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Beyond Surprise and Shock
Learning Your Baby Has Special Needs By Kelly Burgess
Specialists in Tourette's prescribed medication for the repetitive twitching, while specialists in ADD prescribed Ritalin. Since Justin didn't have hyperactivity associated with his ADD, Bechtel wondered about the need for Ritalin. When she got her computer last year, she researched the subject and discovered that Ritalin could exacerbate Tourette's symptoms. She insisted that Justin be taken off the Ritalin and given behavior modification at school. As a result, he's developing organizational skills that help him compensate for ADD.
Bechtel's success is a testament to the changing view of society toward children with special needs. When Amy Robison was born, Down syndrome children indeed, virtually all children with special needs were often raised in isolation. Thanks in large part to the work of parents like Dr. Robison, increasing public awareness and education has resulted in the realization that all children are able to overcome limitations and become contributing members of society.
"The lack of information available to me when Amy was born is what drives me to do what I do today," Dr. Robison says. "When I did finally find that article in Psychology Today, what I saw was a beautiful picture of a little girl with Down syndrome. Having that image of someone who just looked like a regular little girl made me determined that, no matter what, we were going to raise Amy to be a regular part of our community. There was a need then, and there is a need now, to provide opportunities for other parents to do the same."
For an exhaustive listing of Internet resources, visit Internet Resources for Special Children.