- Addressing Financial Concerns
Taken from The Unplanned Journey: Part 4
When You Learn That Your Child Has a Disability. NICHCY News Digest Second Edition February 1997. Authors: Carole Brown, Samara Goodman, and Lisa Kupper. The expenses associated with raising children can stretch a family's resources. When a child has a disability, particularly one that involves high-priced medical care, a family can quickly become overwhelmed financially. While it is often difficult to resolve financial concerns completely, there are a number of things parents can do that may help. Charlotte Thompson recommends that, as soon as parents find out that their child has a disability, two actions should be taken immediately.
(Added: Tue Sep 25 2001)
- Future Planning for a Child With Disabilities
Taken from The Unplanned Journey: Part 5. When You Learn That Your Child Has a Disability. NICHCY News Digest Second Edition February 1997. Authors: Carole Brown, Samara Goodman, and Lisa Kupper. It is not possible for parents to imagine all the stops and detours that they will make as their unexpected journey takes them into the future. But you will probably be thinking at different times about what the future holds for your child. Advocates believe it is important for parents to have expectations about what their child with disabilities can achieve in the future and to encourage their child to develop as much independence as possible, given the nature and severity of the disability (Dickman, 1993).
(Added: Tue Sep 25 2001)
- Lessons From My Special Needs Child
Author: Theresa Kelly Darr,
Freelance writer. As a mother of an 8 year-old special needs child, I am approaching "veteran" status. During the first five years of Caroline's life it seemed like I was crying every night. I've dried my eyes and have learned along the way.
(Added: Tue Sep 25 2001)
- Special Education Process-Rights and Responsibilities
ERIC EC Digest #E567 May 1998. Author: Bernadette Knoblauch. Public Law 105-17, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997, clearly strengthens the rights of children with disabilities and their parents. It builds on the achievements gained under Public Law 94-142, the Education for the Handicapped Act, and Public Law 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A fundamental provision of these special education laws is the right of parents to participate in the educational decision-making process.
(Added: Sun Oct 28 2001)
- Supporting and Empowering the Family
Taken from The Unplanned Journey: Part 2. When You Learn That Your Child Has a Disability. Authors: Carole Brown, Samara Goodman, and Lisa Kupper. There are a number of vital factors within each family which will influence its ultimate well-being. One is the emotional and physical health of each parent individually. Because it is generally the parents who confront the issues associated with their child's disability (e.g., dealing with medical practitioners, caring for the child), while simultaneously trying to maintain the household (e.g., holding down jobs, shopping, cooking, cleaning up, taking care of other children), it is not surprising that many parents of children with disabilities report times of feeling overwhelmed.
(Added: Tue Sep 25 2001)
- The Journey
Taken from The Unplanned Journey Part 1: When You Learn That Your Child Has a Disability. NICHCY News Digest Second Edition February 1997. Authors: Carole Brown, Samara Goodman, and Lisa Kupper. "Growth is endless and our lives change and change us beyond anticipation. I do not forget the pain - it aches in a particular way when I look at Jessy's friends (her paid companions), some of them just her age, and allow myself for a moment to think of all she cannot be. But we cannot sift experience and take only the part that does not hurt us." (Park, 1988, p . 320)
(Added: Tue Sep 25 2001)
- The Parent/Professional Relationship
Taken from The Unplanned Journey: Part 3. When You Learn That Your Child Has a Disability. NICHCY News Digest Second Edition February 1997. Authors: Carole Brown, Samara Goodman, and Lisa Kupper. Parent Cory Moore, speaking directly to professionals, writes, "We need respect, we need to have our contribution valued. We need to participate, not merely be involved. It is, after all, the parent who knew the child first and who knows the child best. Our relationship with our sons and daughters is personal and spans a lifetime." (Moore, 1993, p. 49)
(Added: Tue Sep 25 2001)
- Understanding Sibling Issues
NICHCYNews Digest- Number 11, 1988. For many families, raising a child with a disability or chronic illness poses many challenges. Some of these challenges focus on the relationship between the siblings in the family which influences the social, psychological, and emotional development of each child. The relationship between brothers and sisters in families that have a child with a disability or chronic illness is examined in this issue of NEWS DIGEST.
(Added: Wed Aug 08 2001)
- You Are Not Alone
If you have recently learned that your child is developmentally delayed or has a disability (which may or may not be completely defined), this message may be for you. It is written from the personal perspective of a parent who has shared this experience and all that goes with it.
(Added: Wed Jul 18 2001)
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