How Parents Can Cope with a Child with Special Needs

I have a son who has special needs. My son's name is Justin and he has Cerebral Palsy. I always call him my miracle baby. Doctors said that he was not going to live when he was first born but he has continued to prove them wrong. Justin is now two years old and is still hanging in there. He is my little trooper. We are a family of five with two boys and one girl.

Our typical day can be quite chaotic. Often times I literally feel like a drill sergeant getting the kids ready for school. My other children Autumn (age 11) and Austin (age 6) are now able to pretty much get themselves ready on their on; luckily I space each of my children five years apart. But I have to make special preparations for Justin especially with having to leave and go places.

The typical schedule that my husband and I would have to prepare for Justin in the morning is the following: 8:30 A.M. prepare Justin's medicines, 8:35 A.M. give Justin his medicines through his GJ-Tube, 8:45 A.M. stop Justin's feeding pump, 8:50 A.M. Suction Justin out to clear his airway, 9:00 A.M. Give Justin his morning breathing treatment, 9:15 A.M. Put Justin on his lung vest (Airway Clearance System), 9:45 A.M. Wash Justin up, brush his teach, brush and moisturize his hair, 10:00 A.M. Get Justin dressed, 10:15 A.M Pack Justin's diaper back - make sure everything he needs is there (Diapers, wipes, medicines, formula, extra outfit, and etc., 10:30 A.M. Makes sure his equipments are packed and ready to go (feeding pump, suction machine, breathing treatment machine),10:35 A.M. Load up Justin's equipment and diaper bag to van, 10:40 A.M. Load up Justin's wheelchair, 11:00 A.M. Justin is now ready to go!

There a lot of things that you have to do to prepare for your child with special needs. It can be very stressful for families when coping with a child with health issues. The following are tips that I have found to be helpful in better coping with raising a child with special needs. Number one to keep everything organized especially your child's medical records. You may want to start off with a binder. But as you collect more medical records and paperwork you may want to put your child's paper work in a file cabinet.

Number two is to keep up with doctors, therapists, and specialists business cards. I have a business card holder that is specifically for Justin of all of his doctors and I keep it in a centralized location. Or if you are savvy with technology, you can maintain a database on your child's doctors and specialists. My husband keeps Justin's doctor contacts on his cell phone.

Another tip is to have a day planner. Believe me; keeping up with your child's schedule is very important. You can use a regular day planner or calendar to keep up with your child's appointments and activities. Electronic day planner that you can plug that you can use on your computer or cell phone.

The fourth tip is to read and research more about your child's condition(s). Find about more about the programs and resources that are available for your child. The more you learn the better you can advocate for your child.

Number five is try to sign your child up for an intervention program. If your child is under age three, you can sign your child up for an early intervention program for infants and toddlers such as Babies Can't Wait in the state of Georgia. Each state should have an intervention program for infants and toddlers. Check with your local state public health department to get more information on their intervention programs so your child can get the therapies and services that they need.

The next tip is to make sure you apply for Social Security for your child. Based on your family's income and your child's disability, your child might be eligible to receive Social Security benefits.

Number seven is to try to get your child on Medicaid as soon as possible. This can help your child with medical expenses and even with the cost of getting into a pre-school with nurse care and therapy for children with special needs. Number eight is to read up on your child's medicines to make sure you understand the side affects and monitor you child closely to see how they respond to new medicines.

Another tip is to notate any changes in your child's condition. Remember to take notes. You can share these notes with your child doctors when any problems arises. And the last tip is to join a local parent support group for children with special needs. Sometimes you can get a lot of great feedback from other parents who are going through similar situations.

Remember your child is a miracle and a blessing. They are fighting hard to stay alive. You must keep on advocating for them to make sure they get the best care that they deserve. Having a child with special needs can be quite challenging but seeing your child's smile and filled with joy and happiness makes it worth fighting for their cause. Yes, they are our little heroes.