Winning the IEP & 504 Battle: ADHD Advocacy Tips with Karen Mayher Cunningham

Struggling to get your child’s school to take their ADHD needs seriously? Lost in the IEP vs. 504 maze? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, ADHD parenting expert Danielle Kelly sits down with special education advocate Karen Mayher Cunningham, who’s helped countless families navigate the messy world of special education.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:
✔️ The biggest mistakes parents make when advocating for their ADHD child (and how to avoid them!)
✔️ How to build an IEP or 504 plan that actually works
✔️ What schools don’t tell you (but you NEED to know)
✔️ How to confidently fight for your child’s rights—without burning out

If you’re tired of being dismissed, ignored, or just don’t know where to start, this episode is a must-listen! Hit play now to take back your power.

📌 Karen Mayher Cunningham’s Website: Home - Special Education Academy

💡 Resources Mentioned:

• This Month’s Sponsor: Play Therapy Supply! They offer incredible products designed to support ADHD families, from sensory tools to therapeutic games that help kids thrive. Check out their fantastic selection at playtherapysupply.com!
• Product of the Week: This week’s game-changer is the Time Timer—a visual lifesaver for time management. Check it out here: Time Timer 
• Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves! 

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]!

Hit play, grab your coffee, and let’s embrace the chaos together—one caffeinated sip at a time! ☕✨

Support the show

Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.

Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.

Listen to the podcast and explore expert interviews at:
https://linktr.ee/chaosandcaffeinepodcast

Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.