As Charlie’s mom, an 11-year-old boy with Level 3 autism, most of my life revolves around meeting his very unique needs. Charlie requires 24/7 care, and though I love him with every fiber of my being, I can’t ignore the weight of his dependence on me. If you’re a parent to a child with severe special needs, you know what I’m talking about. We are often more than just caretakers; we also advocate and speak for those who can’t advocate for themselves. While our journeys may be different, I think we’ve all wondered at least once: What happens when I’m gone?
What happens when I’m gone?
This thought keeps me awake at night. How can I make sure that Charlie will be cared for with the same love, patience, and understanding that I give him? That’s why having a plan isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.
I recently discovered a tool that benefited me and will benefit many families: The Dani Plan. Created by parents Joel and Debbie Pearlman for their daughter Danielle, who is nonverbal and has autism, this tool is a centralized hub that simplifies the overwhelming task of documenting everything about your child’s care.
The Dani Plan came from a place of love and necessity. Joel and Debbie wanted to make sure that no matter who was caring for their daughter Danielle, her needs would always be understood and met. They took their experience as parents and created a system that’s easy to use, intuitive and complete.
Why use The Dani Plan?
Here’s why I believe every parent of a child with special needs needs to know about The Dani Plan:
- All-in-One Solution: It consolidates all the most important information for your child—medical records, daily routines, medications, preferences, therapies—into a secure, easy-to-use platform.
- Ease of Sharing: Whether it’s a rotating caregiver, teacher, or therapist, you can share this information seamlessly, ensuring consistency and clarity.
- Peace of Mind: Knowing that every detail of Charlie’s care can be documented in one place gives me a sense of relief. It can be useful now to share with his caregivers (therapists, teachers, babysitters) but it’s also peace of mind if something were to happen to us, his parents.
The Dani Plan is more than just a safeguard
People can use The Dani Plan for everyday use and not just as a safeguard in case something happens to them. For example, you can use it for sending IEPs to people quickly, medication reminders, and more.
Peace of mind for parents of children with autism and other disabilities
For families like ours, where change is difficult and consistency is so important, The Dani Plan makes transitions and sharing of information as seamless as possible. Whether it’s a temporary caregiver or a long-term change, it helps protect our loved ones in a world that often doesn’t understand their needs.
The future is uncertain, but tools like The Dani Plan help make it feel just a little less scary. Working on Charlie’s plan makes me feel like I’ve done everything possible to prepare for what comes next.
Try it risk free for 14 days. Use my coupon code Autismcafe25 to save 25% off your first year or sign up for a webinar at daniplan.com/autismcafe
For Charlie, for Danielle, and for all our children—this is an important tool that needs to be shared with the broader community. Share, please!
No Comments