Academic Master

Education

How A Special Needs Child Affects A Family

Taking care of a special needs child is not an easy task to the parents or the direct family of the given child. A child whose any single aspect deviates from the normal, may it be behaviorally, physically or emotionally catches many families by surprise. The psychological and emotional responses towards this may completely change how such a family relates to one another and the immediate society. As such the support system required by such a family should extend out to the community at large so as not to stigmatize any given party directly or indirectly affected by the condition of the child.

Depending on the nature of the particular need the condition will undoubtedly demand more time and resources of the family members. This means that the people in question have to make certain sacrifices to cater to the needs of the child. This more so with a more significant effect on the mothers in some instances many putting their entire lives on hold to cater to the constant needs of the child in question. In particular, cases however the whole experience of raising a special needs child can open one’s self-awareness hence creating a stronger bond within the given family (Reichman, 34). This is through putting their sense of kinship to practicality through collectively being there for the child. The family members, however, have to struggle to get to this mutual ground by processing any unresolved feelings they may harbor towards the given situation which could be hard to do for some members.

Other siblings within the family could barely have anything left after the parent’s cater to the needs of the particular needs child. This goes a long way to disorient the growing up experience of the other children. The implications of this happening could be far-reaching, and as most of the families try to repress these feelings, the psychological backlash is significant. On the other hand, having a special needs sibling could open up new possibilities and experience to an individual. What they lack they could make up for in other ways hence being resourceful in one way or the other.

To the parents, a great deal of pressure arises from having a special needs child. This may bring about feelings of insecurity and misappropriate blame (Reichman, 56). There are many reported instances where the fathers abandon their responsibilities to their families under the given circumstances. The stigmatization from the society may also act to alienate the members of the family. The critical thing to understand is that this could happen to any given family and it is a test of one’s commitment to their blood. Standing by each other and forming a partnership to help the situation not only deepens the sense of family but also serves as motivation and example to the immediate society to accepting and accommodating the child as a member of the given community.

A special needs child has a life to live out just like any other human being as well as a purpose to serve in the society. Some of the influential and intelligent figures who have impacted human development have been special needs individuals. Such is in the instance of Stephen Hawking one of the most brilliant minds of our generation. For any civilized society, the ability to take care of its disabled and particular need population reflects on its advanced nature as it helps alleviate the burden of such families.

Works Cited

Raising Blaze: Bringing up an Extraordinary Son in an Ordinary World by Debra Ginsberg

Reichman, Nancy E., Hope Corman and Kelly Noonan. Medscape. n.d. April 2018 <https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/581577_2>.

SEARCH

Top-right-side-AD-min
WHY US?

Calculate Your Order




Standard price

$310

SAVE ON YOUR FIRST ORDER!

$263.5

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Pop-up Message