A child with special needs requires special attention and considerations. It’s not just the child that is affected, but their family is also deeply affected, and needs to be actively involved in their child’s success.
Children with special needs require a great deal of time and energy, and this can cause a lot of stress and pressure for the parents, and for other family members who may require attention and care as well.
There are several areas that parents have to deal with that can greatly impact the family but an important one to consider is:
Attention Balancing Act
Children with special needs require special consideration and a lot of time. Depending on the severity and condition, parents may have to juggle their free time between their special needs child and other children. Children in general require a lot of attention, not just for play, but also for comfort, and education.
Managing the needs of children as equitably as possible can be very difficult.
Parents should allow their children to voice their frustrations rather than ignore them for expediency. It’s also important not to overburden children with the responsibility of care for the special needs child as this can cause resentment to build.
Another area that needs to be carefully balanced is the relationship between the mother and father. Divorce rates for parents with a special needs child is high due to the extra stresses the care of the child requires. This means parents can grow apart as they struggle to deal with meeting the demands of their special needs child as well as finding the time necessary to maintain their own relationship.
Parents need to maintain a routine in order to keep their relationship moving.
- Make sure time is set to celebrate small and large events like birthdays, promotions, and holidays.
- Make private time for each other, doing activities together, or just spending time in each other’s company.
- Ensure there is an avenue for each parent to be able to talk, voice frustrations, and even random venting.
- If things get a little too rough, and you’re just having a difficult time of it, consider talking to a counsellor.
As much time as the special needs child may require, parents also have to ensure they properly and adequately balance the other people and other parts of their life and relationship. It’s easy to get caught up in the urgency of care for the special needs child and forget or not have time for anything else. In the long run, this doesn’t help the special needs child, nor the family.
It’s also critical that parents have their child assessed by a qualified professional. This way, they can determine the severity of the condition, what type of condition it is, and what plans can be put together to help the child. The more the parents know, the better, more able they will be keeping the family balanced and steady.
Join us at College of Allied Educators to see how you can develop an understanding of the different types of exceptional children, their needs, and the different special needs programmes and specialties that are available to you, for them.
CAE’s 15-months Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education (PGDISE) is a part-time programme is designed specifically to train potential candidates to be effective educators to children with special needs. At a graduate level, the Post Graduate Diploma in Special Education focuses on developing and enhancing candidates’ experiential knowledge and skills professionally through a holistic approach.
CAE’s 12-months Advanced Diploma in Special Education course trains educators and parents in the identification, diagnosis and treatment of these needs and the basic principles and practices of effective teaching and learning. The programme is highly practice-oriented to ensure that what you learn in class can be applied to children with special needs under your charge.
CAE’s Diploma in Learning Disorders Management & Child Psychology programme is designed specifically to train potential teachers, parents and caregivers to identify, detect and support children with special needs, such as Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyspraxia, and Dyslexia.
For a FREE COURSE PREVIEW
CALL US at 6533-0031
EMAIL your enquiry to ENQUIRY@ICAE.EDU.SG
or Register for your free preview below: