The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that kids with disabilities receive access to services and equipment that will help them achieve success in their education and socialization, report educators at the National Network for Child Care. Helping kids deal with their disabilities, however, takes an entirely different set of skills. You can best help children deal with various disabilities by first remembering that kids with special needs want the same things as other children--security, love and ample opportunities to learn through play.
Step 1
Purchase, rent or borrow educational toys that have been modified for your child's needs. By having the proper tools to perform tasks such as playing games on the computer, reading and writing, you can provide a level of independence on which children can build as they mature.
Step 2
Discipline your special needs child with the same firmness that you would a child with no disabilities. Tell him to clean his room or that he must go to bed. Be specific and clear with your instructions. Children with disabilities will deal with the requirements in the outside world if they are taught how to deal with authority at home and will not come to expect special treatment.
Step 3
Laugh with your child. Allow him to laugh if he falls down while trying out a new pair of crutches. Laugh with your sight-impaired child if he bumps into a table after you've changed the furniture around. Allowing children to laugh and laughing with them instead of crying at his misfortune can be one of the most beneficial ways you can help your child deal with his restrictions.
Step 4
Listen to your child when she is frustrated by her limitations. Allow her to express her anger or fears. Give her safe outlets to express her feelings and don't negate her thoughts. Empathize and try to explain how you handle difficulties. Offer suggestions that are prefaced by phrases such as, "I understand you're frustrated," or "It's OK to be mad, now let's find a way to fix this."
Step 5
Expose your child to successful adults who have similar disabilities. By bringing your blind child to a meeting of the National Federation of the Blind, for example, she can meet successful lawyers, teachers and business people who are visually impaired. Get your child an adult mentor with a disability, someone with whom she can relate and who understands her needs perhaps better than you do.
Tips and Warnings
- Teach other children at school and in the home about the special needs of various children. Teach them how to play with and accept children with special needs. Teach them about physical handicaps so they won't be afraid of children who are different.
- Avoid focusing totally on your child's disabilities. Instead, advise National Network for Child Care educators, concentrate on the total child and help him to focus on the abilities that he does have. Provide opportunities for him to express and use those abilities to bolster his self-confidence and self-image.
Things You'll Need
- Accessible toys
