I am proud mom of two boys ages 13 and 4. My four year old has Down syndrome, most of my fears stemmed from a lack of knowledge about Down syndrome. Up until I did my research, all I heard was negativity.
There is such a misconception of what children with special needs are capable of doing. My son has been such a blessing in many ways in my life. He has taught me so much about life. I took it upon myself to promote positive awareness through showcasing art, film, books and more that is by, for, or featuring individuals with special needs. HYH (Have Ya Heard) Online www.hyhonline.com
I realized that the biggest issues I have with having a child with special needs are the negativity that comes from the ignorance of others. My concern is making sure he is healthy, but I also have the same concern for my child that doesn't have a diagnosis.
What are the fears or concerns with having a child that is disabled?
2006-10-01 05:49:19 · 5 answers · asked by hyhonline 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
As the mother of a fabulous 5-year-old son who has autism, I agree with you that early on after the diagnosis, most fears re the disability stem from a lack of information about it. Now that I know more, I guess my main fear is about my son's future: will he be able to learn at the same rate as his peers? Will he be able to drive? Will he have friends, maybe a girlfriend? Will he be able to live independently? Will he be able to hold a job? And, most of all, will he be all right after his father and I die?
In this society, I also think an unavoidable fear for all parents of children with disabilities is, How will other people look at him (and at me, his parent)? I've had more than a few uncomfortable experiences in public places with people clearly regarding my son's odd behavior as due to my apparently deficient parenting rather than to a disability (I should point out that my son's physical appearance is normal). A friend of mine with a baby who has Down Syndrome has reported getting pitying looks from people when she's out in public with her son. I told a new acquaintance in passing that my son has autism and her reply was "Oh, God bless you." People mean well, but most of us would probably agree that God DID bless us with these children, just the way they are, and no one should feel sorry for them or for us. There are no guarantees about our children, not for the healthy ones, not for the sick ones, not for the "normal" or the "special" ones. Anything can change in a heartbeat for better or worse. Love your children and don't let fear spoil a moment of your enjoyment of them.
2006-10-01 07:08:49 · answer #1 · answered by Susan S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a son who is autistic and he has been such a positive thing in my life..Without him I would not have made it through alot of things I've been through.Other people need to learn that special needs children are just like anyone else, just Gods gifts to special people
2006-10-01 15:45:55 · answer #2 · answered by baby shih tzu 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My personal fears are the following:
1) My child may be perpetually hospitalized, having to undergo surgeries, needles, painful procedures, etc...
2) My child may die
3) My child may be ostracized and mistreated by other people who are narrowminded or cruel.
4) I may have to devote so much time to my child with special needs that my other children may be neglected.
5) My child may have an extremely poor quality of life if they have to be continuously hospitalized, in pain, or unable to care for themselves.
I understand that many special needs kids don't have to experience these things, it just depends on their condition. However, these are my personal fears about having a sick child.
2006-10-01 06:16:32 · answer #3 · answered by dixiechic 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
mostly those fears and concerns are the same as w/ any child what will they acomplish ,how will they turn out ,it maybe a little more intense and there maybe more concern over health issues but being a parent is scary stuff disabled child or not
2006-10-01 06:49:12 · answer #4 · answered by joann p 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure your child is a blessing all children are...but.....its just a lot tougher to have one with diablities. People look at you different...its harder to get them to mind because they dont understand a lot of things and if they need special care it cost more money....congratulations on your son....
2006-10-01 06:07:04 · answer #5 · answered by cutenwild1769 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋