A child with learning difficulties has many obstacles to overcome to succeed. But what affect does a child with a learning disability have on his/her family. The level that it would affect a family would depend on the type and severity of the learning disability. Richard Lavoie, well known for his work with students with Learning Disabilities and the video F.A.T. City, said that the impact of a student with learning difficulties on a family is like the family sleeping on a water bed. When one person moves on a waterbed, it affects everyone on the bed. The difficulties a child is dealing with at school often continue into the home.
When a child is diagnosed with special needs or when parents are informed their child will be born with special needs there is an emotional upheaval that takes place in their life. Researchers tell us that many parents go through a grieving process. Mourning for the “normal” child they had hopes and dreams for, worrying about the child’s success and future. At the same time their mind is accepting the fact that their child has a disability, they are considering the affect it will have on their family. Many have no scope to what extent their lives will be changed, the emotional drain it can have, and dynamics it will change in their family.
This adds stress to the family and can all too often lead to marital issue between the parents. Lavoie even mentioned the parents going through the stages of grieving will not always be at the same stage adding conflict in the home. As parents deal with normal activities the extra needs and care for a child with special needs can stretch already exhausted parents to the breaking point.
The siblings of a child with a disability will have changes in their lives too. The parents will need to spend more time with this child and may inadvertently neglect needs of the other children in the home.
A child with severe special needs can also isolate a family to some extent. The family does not go out or do as many things as they would if their child did not have special needs. Even going to the grocery store can be difficult, with a parent needing someone else to go for them or needing help to go to such a simple place.
This child will also be a blessing. One they love so much, that they do not know what they would do without them. The family wishes that the child did not have to deal with physical, emotional, and social needs. But knowing they cannot change those aspects of their child’s life, they endeavor to finds ways to help the child succeed and cope with their difficulty.
When a child is diagnosed with special needs or when parents are informed their child will be born with special needs there is an emotional upheaval that takes place in their life. Researchers tell us that many parents go through a grieving process. Mourning for the “normal” child they had hopes and dreams for, worrying about the child’s success and future. At the same time their mind is accepting the fact that their child has a disability, they are considering the affect it will have on their family. Many have no scope to what extent their lives will be changed, the emotional drain it can have, and dynamics it will change in their family.
This adds stress to the family and can all too often lead to marital issue between the parents. Lavoie even mentioned the parents going through the stages of grieving will not always be at the same stage adding conflict in the home. As parents deal with normal activities the extra needs and care for a child with special needs can stretch already exhausted parents to the breaking point.
The siblings of a child with a disability will have changes in their lives too. The parents will need to spend more time with this child and may inadvertently neglect needs of the other children in the home.
A child with severe special needs can also isolate a family to some extent. The family does not go out or do as many things as they would if their child did not have special needs. Even going to the grocery store can be difficult, with a parent needing someone else to go for them or needing help to go to such a simple place.
This child will also be a blessing. One they love so much, that they do not know what they would do without them. The family wishes that the child did not have to deal with physical, emotional, and social needs. But knowing they cannot change those aspects of their child’s life, they endeavor to finds ways to help the child succeed and cope with their difficulty.
picture from: www.beijing-kids.com
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ReplyDeleteI love that you recognize the importance of family involvement in the life of a child with special needs AND how they impact the family themselves. In the F.A.T. City Video we watched today, Richard Lavoie noted that a parent's role in raising a child with special needs is twice as hard (and involves twice the amount of work) as the amount of work a teacher has to put into the child. Family plays a huge role in their development and I agree that family issues are so important.
ReplyDeleteYou're able to experience this first hand. I imagine that the lives of every family member are greatly affected by the child with disabilities. You mentioned that the family seems isolated. They might stay at home more because it's much easier that taking the child with them to places. Getting children accustomed to different places and people seems like a challenging task for these parents.
ReplyDeleteI wish there were more opportunities for respite car for families with special needs children. It would cost a lot of money and involve a lot of regulations so I think that is an obstacle that many care givers aren't willing to tackle.
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