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Special Needs Children - A Privilege to Raise and Love.

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Special Needs Children - Parents Be Thankful... For You Were Chosen!


Raising a special needs child can be overwhelming and difficult, there is no doubt about that. However, I would like to focus on some things that a lot of people forget.

Be grateful every day that you were chosen to take care of, and love your special needs child.

I came across this poem about two years ago.  I printed it out and framed it, because it reaffirmed how I truly felt about my role as the mother, and caregiver of my precious daughter.

I hope it may open some hearts and minds to a new way of thinking about your own, and your child's fate. 

 

 Heaven's Very Special Child

A meeting was held quite far from earth...
It was time again for another birth.

Said the angels to the lord above...
This special child will need much love.

Her progress may be very slow...
Accomplishments she may not show.

And she'll require extra care...
From the parents she'll meet down there.

She may not run, or laugh, or play...
Her thoughts may seem quite far away.

So many times she will be labeled...
"different", "helpless", and "disabled".

So, let's be careful where she's sent...
We want her life to be content.

Please Lord find the parents who...
Will do a special job for you.

They will not realize right away...
The leading role they are asked to play.

But with this child sent from above...
Comes stronger faith, and richer love.

And soon they'll know the privilege given...
In caring for their gift from heaven.

Their precious charge, so meek and mild...
Is heaven's very special child.

 

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Resources For the Developmentally Challenged, and For All Those Who Care For... and Love, the Developmentally Disabled

Special Olympics





The Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization* dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition in 30 Olympic-type summer and winter sports.


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The ARC



Founded more than 50 years ago by a small group of parents and other concerned individuals, when little was known about the condition of mental retardation or its causes, The Arc today is the world's largest grassroots organization of and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With over 140,000 members affiliated through more than 850 state and local chapters across the nation, The Arc is devoted to promoting and improving supports and services for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

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Best Buddies



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Best Buddies ® is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.

Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,300 middle school, high school, and college campuses across the country and internationally.

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NOCK - National Organization Caring For Kids








The mission of the National Organization Caring for Kids is to improve the quality of life for special needs children through the use of assistive technology. It is estimated that thousands of children do not receive medically-prescribed equipment such as wheelchairs and AAC devices due to economic barriers.

NOCK's Wheelchairs for Kids service enables children who have been disabled by chronic illness to gain independence through mobility by providing wheelchairs with individualized seating systems to children who cannot afford them.

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Expressions gives a child who cannot speak the opportunity to communicate with friends, family and teachers by providing augmentative and alternative communication devices to children who cannot afford them.





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National Down Syndrome Society






The National Down Syndrome Society envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to realize their life aspirations. NDSS is committed to being the national leader in enhancing the quality of life, and realizing the potential of all people with Down syndrome.


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Camps with a "Can Do" Attitude


The American Camp Association


ACA Accreditation means that your child's camp cares enough to undergo a thorough (up to 300 standards) review of its operation - from staff qualifications and training to emergency management. American Camp Association collaborates with experts from The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Red Cross, and other youth service agencies to assure that current practices at your child's camp reflect the most up-to-date, research-based standards in camp operation. Camps and ACA form a partnership that promotes growth and fun in an environment committed to safety.







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Parents of Special Needs Children - Recommended Reading.


Parenting Your Complex Child: Become a Powerful Advocate for the Autistic, Down Syndrome, Pdd, Bipolar, or Other Special-Needs Child



Besides the usual parenting challenges, parents of disabled children face added obstacles that can tax the resolve and resources of even the strongest families. The author, Peggy Lou Morgan, has developed a powerful system for obtaining dramatically better care for children with one or more serious disabilities. Compassionate, practical, and proven, Parenting Your Complex Child helps parents ensure that life-changing decisions are based on the best interests of the child?and on the best information available.

Special Needs, Special Horses: A Guide to the Benefits of Therapeutic Riding



Naomi Scott explores the amazing benefits a growing number of individuals with special needs are experiencing from therapies and activities involving horseback riding.

Breakthrough Parenting for Children with Special Needs: Raising the Bar of Expectations



A positive and uplifting approach to raising special needs children that encourages parents to have the highest realistic expectations In contrast to other guides that warn special needs parents about the many things their children will never accomplish or become, this book will challenge families and professionals to help children with special needs reach their full potential through a proven, motivational how-to approach. It provides detailed guidance on how to let go of the " perfect baby" dream, deal with grief, avoid the no-false-hope syndrome, recognize the importance of early intervention services, and avoid the use of limiting and outdated labels. It includes guidelines for working with professionals, understanding the law, addressing career needs, understanding inclusion, assessment, and more. Judy Winter (Dewitt, MI) is an award-winning journalist on special needs parenting issues and the recipient of the 2002 Exceptional Parent Award.

Including Children With Special Needs



Including Children With Special Needs. A Handbook for Educators and Parents.

The Parent to Parent Handbook: Connecting Families of Children with Special Needs



In this comprehensive book, you'll learn how to develop and maintain a strong local Parent to Parent program that individually matches veteran supporting parents with those who are new to the challenges of caring for a child with a disability.

Autism



Using case histories, personal stories, and the latest research on autism, the author provides a thorough and absorbing study of this often misunderstood disorder. Also included are suggestions for further reading and contact information for organizations concerned with autism.

In Time and with Love: Caring for the Special Needs Infant and Toddler



Written in a jargon-free, parent-friendly style, this generously illustrated book is filled with advice on such topics as nursing, feeding, dressing, interacting with siblings, discipline, and social skills development of handicapped children. Includes a section on games and activities that encourage motor and language skills, and advice on play and care for toddlers and older children.

Special Children, Challenged Parents: The Struggles and Rewards of Raising a Child with a Disability



With keen insight and honesty, Dr. Robert A. Naseef--a psychologist and father of a son with autism--gives parents clinical and personal perspectives on managing difficult emotions, coping with challenging behavior, understanding the ongoing impact of a child's disability on the family, and more.

A Special Kind of Brain: Living with Nonverbal Learning Disability



Sharing the experience of bringing up a child with nonverbal learning disability (NLD), this warm, humorous, and accessible book offers advice on subjects ranging across diagnosis and therapy to children's interaction with each other to suitable activities for a child with NLD. The author is the parent of a young son with NLD.

Yoga for the Special Child; A Therupeutic Approach for Infants & Children with Down Syndrome, Cerebralpalsy and Learning Disabilities



An innovative and easy-to-follow program for parents, educators, yoga teachers, and health care professionals. The book includes: -- A step-by-step, integrated system of yoga poses designed to increase cognitive and motor skills in children with learning and developmental disabilities.-- Specialized breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to improve concentration and reduce hyperactivity.-- An early Intervention program to assure the healthy formative development of infants and toddlers.

My Extra Special Brother



Sixteen-year-old Carly Heyman writes an endearing story of growing up with her big brother Scott, a young man who has a sweet smile, a courageous heart, and fragile X syndrome?the world's leading cause of inherited mental impairment. In her direct and honest voice, Carly reveals the ins and outs, ups and downs of daily life with Scott. She identifies challenges that siblings of a brother or sister with special needs may encounter. She shows how those challenges provide opportunities to love, laugh and learn. Through her words, Carly offers the reader a glance into how she and Scott make their relationship work. The strength of Carly and Scott as individuals, their courage, and their indomitable spirits, prevail in these pages touching hearts while teaching us how to live more fully.

Ordinary Families, Special Children: A Systems Approach to Childhood Disability



This comprehensive and clinically useful resource provides a multisystems perspective on childhood disability and its effects on family life. The volume examines the many variables that shape the ways families respond to childhood disability and the extent to which they can overcome the physical, cultural, and social barriers to a satisfactory lifestyle. Integrating theory and research with evocative first-hand accounts from parents, siblings, and grandparents, the authors demonstrate how to apply a social and family systems-based approach to assessment and intervention with diverse families.

Do you have a special needs child?... if so what is the biggest challenge you face?

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Jacqueline_K

I am so grateful that I am able to share with you my lens on special needs children. I hope that you will find some value and inspiration here.

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