Challenges of Raising a Disabled Child Essay Example for Free

Challenges of Raising a Disabled Child EssayCaring for a pincer with a disability mickle be challenging due to p atomic number 18nting responsibilities and the difficulties they encounter when interacting with an often unreceptive environment. Consequently, p arents can be at increased endangerment for excessive levels of someoneal distress which in turn can adversely furbish up the well organism of the claw and the entire family unit ( set out Sanders, 2007). Parents of children with disabilities can be at an increased risk for psychosocial distress (Parish, Rose, Grinstein-Weiss, Richman Andrews, 2008 Plant Sanders, 2007).The parenting responsibilities for parents of children with disabilities often require a significant amount of time to complete, can be fleshlyly demanding, can disrupt family and social relationships, and can adversely affect reverencegiver employment (Brannen Heflinger, 2006 Seller Heller, 1997). Perhaps as a consequence of these additional imp acts, family caregivers of children with disabilities can be at increased risk to experience depression, physical health problems, and decreased quality of life (Feldman, et al. , 2007 Ones, Yilmaz, Cetinkaya, Calgar, 2002).The added challenges of caring for a child with a disability may lead to more stress and greater physical and emotional health risks for parents and their families (e. g. , increased conflict with cooperator Murphy, Christian, Caplin Young, 2006) compared to families without a child with a disability (Feldman et al. , 2007). This topic is tokenly personal for me because I get along first hand the psychological affects and challenges that a handicap child could adjudge on parents, family members, and friends. My son was devil months when I notice that something mediocre wasnt right with him.I noticed him favoring one side kinda of looking straight ahead. I mentioned my concerns to our family doctor. His doctor didnt see it as a problem. She said to prac ticed continue to watch him. Two months passed and silence no change, so at his neighboring appointment I expressed my concern again. I insisted that she run tests on my son immediately. I knew something seemed different I honest couldnt put my finger on it. I had already had two some some other boys so something just didnt sit right with me. The doctor sent my son to be tested at University of physician Hospital and my son was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus Dandywalker Malformation with Palsy.He had to construct surgery at six months to shed a shunt placement to drain the water from his brain. I was devastated. My husband and I went through some(prenominal) defense mechanisms. The first I believe was denial. We didnt want to face the fact that something was damage with our child, our baby. He seemed so perfect when he was born just a few months ago. We went through repression, rationalization and intellectualization. We couldnt wrap our minds around the fact that our child would be different from other children. Nobody wants to believe that something is aggrieve with their child.I felt a gnomish embarrassed for fear of what people might think more or less our child or what someone would say. So many things raced around my mind. We wanted to blame the doctors maybe they did something wrong in my prenatal care. I went over in my mind again and again of every little thing I did when pregnant to ensure that I had did everything I was supposed to do. I didnt drink, git or do drugs. What happened? We tried to search our family history genetics. We just came up empty. My husband and I became depressed, frustrated, and angry. I felt careless astir(predicate) my sons designate.I wasnt sure what to do. Finally, I began to suss out my sons condition. I read all I could get my hands on. I searched for schools and other medical resources to inspection and repair me address my sons needs. In the back of my mind I was still trying to make sense of the fact that my son had a developmental and neurological problem that would affect him for the rest of his life. I wondered what restrictions we would face now and in the future. I still wasnt sure if I could cope with his lack of development neurologically, physically, mentally or emotionally. I began to question immortal. I wondered why me.I wasnt sure if I would have to stop working. I wondered how we as a family would work in concert to stay a family. I had so many questions, but no answers. I prayed asking God for military service and guidance. Later, I began to realize that I had to be strong. I had to accept what the reality was with my son and his disability. It hasnt been easy. We faced many financial problems, medical issues, several hospitalizations for my son, divorce daycare issues especially since my son need twenty four hour daycare. Day care is very expensive as well as diapers and wipes for disabled children.Insurance covers some things but not enough. A person has to be making next to nothing in order to get any aidance from the government we needed assistance disregardless of what we made monetary. I would have never known what disabled families went through to get their voice hear and childrens needs assisted unless I had to face these great challenges myself. So much goes into raising a child with disabilities. There are many variables that factor into taking care of a disabled child. pecuniary hardships are another important factor that influences parents wellbeing.In general families with children with disabilities experience much higher expenditures than other families (Newacheck and Kim, 2005) found that, on average, the total annual health care expenditures for children with disabilities were more than three times as much compared to children without disabilities. The financial strain incurred by families of children with disabilities is likely due to increased expenses related to the childs needs as well as loss of employment or inabil ity to work because of parenting responsibilities (Murphy et al. , 2006 Parish et al. 2008 Worcester et al. , 2008). unfitness to engage in employment can also lead to feelings of isolation, a lack of fulfillment and small self-esteem (Shearn Todd, 2000). Families of children with disabilities often report feeling isolated from the community (Freedman Boyer, 2000 Worcester et al. , 2008). What Ive learned from researching the challenges of raising a child with disabilities as well as being a parent of a disabled child is that there is still so much more to be done. There is still research that hasnt been touched regarding parents and their disable children.We the parents have to be the voices for our disable children. We have to be better informed about what our disabled children rights are. We have to be willing and ready to fight on behalf of our disable children. Parents and state officials have to work to get better laws passed to accommodate disabled children. Disabled childr en need better health care programs, better schools a place for them to be themselves. Parents need a place to relax and not have to worry about dirty looks that people who dont have disabled children give them. Parents shouldnt have to feel ashamed that they have disabled children.We shouldnt be looked down upon because our children are different. Our children shouldnt be bullied or treated like they are worthless. Our children are special. They deserve the best that we can help them to achieve in life. They deserve a chance like the rest of us. Weve got to come together and help each other to provide a better life for all The questions we should ask researchers to study are many. One could be whats being done to assist parents with disabled children? Are there programs to assist parents in child care for disabled children?Normal daycare centers are for infants through 12 long time of age. As of today my disabled son is 16 years old and theres genuinely no day care for children hi s age. Another question is why do they go according to parents income in order to assist with social security disability? A parent shouldnt have to be jobless in order to obtain assistance from social security disability. Yet a person who walks into social security disability and say my back hurt or that they have a condition can obtain money work the system while the truly disabled suffer.There are so many people working the disability system and really arent disabled. We have to help the programs we have for our disabled children actually help the disabled children. In conclusion caring for a child with a disability can be challenging, but many of these challenges are likely due to a lack of necessary environmental supports. Future research should expand on these findings and policy makers, scientists and providers should give particular attention to the environmental support needs of parents in order to create policies and interventions that are more family centered.