Anyone with kids would know that raising children can become a part-time job on its own. Raising a disabled child comes with added responsibilities and caretaking. Even though parenting disabled children is similar to regular kids, additional help and support is required for the excessive financial and emotional pressure that falls on parents. It is important to research and take the help of the State and Federal Government, wherever applicable, as they are legally bound to help a disabled child in their educational and other needs. Other forms of help for your disabled child can be obtained from the numerous communities formed by various organizations globally.

Who Is Responsible For Raising A Disabled Child?

A lifelong debate has been on the topic of who is responsible for caring for a disabled child. Is it the Federal government? Is it the State? Or is it the parents of disabled children? Even though arguments have been made for all of them separately, it is actually a combined effort of all of them coming together that would ultimately benefit a disabled child. Parenting disabled children can be a challenging task but in the initial stages of their lives, raising a disabled child is similar to raising a non-disabled one. The disabled child needs the same kind of love, upbringing and habit forming atmosphere as any other kid would demand. In addition to this, extra disabled child help may be required; such as frequent visits to the hospital, mobility care, special schools and expensive assistive technology equipments. Financial help for this can be obtained from various social security and other benefit programs by the Federal Government, as well as the State. The responsibility of providing adequate education to the disabled child falls on the State until the child turns 18. They must provide appropriate facilities and accommodate transportation needs of the disabled child as much as possible. With the financial factor taken care of, it is ultimately the parents who are always the primary caregiver. They help in raising the disabled child and providing them with all the love and emotional support they can offer.

Disabled Child Help & Support

Raising disabled children can be a very challenging task. Apart from the regular issues faced by parents of other children, parenting disabled children come with their own set of setbacks and difficulties. However, a disabled child deserves just as much attention and care, if not more. In order to help parents of disabled children in their journey of raising their child, many communities and groups have been formed. These groups seek to provide disabled child help to parents of disabled children and hope to form a platform where ideas and experiences can be exchanged in order to help others in similar situations. Some of the commonly known disabled child help groups are:

• Special Child (1): This website is provided by the Resource Foundation of Children with Challenges (RFCC). It is a non-profit, charity organization which forms a community of parents of disabled children who meet there to discuss their life experiences with others. It provides numerous helpful tips on raising a disabled child and also gives information on various types of disabilities.
• Loving Your Disabled Child (2): This community has been formed by parents of disabled children who are keen on helping others in the same situation. They feel that there is not enough emotional, spiritual and educational support available for individuals like them and want to lend a hand out to anyone who needs it.
• Henry Spink Foundation (3): This is an independently run organization which aims to provide as much professional disabled child help and information as it can. Apart from educating parents of disabled children more about the disability, it also provides current information on therapies, surgeries and medication opportunities that are available to help their disabled child.

While we see that disabled child help is available from the Government in many different forms, it is ultimately the parents of the disabled child who must provide and care for them. A disabled child requires emotional support, more than anything else, for them to grow and mature. Help regarding parenting disabled children can be obtained from various organizations which discuss stories of individuals facing similar situations. Reach out and look around, a disabled child is welcomed and supported by several people who know and understand what parents of disabled children go through and are willing to help in any way possible.

References:

1. Special Child
2. Loving Your Disabled Child
3. The Henry Spink Foundation