Please take a moment and read the rest of the article:
https://bettermanchester.com/2023/06/different-but-special-a-mothers-story/
]]>For local author Susan Vanriel-Smith, she uses her creative voice as an outlet, one to tell a story – that of her journey as a mother of children on the autism spectrum.
Different But Special tells the story of Nicholas, who was diagnosed with autism, and his family, and it follows their journey as they learn to listen, talk and grow as a familial unit, “find[ing] ways to work through the moments though their love for one another and end up all the stronger for it.” It is a universal family story, Vanriel-Smith said, one that shows the good times and difficulties, times of celebration and times of reflection.
“The mission of my book is to reach families of all race[s] and culture[s],” Vanriel-Smith wrote. “There aren’t many books that discuss the topic of autism amongst an African American family. I wanted it to reach the Caribbean community, my culture. I wanted it to be authentic, transparent and relatable.”
transparent and revealing can be challenging, not just for authors such as Vanriel-Smith, but also for those who feel represented through the characters put on the page. However difficult, the exploration of these stories is crucial, Vanriel-Smith said, especially for its ability to combat misinformation or a lack of education.
“I was compelled to explore this mission because oftentimes, people are afraid [of an autism diagnosis]. They live in denial and do a complete disservice to their children,” Vanriel-Smith wrote. “The lack of education on the topic can cause individuals to shy away, leaving children undiagnosed, untreated…Parents are sometimes lost and confused, depressed and angry. I want them to know that they are not alone.”
]]>Always take proper precautions knowing that you are using something safe on your face. The skin on your face tend to be more exposed and different from the rest of the body. Things that can be asked are do you have oily skin? Do you have a normal skin type? Do you have dry skin? What ingredients are used? Do you have acne prone skin? Which butter has a lot of vitamins?
When it comes to using body butter on the face, knowing your skin type and ingredients used in the product are very important. Body butters act as an anti-inflammatory and can be good overall. The vitamins and fatty acids help with the health of skin membrane.
ref: Aimee Werner 9/26/19
]]>With no background or training as an entrepreneur, Susan took a long time (and used lots of scraps of paper) as she pieced together the plan that led to the launch, last summer, of her online business -- selling apparel and other products (pendants, wristbands, bags etc.) that share the theme of autism. Her lack of experience, though, was offset by an incentive best captured by words on the company website: “People become more passionate about a cause once it hits close to home.” Yes, two of Susan and husband Damian’s four children are on the autism spectrum, giving her insights that inform her fledgling business and make her work especially meaningful. Born in Jamaica, Susan was 11 when she came with her family to Connecticut. She graduated from East Hartford High in ‘97 and has degrees in biology from ECSU (bachelors) and St. Joseph’s (masters) and has worked as an environmental chemist and polysomnographer (aka sleep tech). Along the way she moved to Manchester and had Damian Jr., who at age 2 began to inexplicably regress -- suddenly becoming overly sensitive to noise, prone to misbehavior and more. “It was difficult at first and hard to live with,” Susan said. “You just want to blame yourself.” So began a journey that only the parents of children with autism can fully understand, into a world of testing and day trips (to CCMC and UConn for consultations) and even new vocabulary and abbreviations (ADD, IEP) and terminology. Young Damian is now 15 and a sophomore at Cheney Tech, where he needs minimal support and accommodations but Davahr, who is 12 and in seventh grade at Illing, is non-verbal and thus much more dependent on adults and interventions. Finally, third child Dahkari is 3 years old and in pre-school and exhibiting no signs of autism. As for the business, Susan said “I felt moved to do something” as she observed the challenges that children with autism can face, and her products reflect her feelings. “Autism Can Be Complicated. Try A Different Approach” reads one T-shirt that’s for sale. NOTE: Read more and find website link on our FB page.
]]>https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/entertainment/ct-live/ct-live-gifted-one-princes/2432129/
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