books about disabilities, disability education, parenting advice, special needs parentingComment

Let's Talk | AAC

AAC, or Augmentative and Alternative Communication, is a form of communication used by individuals who are nonverbal, meaning they cannot consistently rely on verbal speech to communicate. Last week, I wrote a blog post that dives in to nonverbal communication and if you are interested, you can read the post here.