Children are a heritage and the fruit of the womb is a reward they say. This universal statement exalts the unique beauty and blessing each child is, even those with special needs.
In medical terms, such children are said to have a learning problem compared to others their age. This may take many forms, including –
- Difficulty with understanding, schoolwork, and reading/writing
- Trouble mingling or socializing with peers
- Communication issues or delays
- Physical challenges
- Problem concentrating on the task at hand
The Pew Research Center found that nearly 7.3 million students in America’s K-12 education system have special needs. As tough as it is for the child to navigate a world of stigma, it can be equally challenging for a parent. This is especially true at the time of receiving a diagnosis.
If your child has just been diagnosed with special needs, this article will help. Read on to learn the types of diagnoses and strategies to cope with and support your precious one.
Types of Special Needs Diagnosis
This section has briefly been mentioned above. Special needs among children can take many forms, each posing a unique set of challenges. Some disorders may involve two or more of the issues.
In general, a special needs diagnosis is divided into four categories, as follows. We will also name the diseases characterized by each category.
- Physica: Special needs of a physical nature have to do with the limitations of one’s bodily functions, mobility, and dexterity. Common disorders include epilepsy and muscular dystrophy.
- Developmental: A child with developmental special needs may suffer from physical, language, and learning issues. Disorders under this category include autism, Down syndrome, and dyslexia.
- Sensory-impaired: Such special needs revolve around issues with hearing, vision, or both. The conditions associated with sensory impairment include blindness, deafness, or partial vision/hearing.
- Emotional/Behavioral: Children with emotional/behavioral special needs often find it difficult to regulate their mood and maintain relationships. They may be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dissociation, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Key Strategies for Parents to Cope and Support Their Child
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that around 28.7% of adults across the US live with some form of special needs. A significant chunk of this percentage would include those diagnosed at the time of childhood.
The first time a parent hears of their child’s disability can be an overwhelming one. It’s perfectly normal to feel confused, helpless, and stuck. Here are five strategies to help you cope and support your baby.
Deal With Difficult Emotions
The first and perhaps the most important aspect of the entire diagnosis is the initial shock. Some parents may find themselves getting overly emotional at odd hours or too numb to express any emotions. It is also natural to experience other difficult sentiments like anger, guilt, and fear.
We would suggest against rushing this painful process. It is said that the best way out is through the pain. Even then, you must not try to flee as that will later resurface in unhealthy ways. Allow yourself time to grieve and absorb the diagnosis entirely.
Do you feel anxious for your child’s future? Are you sad thinking about the experiences they might miss out on in life? Cry it all out if you must but deal with the difficult emotions head on.
This is what the process of acceptance looks like. Though seemingly unbearable in the beginning, it will get better with time. Gradually, you will want to look ahead instead of focusing on the past.
Be a Diligent Fact-Checker
Once a sense of acceptance has seeped its way through your mind, it is time to educate yourself as much as possible. For instance – if your baby has received an autism diagnosis, get to know everything there is about the disease.
You can start with its origins and who coined the term if you want. Then there will always be their healthcare team you can lean on. In many cases, therapeutic interventions and care coordination are done by pediatric nurses. If your child is assigned one, they are the best person to approach with your doubts and queries.
These healthcare professionals pursue various nursing programs to help children with special needs. Most nurses in this field are so passionate that many have even switched careers from other areas through accelerated online nursing programs.
According to Online ABSN Programs, this enables nurses to change lives by entering the workforce sooner. Through scheduled classes, clinical practice, certification, and personal study, they acquire the skills and knowledge needed to excel as a pediatric nurse.
When asked, they will be happy to inform you more about your child’s needs. The nurse may even recommend useful resources and books to cross-check the knowledge you gained from the internet.
Manage Medical Care
Since we have discussed quite a bit about a healthcare team’s importance, especially a nurse, this point is a much-needed reiteration. Children with special needs require more specialized care compared to their peers. This may include a team comprising doctors, nurses, physical therapists, nutritionists, and more.
You may have to squeeze in routine appointments, therapy sessions, etc. Try to always stay on top of your child’s health needs. Keep in touch with their healthcare team for back-and-forth updates. Most importantly, never miss an appointment unless there is some emergency. If they need to take any medicines, ensure you give them at the prescribed time.
Practice Healthy Boundaries and Self-Care
If your child’s special needs are mainly physical, you can try out assistive technology. However, behavioral needs are a lot more complex. It can be difficult to discipline your child and tempting to throw in the towel when they’re getting defiant or out of control.
This is exactly when you must practice healthy boundaries and resist the temptation to take the easy way out. Depending on their disability, you may need to use gestures, pictures, etc., to communicate the rules. Set predictable consequences for bad behavior, stick to them, and be consistent in enforcing the rules.
When they do things right, be equally diligent in showering praise and giving rewards to encourage that particular behavior. As you do all this, don’t forget yourself. It is important to take at least some time out for self-care. Do it before your child wakes up in the morning, their nap hours, or after they sleep at night.
Participate in hobbies or activities that bring you the most joy. These may include forest bathing, painting, gardening, etc. Also, don’t forget to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and get sufficient sleep. You need to look after your health to take care of your child.
Keep Hope Alive
There is no way to exaggerate the importance of hope in all this. Even when things seem chaotic, confusing, and scary, resolve to place truth over your fleeting emotions. The silver lining in a special needs diagnosis is that not all is lost.
Each such unique child can enjoy a long, happy, and meaningful life. Look up similar stories where children with special needs grew up to be thriving adults. Your child is in a unique spot and they have inner resources to adapt, overcome, and thrive.
As a parent, the last thing you want to do is let your child’s condition define them. It is time to move beyond inclusion to a sense of belonging.
As we draw to a close, a final word of encouragement would be to keep all lines of support open. This means reaching out to family, friends, or your child’s healthcare team for guidance and support.
If you feel too stressed out or mentally drained, try mindfulness exercises or meditation. A study found that these combined with regular exercise make the best way to cope with stress. Once you’re in the right frame of mind again, you will gain renewed strength for the journey.
