190. Advocating Through The Challenges Of A New School Year

In this episode we revisit a conversation with our longtime pediatrician, Dr. Ilona Kleiner, who has been with our family since the day Sophia was born and has guided us through Liam’s journey with wisdom, honesty and compassion. Dr. Kleiner shares her perspective on treating children as whole individuals far beyond a diagnoses or statistics and the profound impact that kind of care can have on both medical outcomes and family life. Together, we talk about navigating the fears that often surround a Down syndrome diagnosis, the importance of preventative medicine and what it means to advocate for our children day by day. Dr. Kleiner also offers practical insights on vaccines, inclusion and supporting children’s mental health by reminding us that every child deserves to be seen, respected and treated with dignity. This heartfelt conversation is a reminder of the power of compassionate care and our hope that every family finds a physician who sees their child for exactly who they are. Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2025/09/15/192-choosing-a-pediatrician-with-dr-ilona-kleiner/2/ Please follow us on X @ifweknewthenPOD, you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. Also join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

Today we  sit down with speech-language pathologist and author Janine Tang to talk about her new book "Play Dumb and Sabotage: Mindfully Under-Anticipating the Child’s Needs and Creating Opportunities to Practice Language". Drawing from more than two decades as a therapist and her personal journey as a parent of a child with a brain injury, Jeaneen shares practical strategies parents can use every day to support speech development. We discuss the challenges families face in accessing quality speech therapy, how to advocate for services and why creating small opportunities for communication can have lasting impact. Jeaneen also opens up about her son’s diagnosis, how it shifted her perspective as both a mother and a professional and the importance of empowering parents to see that they are doing a good job. Jeaneen fills this conversation with hope, compassion and actionable tools for parents navigating speech development and early intervention. She reminds us that our children can achieve more when we give them space, support and belief in their potential. Website: https://www.playdumbandsabotage.com IG: @playdumbandsabotage Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2025/09/07/191-play-dumb-and-sabotage-with-jeaneen-yang/2/ Please follow us on X @ifweknewthenPOD, you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. Also join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

In this episode, we discuss the challenges of a new school year and how we advocate to create a foundation of support for Liam, with the intentions of creating a narrative of inclusion. Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2025/08/30/190-advocating-through-the-challenges-of-a-new-school-year/2/ Please follow us on X @ifweknewthenPOD, you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. Also join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

In this episode Stephen and Lori sit down on a quiet summer morning to reflect on the season of transitions, both for their family and for their son Liam, who just graduated middle school. From the stillness of summer mornings to the in-between spaces of growth, they talk about what it means to be present during times of change, the challenges and beauty of navigating education with a child who learns differently and the lessons we can take from something as simple and profound as a caterpillar’s metamorphosis. Along the way, they share honest reflections on judgment, resilience, and the hope that comes from remembering that every transition, messy as it may be, is also a space for transformation. Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2025/08/24/189-lets-talk-about-transitions-middle-school-to-high-school/2/ Please follow us on X @ifweknewthenPOD, you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. Also join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

Every year we face the stresses of annual appointments and assessments. Today we talk about game plans and strategies to help prepare for them. Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2025/05/26/188-preparing-for-annual-appointments/2/ Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in this beautiful Down syndrome community. You are a force and we thank and celebrate you. Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2025/05/11/187-happy-mothers-day/2/ Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

This week we are revisiting our interview with Melissa Kynoch, known by many for being featured on the BBC documentary LIFE AND BIRTH. Millions of people have had a chance to watch her positive attitude in the face of her son Bertie's Down syndrome diagnosis. Now, five years later, the docu-series is available in the United States on Amazon Prime. Season 1, Episode 6: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B09LCDLPFV/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2025/05/04/186-life-and-birth-on-amazon-prime-with-melissa-kynoch/2/ Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

In this episode we discuss the need and power for us to cultivate self pride and worth within the disability community. In doing so, we nullify the damaging words and opinions of those who wish to label and minimize individuals with disabilities or anyone for that matter. Episode Transcript:  Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

Today we are joined again by Mrs. Christina Aries, the Director of Adult Development at Citizens of the World Charter Schools for the second part of our discussion about brain development in the adolescent years. Episode Transcript: Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

Today we are joined by Mrs. Christina Aries, the Director of Adult Development at Citizens of the World Charter Schools for a two-part discussion about brain development in the adolescent years. Episode Transcript:  Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.