When our children have special needs

Prakalathan Kelaver ,  Contributor ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 11/04/2009 2:22 PM  |  Body & Soul

Children with special needs - and their families - need special attention, so that they can learn the same skills and information as their peers.

When children have conditions such as autism and Asperger syndrome, their ability to learn the same way as other children is affected. Therefore, special education programs are specially designed to help them learn and interact with other children

Also affected are families of these children. The family of a young child with special needs often feels disappointment, social isolation, added stress, frustration and helplessness. The compounded stress of the presence of an exceptional child may affect the family's well-being and interfere with the child's development.

Families of children with special needs are found to experience increased instances of divorce and suicide, and children with special needs are more likely to be abused than other children.

It is important for such children and their families to receive help, such as that offered by early intervention programs.

Early intervention applies to children of school age or younger who are discovered to have or be at risk of developing a particular condition or other special need that may affect their development.

The aim of early intervention programs is to lessen the effects of the condition. Early intervention can be remedial or preventive in nature, that is, either remediating existing developmental problems or preventing their occurrence.

Early intervention may focus on the child alone or on the child and the family together. Programs may be center-based, home-based, hospital-based, or a combination, and services range from identification - that is, hospital or school screening and referral services - to diagnostic and direct intervention programs.

Early intervention may begin at any time between birth and school age; however, there are many reasons for it to begin as early as possible.

The three main reasons for intervening early with an exceptional child are to enhance the child's development, to provide support and assistance to the family, and to maximize the child's and family's benefit to society.

Child development research has established that the rate of human learning and development is most rapid in the preschool years. Timing of intervention becomes particularly important when a child runs the risk of missing an opportunity to learn during a state of maximum readiness. If the most teachable moments or stages of greatest readiness are not taken advantage of, a child may have difficulty learning a particular skill at a later time. As noted in one influential study, "only through early identification and appropriate programming can children develop their potential".

Early intervention services also have a significant impact on the parents and siblings of an infant or young child with special needs. Early intervention can result in parents having improved attitudes about themselves and their child, improved information and skills for teaching their child, and more release time for leisure and employment. Parents of gifted preschoolers also need early services so that they may better provide the supportive and nourishing environment needed by the child.

The third reason for intervening early is that society will reap maximum benefits. The child's increased developmental and educational gains and decreased dependence upon social institutions, the family's increased ability to cope with the presence of an exceptional child, and perhaps the child's increased eligibility for employment, all provide economic as well as social benefits.

After nearly 50 years of research, there is evidence - both quantitative (data-based) and qualitative (reports of parents and teachers) - that early intervention increases the developmental and educational gains for the child, improves the functioning of the family, and reaps long-term benefits for society. Early intervention has been shown to result in the child: (a) needing fewer special education and other services later in life; (b) being retained in grade less often; and (c) in some cases being indistinguishable from other classmates years after intervention.

The writer will address these topics at a seminar in Jakarta on Nov. 7.

1. Relationships: When Our Children Have Special Needs (2 hours): This seminar deals with the impact a special needs child has on the family, and most particularly, the parents' relationship. The areas that will be shared during this workshop are avoiding blame; support and guidance; sex, affection, and intimacy; money matters; time alone; effective communication; divorce.

2. Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence (2 hours): Adolescents face many challenges, and those with Asperger Syndrome have special difficulty navigating the changes they encounter. Friends, crushes, schoolwork and the day-to-day lives of teens present complicated issues. During this workshop, you will learn how to help your teen with Asperger syndrome. You'll learn effective techniques for raising a self-sufficient and self-confident teen.

Location: Menara Kuningan, Lt F2 Alpha Omega, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said, Blok X-7, Kav. 5, Jakarta. Contact: (021) 30015796, 94700766

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