This post originally appeared on The Jewish Social Service Agency Blog on June 22, 2017. Talking with any child about death and dying can be daunting, but it may be particularly so when the child has special needs. When done in a way that takes into account the child’s specific developmental, social, and learning needs, a discussion such as this can be meaningful and highly influential as the child continues to grow and develop. Though there may be an inclination to shield ch

This post originally appeared on The JKP Blog, 5/30/17 “My grandma isn’t a dinosaur. Why are the dinosaurs in this book teaching about death?” “My dad’s not a leaf. I don’t understand what falling leaves have to do with him dying.” “My aunt died. Why is everyone saying she’s in a better place?” Metaphors, symbolic language, euphemisms. These all present challenges for many children with special needs who process information in a concrete manner. The quotes above encapsulate s