Children With Special Needs

When you think of special needs, you may think of children that have severe emotional, mental, or physical conditions. These children need a lot of attention and care, but they are not the only ones that are in need of special attention. Some children with special needs have less visible and less debilitating problems. These children can sometimes fall through the cracks at school because teachers and even parents assume that the children just have behavior problems rather than a real issue that may delay learning and probably emotional growth. There is help out there for all children that have special needs or delays.

If your child is not doing well in school, but you are pretty sure that they should be doing better, you should think about other issues before you decide that your child is slacking or that you have a behavioral problem on your hands. At times, children with special needs go without diagnosis for small learning disabilities or even problems like bad hearing or eye sight. These things should all be considered when a child seems to be intelligent but is doing very poorly in school. Some problems are simple to clear up and make a huge difference rather quickly.

It is often not the best idea to label children as special needs, but that label does not have to be a problem. For many children with special needs, they can overcome and outgrow such problems with proper help from parents, teachers, and intervention programs. Any baby born premature is automatically referred to an early intervention program that is run by the government. This type of program is typically free to parents and gives premature children with special needs any type of help they need whether it be physical or emotional and developmental issues.

When discharged from the NICU, you should be contacted by an early intervention program in your area. Their job is to see if there is anything that you need and if you feel your child needs an evaluation. Some children come out of the hospital with very few problems, catch up to peers quickly, and no one would ever suspect they were born too early. Other children come out of the NICU as known children with special needs and parents should take advantage of each and ever program that could benefit their child. These programs address problems before they become to big to handle without a lot of intensive treatment.

If you have children with special needs but you do not know where to get help, you can talk with your pediatrician for advice and guidance. You can also call your local health department and inquire about programs in your area that may help you out. Some are free, and those that are not may be covered by your health insurance, if you have some. Don't give up until you find the help that you need for your child. These programs are out there to help them live, adjust, and thrive in the world around them.