One
of my favorite characters in Pixar’s “The Incredibles”
movie is Kari the babysitter. She really takes babysitting
seriously, bringing along Mozart CDs for neurological
stimulation and flash cards for cognitive development.
Baby Jack‑Jack, nonetheless, quickly proves to
be her greatest challenge. While the Parrs are away,
Kari leaves a series of messages on their answering
machine:
“Mrs.
Parr, it’s me. Jack‑Jack is fine, but weird things
are happening ... Jack‑Jack’s still fine, but
I’m getting really weirded out! When are you coming
back? ... I’m not fine, Mrs. Parr! You need to call
me. I need help, Mrs. Parr!” As we find out at the end
of the movie, Jack‑Jack can turn himself into
a fireball, a lead weight, and a little devil, among
other things. When Kari calls back later, she politely
explains, “Sorry for freakin’ out, but your baby has
special needs.”
It
can be a traumatic experience when parents are advised
or observe that their child is developing in a way that
is somehow different, although not necessarily inferior,
to that of other children. “Special needs” is a general
term referring to certain medical, mental, emotional,
behavioral, or educational needs in a child that require
extra attention and assistance. This includes a wide
range of diagnoses, from genetic abnormalities and physical
disabilities, to mental impairments or emotional disorders.
Giftedness can also be considered a special need.
As
with any child, raising a special needs child comes
with its own set of frustrations and delights. Common
problems these children encounter include: walking,
seeing, hearing, speaking, learning, making decisions,
getting along with others, taking care of themselves
or doing simple everyday tasks. Everyone is an individual,
however, and even if the child has a “label” attached
to his or her special need, it does not mean that his
or her particular needs will be exactly the same as
others with the same condition. Symptoms can range from
mild to severe, and the child may have trouble in only
one specific area or many different areas.
Dealing
with a child who has special needs of any kind is challenging
and requires a great deal of effort. But whether they
have a rare genetic disorder or a common learning disability,
it’s important to keep in mind that a special needs
child is a child first and foremost. If the child is
experiencing difficulties in certain areas, you can
focus on the abilities he or she has, not what he or
she can’t do. Try to make the child feel worthwhile
and give him or her as many opportunities as possible
to lead a fulfilling life, and you will significantly
enhance the future of your special needs child.
“Whether
we can walk or not, whether we can sing or not, whether
we can create great works of art or simply manage Play‑Doh,
whether we can solve complicated mathematical equations
or not, whether we can obtain our Ph.D., or merely complete
vocational training, our value is still the same. ...
Be certain that in the eyes of our Maker, we are equally
precious and valuable.” ~Author Unknown
Web
Sites
http://www.nichcy.org
(National Information Center for Children and Youth
with Disabilities.)
http://www.ciccparenting.org/ChildhoodDisabilities.aspx
(Types of Childhood Disabilities and Other Special Needs.)
