In the United States today, approximately one in six children ages 3 through 17 have some type of developmental disability. These disabilities are due to an impairment in physical, language, behavior, or learning areas and typically impact an individual's day to day functioning. Although about 15% of children in the United States have at least one developmental disability, there are often limited opportunities for these kids as they grow into adulthood and leave the school system. For those who are fortunate enough to have access to services to fill their days-- either through a job adapted for them, volunteer work, or living in a group home filled with structured activities-- challenges may still arise. Often, these challenges occur when those who come into contact with adults who have developmental disabilities don't understand how to effectively communicate with them-- or their case managers, guardians, and caretakers.

Whether we're willing to admit it or not, most of us are sensitive to criticism about our performance. This is especially true when the criticism is overly negative and doesn't align with our views about ourselves and our work. Although receiving negative feedback at work can be uncomfortable, there are ways to handle it gracefully-- and even use the undesirable feedback as an opportunity for self-improvement.

They are the ones providing elder care to their loved ones every day, helping to ensure that their family members get to stay at home as long as possible. They play a critical role in our nation's long term care system with their unpaid assistance and support. They are both men and women, and they often perform complex medical tasks for their ill, disabled, or aging loved ones. They serve as full time partners who have the best interest of their loved ones at heart. They are our nation's 90 million family caregivers.

When used optimally, LinkedIn can be an invaluable resource for professionals. Boasting over 300 million members, it can provide users with the opportunity to build their brand and network with other professionals. However, not all LI profiles are created equally.  While LinkedIn's technology and capabilities have continued to evolve over time, it is still the basics that bring professionals the most success.

There seems to be some confusion among the general population about what exactly occupational therapy entails. For starters, the name is a little misleading. When occupational therapy first began after the Second World War, its focus was on rehabilitating injured soldiers so that they could return to the workforce. Today, though, the term "occupation" is used more broadly in the OT field-- it refers to the many everyday activity that people find meaningful and use to occupy their time.

November is the month to raise awareness and give back to the heroes in the home care and hospice field. November is the month to honor those special individuals who make a positive difference in the lives of the patients and families they serve. November is Home Care and Hospice Month-- and a time to thank the millions of nurses, home health aides, therapists, and social workers who play such a central role in our nation's health care system.

November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, as declared by former President Ronald Reagan in 1983. When President Reagan designated November as Alzheimer's Month, fewer than 2 million Americans were living with the disease. Today, over 5 million people are living with this disease, which is a type of dementia and causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior.

Many new speech language pathologists begin their careers with the public school system or in the rehab department of the local children's hospital. While these settings provide a wide variety of patients and a guaranteed income, the pay rate can be surprisingly low for a licensed medical professional with a master's degree.

When you served in the armed forces, you were a member of the best-trained military in the world. You may have learned how to fly helicopters, repair Navy ships or operate sophisticated computer systems. However, when your deployment ends and you return to civilian life, making a transition from military service to the civilian market can be daunting.

Parents of children who are on the autism spectrum often experience a broad range of emotions. The initial diagnosis may be an extraordinarily stressful time as the family goes through a period of adjustment. It's likely that families will also experience some degree of financial stress due to expensive treatments and ongoing therapies. There are a number of other challenges that families with children on the autism spectrum experience which might cause them to feel isolated from other families in the community.

If you're lucky, at some point in your career, you'll have the opportunity to work under the direction of a truly exceptional leader. Perhaps one day you'll even become one of those leaders yourself. What exactly distinguishes an exceptional leader from the pack of good, effective leaders?

A career in social work can be extremely rewarding, as it a profession devoted to helping people. It's unlike any other career in that it offers a variety of opportunities; these positions are found in schools, hospitals, police departments, courts, and countless other workplaces. While often filled with great meaning and deep satisfaction, there are undeniably some challenges that come along with a career in this field.

When Iris Grace began to paint at three years old, she wasn't able to talk-- yet her paintings spoke volumes. After Iris was diagnosed with autism in 2011, her parents began to tirelessly research therapies that are helpful for children with this spectrum disorder. That research led to the introduction of painting into Iris's world. Now five years old, Iris's impressionist-style paintings have resulted in her being dubbed the "five-year-old Monet". In fact, many of Iris's paintings sell for thousands of dollars worldwide.