Parents of Children with Special Needs and the Challenge of Their Roles in Raising Them

Parents of children with special needs face a more intense challenge of their roles, as it is a matter of ensuring more carefully both the general needs of any child and those types of specific needs involved in the physical or mental health of the child. the child.

The term children with special needs are one of wide circulation and with extended meanings from physical, sensory, mental, or behavioral deficiencies. Thus, whether we are talking about children with certain diseases or physical disabilities, children with neuro-psychological deficiencies (ADHD - attention deficit, autism, learning-memory deficit), or children with behavioral disorders and/or social difficulties and adaptation, all these children require special treatment and much greater parental care in their upbringing.

The first and most important need of any child is the need for love and security: and this is even more important if we are talking about children with special needs. Affectionate and warm family relationships help the child to feel safe, shape his identity, and to develop as harmoniously as possible.

For children with various disabilities, it is essential to feel loved and valued by their parents, regardless of their disabilities. Parental disapproval is extremely painful for these children because they perceive it as a withdrawal of the disease and as being caused by their situation. Therefore, the parents of these children must approach with infinite caution and care how to discipline and educate.

Security is provided by a warm and unchanged family space and familiar figures - especially children with special needs with mental disabilities perceive novelty and change as something unwanted, confusing, and even frightening.

Therefore, parents should provide them with a familiar and warm space in which their children feel safe and secure. Any changes in the family environment - especially, for example, for children with autism - must be approached with caution and gradually.

Another general need for the little ones, but much more important for children with special needs, is the need for encouragement and appreciation. The feeling that he is doing good things, that he is supported by his parents, that he can be successful is essential in the development of these little ones.

If they do not receive encouragement and support in the family - but also at school - these children may give up trying to develop. Especially important is the use of sanctions and rewards: for these children, rewards need to be used more often - showing them that they are valued, and sanctions need to be much softer - or even non-existent.

Children with special needs who face emotional or intellectual developmental disabilities find it harder to gain the appreciation of those around them, and so parents need to make sure that they offer them unconditional love and support.

For children who develop normally, the need for new experiences arises early - they want to explore, discover new things, learn the world and adapt to it. Some children with special needs, however, show a constant fear of everything new and changing (having safety needs), so new information and issues must be introduced carefully, through pleasant games and by people whom the child trusts.

Another general need is responsibility. In the case of children who do not have neuro-psychological deficiencies (those without any disability or those with physical disabilities), gaining and recognizing their independence and maturity is very important in development.

Adults need to be confident in their abilities and encourage them to gradually take on various responsibilities - both at home and in school. For children with special needs, however, this task is sometimes difficult, as they do not always cope with new tasks and tasks. But they also need recognition as self-employed people - that's why it's good to be encouraged to do various tasks alone and appreciated for their results.

Children need to learn to control themselves, make some decisions for themselves and think about the needs of others - and these can be achieved through their gradual empowerment.

An important need is an emotional security, socializing with people of the same age. Presence and communication with children of the same age are essential for harmonious development, and their appreciation is extremely important in the formation of self-image.

This is one of the reasons why children with special needs need to be helped to find partners of the same age who have similar difficulties - because in this way they will interact more easily and be able to communicate. But for some children - for example, those with autism or mental and/or social disabilities - this is also an extremely difficult task. In the case of children who cannot communicate with those of the same age, it is important to ensure the need for socialization and interaction by parents, specialized teachers, and a skilled nanny.

The nanny is needed for these children - and she must have knowledge of the child's disabilities, methods of intervention, and appropriate games and be able to communicate with him. It is essential to find a suitable nanny, as changing it frequently can cause frustration and anxiety.

Likewise, in the case of children with various disabilities - who do not show aggressive behaviors - a pet is very helpful: children become extremely attached and it can compensate for the inability to form friendships with those of similar age. A cat or a puppy provides both emotional stability and attachment, as well as accountability: the child learns to take care of another being.

But very important for children with special needs caused by neuro-psychic aspects is the placement in a school or a special center, which offers them suitable and accessible teaching-learning methods, communication and adaptation strategies, alternative therapies, and specialized staff.

These schools also provide after-school, during which time children can be with other children with similar disabilities and can play various games.

In conclusion, the most important requirement - which can summarize the others - for children with special needs is to lead a normal life, to be appreciated, valued, and loved.