What special challenges do parents of a child with a disability face?
Parenting any child is a consuming and risky endeavor. Finding out that your child has a disability is a life-altering event for parents. Although each child and family is unique, perhaps the most difficult challenge at the outset is the broken-hearted feeling that most parents experience. It feels like someone died, but the crib is not empty. The child of their dreams is no more. Instead, parents are faced with a reality that staggers the mind and heart. Time stops. You feel terribly alone as you begin to face the specific demands of raising your child, including special medical care, special education services, various therapies, medications, etc. With time, good services, and support, most parents survive the crisis and embrace their new life with its trials and blessings. Q: What advice would you give to parents of a child with autism? A: Because autism affects communication and behavior, it strikes at the core of your relationship with your child. It is vital to get intensive and
