Tag Archives: handicap

And You Thought You Had It Bad At The Gas Pump

How much are you paying for a gallon of gas these days? Around here the price is hovering around $3.50. Outrageous! But, not as bad as in Aspen, Colorado where unleaded gas prices recently broke the $4 mark. If you think that’s bad consider this: some disabled drivers are getting socked even harder because they can’t get out of their cars to pump gas themselves. Some gas stations are charging disabled drivers up to 50 cents more a gallon for the same fuel you and I are filling our vehicles with. I learned about the gas rip-off during a recent … Continue reading →

Gospel Doctrine: Manifesting The Works of God

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This week’s Sunday School lesson in John 9 focuses on the healing of the blind man. After the disciples asked whether the man or his parents sin caused his handicap, Christ answered that the cause of the affliction was “that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” In an October 1984 General Conference talk, James E. Faust taught several ways that the works of God are shown in the lives of the handicapped. As neither I nor anyone I care for at present suffers from any physical struggles, he taught a lesson that affected my life. As … Continue reading →

Ten Ways a Special Needs Child Will Change You Forever

Having a son or daughter with special needs transforms us. There is just no way around it—we are shaped and chiseled from the inside out. It’s a process not without pain, but the ultimate rewards are great. Here are ten ways that a special needs child will change you forever: Perspective shift. There’s something about having a child who is struggling to master simple language, develop motor skills, or maintain basic health that changes your perception of things. Now, whether or not you get a new pair of shoes to wear to the Brewster’s Christmas party doesn’t seem to matter … Continue reading →

Discovering A New Angle…

I’m not exactly sure when the perspective shift happened to me. But for parents of special needs children, it needs to happen, and hopefully it does before too much time is wasted. I’m talking about the change in viewpoint that brings us to a happier, healthier mindset in dealing with children who have challenges. The reality is that we can’t wish away or hope away the disability. And we certainly don’t want to delude ourselves and live in denial. “It is what it is.” Prior to getting to the point of acceptance, there’s a lot of pain and turmoil. There’s … Continue reading →

Five Ways to Deal with Staring

There are few things as uncomfortable as standing in a public place, knowing that someone is staring at you. It can almost seem like an invisible laser beam is burning into your back. The experience is even more irritating when the gaping eyes are on your child. As parents, we have an intense need to protect our children from harm and shield them from the scorn of the outside world. So when our child’s disability attracts attention, going out in public can cause us to squirm with discomfort. Personally, my days of being bothered by stares are long over. Let’s … Continue reading →

How to Plan Trouble-Free Family Outings

One of the saddest realities for families with special needs children is that leisure time can seem like an impossible dream. The more severe the child’s disability, the harder it is to plan vacations, outings, or even a quick trip to the grocery store. Many families become prisoners of their homes. It just feels like too much trouble, and too scary, to get out and experience fun and recreation. What if you forget important medical equipment? What if something goes wrong? Maybe the child has serious behavior problems. Maybe she screams constantly or causes a spectacle in public. The thought … Continue reading →

Keeping Up With Roo: A Keeper

I read a children’s picture book recently which really touched me. It’s called, Keeping Up With Roo, by Sharlee Glenn; illustrated by Dan Andreasen, published by G.P. Putnam Sons. It’s a sweet, warm book about a young girl, Gracie, whose best friend is her mentally handicapped aunt, Ruth. The two have a special relationship where they play “school,” catch water skeeters, and slide down haystacks. Yet as Gracie grows, she must eventually make the tough decision about whether to continue to include “Roo” (as she affectionately calls her aunt) in her new friendships. “But then one day Gracie didn’t want … Continue reading →

Why “Special Needs” Applies to You, Too

Alright, I’m going to be brutally honest. Before I became a parent of a special needs child, people with disabilities made me feel uncomfortable. For example, if I saw a mentally handicapped person in an elevator, I might wait for the next one. It wasn’t out of revulsion, but some kind of inexplicable fear. What was I afraid of? At the time, I wasn’t entirely sure. Inexplicable Fears I remember when an old friend from high school met my son Kyle. At the time, I believe he was seven or eight, and I explained to my friend that he was … Continue reading →

What Qualifies as a Disability?

According to IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004), there are thirteen recognized areas of disability. When your child has an assessment by a team of professionals, he or she will be eligible for special education services if he falls into one of the following categories: 1. Autism 2. Deaf-Blindness 3. Deafness 4. Emotional Disturbance 5. Hearing Impairment 6. Mental Retardation 7. Multiple Disabilities 8. Orthopedic Impairment 9. Other Health Impairment (ADD/ADHD) 10. Specific Learning Disability 11. Traumatic Brain Injury 12. Visual Impairment Including Blindness 13. Speech or Language Impairment I will discuss these areas of disability … Continue reading →