How To Take Care Of Infant Twins

Its great to become a proud mama of twin stars, but it is equally difficult too. Caring and raisi...

How To Clean A Baby’s Ears

Every parent care too much for their baby and they can't neglect the baby's ears which requires p...

How To Trim A Baby’s Hair

How To Care For A Toddler’s Ears

Tips For Helping Your Special-Needs Child

by: Parul | last updated: September 22, 2009
Category: Health & Safety: Health & Baby Care | Tags: Special need, Child

Guide Rating:

Your Rating:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5

0 comments |

Email this guide |

Print this guide

Tips For Helping Your Special-Needs Child

Every child needs special attention. However there are children who have low-birth weight and need a little more attention than the rest. Whether the special needs are a result of an allergy, a mild chronic illness, a minor birth defect, or a condition that severely impairs function, providing that special extra attention that these children need can make a remarkable difference in the quality of their lives, not just in the toddler years to follow. In most of the situations no one can help a child more than a parent can, but to be able to help most effectively you will need to do something more. If your child’s special needs are major, the information which I am going to give you in this guide may form a foundation for dealing with them now and in the future as well.

Be sure you know about the condition – Early diagnosis and early intervention are extremely important. If you have any doubt about the accuracy of a diagnosis or if your child’s doctor is unable to come up with a diagnosis at all, don’t hesitate to get a second opinion. In many cases, learning the cause of a condition is also important. Knowing can often help to ease guilt and increase understanding and acceptance. In some cases, it may also help you to prevent a repeat scenario in other children lives.

Be sure to listen – Pay careful attention to what the doctors, therapists and others involved with your child’s care have to say. If hearing the diagnosis initially left you in such a state of shock that you didn’t hear anything else that was said, be sure to follow up with a visit or phone call as soon as possible to ask the questions and receive the answers you need to understand your child’s conditions.

Be sure you are being heard – Are the professionals paying attention; do they take your concerns and your input seriously? They should after all, you know your child better than anyone else and your role is vital in caring for your child.

Become an expert – Eventually, most parents of children with special needs become so well educated about their child’s condition that anyone eavesdropping on a discussion between them and their child’s doctor would find it difficult to pick out the professionals. The sooner you begin your education, the better it would be for your toddler and for you.

Be sure you get the best help – For many chronic childhood conditions, the expertise of a specialist may be needed to make a diagnosis and to recommend treatment. A specialist affiliated with a children’s hospital or a major medical center is most likely to have the resources available to offer the most-up to date care.

Be persistent – If you feel strongly that something is amiss with your child and a diagnosis is not forthcoming, keep trying until you find an answer. Likewise, be persistent in asking questions and seeking answers if you feel the treatment your child is receiving is not working or is not the most up-to-date, and if your child’s doctors are not keeping you informed, or if you simply have the nagging feeling that more could be done.

Be a meticulous record-keeper – keep a record of all of your child’s medical reports, tests, appointments, treatments, medications, doctors, therapists, and so on either in loose-leaf notebook, a file folder, or on a computer. Emergency numbers and other pertinent information about your child’s condition should be posted at every home phone, carried by anyone who cares for your child, and available to administrators, teachers and other caregivers at day care, preschool, and in intervention centers.