We hear about children having special needs a lot, but how do we really define what “specials needs” is? The truth is that this term covers a myriad of conditions, from allergies to learning disabilities to developmental delays. Within these categories, we also have a wide spectrum ranging from mild to severe. Though we may not want to box anyone into a certain category, it is quite important for the medical community to impart certain labels – this is in order to be able to provide the right kind of service and treatment, set goals for the child and the family, as well as to be able to provide the right kind of support for everyone involved.
I have a nephew with special needs, you may have a child in your family with special needs as well. However, the chances are that they would have very different situations even if they had some commonalities. Medical professionals have categorized special needs into general groups:
-medical
-behavioral
-developmental
-learning
–mental health.
Sometimes, the needs of a special child may fall under more than one of the categories mentioned above.
How is a child diagnosed with respect to being special? Normally, what is measured is what a child “cannot do.” For example, the food that he cannot eat, the milestones that he cannot achieve, and so on. It may seem to be a pessimistic way of handling things and it can even be more difficult for parents to deal with the situation. However, for some, it is something that makes their lives more challenging and each additional step that their child takes – no matter how small it may be – becomes a triumph that cannot be taken away from them.
In the next post, let’s look at how to deal with the situation after your child is diagnosed.
Originally posted on February 5, 2008 @ 9:42 am
