Season 3, Episode 11
Hope and Will: A Parenting Podcast from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
More than their Disability: Helping Kids Feel Seen
In this episode of Hope and Will: A Parenting Podcast from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, we’re joined by three incredible guests who are raising children with special needs. Together, they help us better understand what life is like for their families and provide insight to help parents harness kids’ natural curiosity and turn it into something positive. They share examples of big and little gestures that go a long way to help their kids feel loved and accepted.
Jenn is Mom to Wyatt, who has dwarfism. Nicole is Mom to Ruby, who has Down syndrome. And Neil is Dad to Jack, who is on the autism spectrum and communicates through a tablet.
You’ll hear what helps their kids feel supported in everyday settings like schools and sports, and what well-meaning people sometimes get wrong. They share advice for families starting their own special needs journeys, as well as support that makes a real difference for them as parents.
Before the panel discussion, you’ll also hear from Dale Spivey, a school social worker, double amputee and former Children’s patient, who reflects on her own childhood and the message her parents taught her early on: When life knocks you down, you turn your foot around and get back up.
This heartfelt conversation is an honest look at parenting and the small gestures that help every child feel like they belong.
Neil Brogan, Dad to Jack
Neil is a proud dad to joyful 8-year-old Jack. When Jack began to miss milestones as an infant—crawling, holding a bottle—Neil and his wife, Laura, enlisted the services of Baby Can’t Wait, Georgia’s early intervention program designed for infants and toddlers with developmental delays. After thorough evaluation, the team at Marcus Autism Center diagnosed Jack with autism spectrum disorder level 3 at the age of 2. Today, Jack communicates through an augmentive and alternative communication device and continues to be a light in the lives of all fortunate enough to know him.
Nicole was an experienced mom with two elementary schoolers when the baby of their family, Ruby, graced the world with her happy-go-lucky presence. Shortly after birth, Ruby was diagnosed with Down syndrome, sending the Eliason family on their own “Welcome to Holland” journey. Now 12 years old, Ruby is thriving and racking up new friends by the day. Nicole shares her experience with Ruby in a mainstream public school setting, as well as praise for classmates who have made Ruby feel a part of their pack since kindergarten.
Jenn Keeton, Mom to Wyatt
After several years of agonizing infertility, the Keetons were thrilled to finally be expecting a child in 2014. During a routine ultrasound, they learned that their baby boy was measuring small. Testing confirmed he would be born with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. In sharing more about Wyatt’s journey with dwarfism, Jenn emphasizes the importance of finding and connecting with others on similar paths—as well as the power of parents who advocate on behalf of their children, whether that’s at school or anywhere in their communities.