Author: madvocator

Charisse Montgomery is the author of the Super Safe Kids series of books and safety tools. These tools engage children, parents, and their families in improving safety and advocacy in the hospital, the community and the home. A former educator, Charisse Montgomery has earned bachelor's and master's degrees in English, along with a master's degree in Educational Psychology, with research focused on informing and empowering parents of medically fragile children. She completed a graduate certificate in Patient Advocacy and serves on the Board at Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital.

Sensory Needs: Behavior is Communication

Because Richie has a significant speech delay, there are many times when he is unable to tell us the source of his frustrations. Over the years, and through several modalities, we have tried to give him tools to communicate his needs.

Parent CEO: Parent Leadership in In-Home Care

This excerpt from Home Care CEO: A Parent’s Guide to Managing In-home Pediatric Nursing, was published in Complex Child. Having a child who is medically fragile can affect a household greatly, from the financial resources required for therapies and medical treatments to the family structure and economic status. Twenty-two percent of families with children who … Continue reading Parent CEO: Parent Leadership in In-Home Care

Tips For Team Parenting a Child With Special Needs

The following was published as part of my “Teachable Moments” blog series for ProMedica HealthConnect. Research shows that among parents of children with special needs, the divorce rate is 80 percent, compared to 50 percent among the rest of the population. The challenges of raising a child with special needs, along with the typical demands … Continue reading Tips For Team Parenting a Child With Special Needs

Confronting Germs With Your Medically Complex Child

The following was published as part of my “Teachable Moments” blog series for ProMedica HealthConnect. We humans are naturally social creatures. We gather, embrace and share. Unfortunately, we often share our germs. Germs are everywhere, and as a result, the parents of medically fragile children often limit their children’s interactions and essentially self-quarantine.

Riding the Waves of a Genetic Muscle Condition

This article was published in Complex Child e-magazine. Slow-twitch muscles fibers give us endurance, while fast-twitch fibers provide strength and power. Most of us have about the same amount of each type of muscle fiber. When he was two months old, my son Richie had a muscle biopsy that revealed an abundance of slow-twitch fibers, which … Continue reading Riding the Waves of a Genetic Muscle Condition

Madvocator Educational and Healthcare Advocacy Training

Changing the way people think and participate in education and healthcare