Enda answers your questions
Enda talks about topics that were important on their journey, and shares news of their activities
Autism no limits: The journey begins!
Autism sailing challenge: The adventure begins! Having worked out a date and time to pick up Lea Ho, the boys newly acquired sailing boat, one important detail had to be worked out. Our car, [...]
Disney animation and the autistic child.
A great many parents worry about Disney animation overstimulating their autistic child. Without question an unsupervised autistic child can become over stimulated watching Disney animation. I remember Conor as a young child glued to his favorite Disney animation [...]
Disney animation and teaching language
Autism and Disney animation Up to now Val and I have concentrated on general topics relating to language development. In this post we are now turning to our language research with Disney animation. We started generally [...]
Autism ability and sailing
For those who are regular readers of my blogs, speaking about the abilities of autistic children is a common theme. And in many of these blogs you will see sport pop up frequently particularly [...]
Setting expectations and the autistic child
Autism: understanding and setting expectations One of the most important yet least understood areas of special needs parenting is the area of setting expectations. Here Enda and Val talk about some of their [...]
Managing behaviors and autism
Managing behaviors: start with understanding communication In a very great number of conversations with families the issue of behaviors (or lack of) comes up when we speak about their autistic child. What I'm speaking about [...]
Learning language from Disney: autism communication
Autism and communication: Defying the odds By Róisín Delaney, Woman's Way. When Enda and Valerie Dodd had their twin boys almost 20 years ago, like many parents they felt everything was falling into place. As [...]
Enda and Valerie speak about saving their children from autism
Enda and Val speak on the Keith Finnegan Show Val and I had the wonderful opportunity to share our story on the Keith Finnegan show. Conor and Eoin came with us and sat in on the [...]
Parents devise innovative programme to help autistic children
The parents of two autistic twins have pioneered a computer learning program aimed at improving language skills for people living with autism. Story by Gerry Foley & UTV Ireland Staff, Dublin Working with researchers in [...]
Tuam school pilots major advance in autism language learning
LANGUAGE is the key to communication. Story by Jacqueline Hogge And with that a vital tool for learning for each and every child. But for many children with special needs, delayed speech and language [...]
Disney helps break down barriers on autism
Disney media and speech therapy combine! By Margaret Langevin, Connacht Tribune One of the most memorable quotes from finding Nemo was when Dory repeatedly said, just keep swimming, just keep swimming. That's exactly what Enda and Valerie [...]
Galway family develop language learning program for children with autism
A Galway family has developed software that aims to help children with autism communicate. Enda and Valerie Dodd’s innovative software solution ALL, Animated Language Learning, is a state of the art, visually rich language learning [...]
‘Toy Story’ gives autistic twins emotional tools to thrive
Animated Language Learning in the national news By Catherine Shanahan Irish Examiner Reporter A Disney movie, parental love, and two autistic sons whose connection with Buzz and Woody gave them the language to communicate were [...]
Two Galway social entrepreneurs in running for prestigious award
Animated Language Learning short listed for major award Two Galway based social entrepreneurs have been shortlisted for the annual Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Awards Programme, sponsored by DCC plc. Over 180 entries were received by Social [...]
The parent advocate
The parent advocate and special needs families I am often asked by parents who made the most difference in the lives of the boys after diagnosis - a parent advocate, speech therapist, a school, [...]