"Special" Needs - What is Normal Anyway?
Every ‘special needs’ child is a symbol … of the triumph of Life. After visits of our own to Children's Hospital, and hearing from both families and professional caregivers I wrote the following article ... A long hardwood table centers the sullen room; around it sit a number of medical professionals in conference with a couple of young parents. Their oldest is about to enter Kindergarten. Normally an exciting time of wonder and anticipation, this meeting was to confirm five years of mounting fears: “Our conclusion is that your child seems to be functioning cognitively at the moderate-to-severe handicap level.” What does a parent feel, hearing such a verdict? As we ask that question, in all of our lives we can recognize there will be times where, as one suffering parent described it, we find ourselves ‘grieving the loss of expectations’, of dreams not realized. This is common ground for us to find a starting place of understanding: Some suffer loss during pregnan...
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