HIGHLAND PARK, IL - - Highland Park Author Judith Loseff Lavin, a nationally recognized spokesperson for parents of special children, will speak in Northfield at Am Yisrael Congregation, 4 Happ Rd. (across from New Trier West High School), from 9:30-11 a.m., Tuesday, January 15. Her speech, From Tragedy to Triumph, is open to the public. It is co-sponsored by the North Suburban Special Education District’s (NSSED) Association of Parents and Staff and the New Trier Township Committee on Disabilities.

Recently interviewed on NBC-TV’s Today Show, Lavin will discuss the emotional and practical challenges faced by the 40,000,000 plus American parents, including herself, who have children with special needs.

Following Lavin’s speech, the former writer for the Chicago Sun-Times will sign copies of her widely acclaimed new book, Special Kids Need Special Parents (www.specialkidsbook.com). In her 307-page resource guide, which may be the only book of its kind, she offers insights, support and advice on a wide variety of topics. These range from stress and how it affects a marriage (government studies report a divorce rate of more than 75 percent in special families) to issues involving grandparents and well siblings and finding the right therapist. She also talks about how to deal with teasing, particularly during the Winter when teasing escalates, recognizing and dealing with a child’s depression and understanding the anger and grief experienced by parents of special kids.

Lavin gleaned these tips and wisdom from her own experience and from hundreds of interviews with parents and family members, physicians, educators, attorneys and therapists. Numerous celebrities, prominent experts and authors have recommended her book, which includes a 37-page resource guide of organizations and support groups as well as interviews with celebrities who have triumphed over their own disabilities.

These celebrities include:

Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin;
Major League Baseball Player Jim Abbott;
Master Violinist Itzhak Perlman and
Sesame Street TV actress Tara Lynne Schaeffer.

Following are some reviews of Lavin’s book:

Publishers Weekly - - Lavin’s book combines compassion and considerable first-hand research.
Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People - - A wise and helpful book….
Tim Shriver, Ph.d., president and CEO of Special Olympics, Inc. - - … a touching, spiritual and very personal account…. a helpful how-to guide for parents on a broad array of topics.
Dr. Charles Berde, director of Pain Treatment Services at Children’s Hospital of Boston and a Harvard Medical School professor - - … a valuable compass and road map for families of children with special needs….
Actor Stacy Keach, who had cleft lip and palate and serves as honorary chairman of the American Cleft Palate Foundation - - Judy Lavin shows all of us the way to hope and happiness…. this book will be a positive guiding influence for special kids and parents for many generations to come.
Parenting expert Adele Faber, who co-authored How To Talk So Kids Will Listen … - - Parents will be grateful for this honest, compassionate guide .…(A) wealth of useful information.

To RVSP for the program, please call Karen Noonan at NSSED, (847) 831-5100, ext. 211.