Canfield mom's book aims to help families with special needs kids

CANFIELD

Michele Gianetti said raising a daughter with special needs can leave parents feeling lonely because their child isn’t like other children. But she has been able to help herself and others by writing books about her experience.

Gianetti’s daughter Elizabeth, who graduated from Canfield High School on Sunday, has dyspraxia, also known as developmental coordination disorder, and sensory processing disorder.

Dyspraxia affects her motor skills and makes it difficult for her to figure out the steps to complete a task. Sensory processing disorder make things such as sounds, lights and taking a bath feel wrong.

She wrote a children’s book called “Emily’s Sister,” which is told from her older daughter Emily’s point of view.

She hopes the book will help siblings not only of kids with dyspraxia and sensory processing disorder, but also those with autism. Her first book, “I Believe in You,” documents Elizabeth’s life from birth to age 11 and has been used by universities in special-education and occupational-therapy classes.

Read more about her and the books in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.