Few thoughts for parents to ponder

We can understand your feelings and apprehensions about your child, who seems to show slower development than usual. It may give you a little solace to know that you are not alone in this situation. There are thousands of parents like you who have children with intellectual disability. Neither you nor your child is to be blamed for his condition. However like any other child you would like to do all that which helps the child in his/her fullest development. Here are few points for assisting you in facilitating the development of your child.

• Your child can learn to become self-dependent in daily living skills e.g. bathing, dressing, self-feeding, attending to toilet needs and helping you in household chores.

• He can learn simple vocational skills and will be able to work and earn to whatever extent possible.

• He can learn better if the tasks can be simplified by breaking them in smaller and simple steps.

• Patience and perseverance on your part will be extremely important if you want to see him/her progress.

• Even a small achievement needs to be appreciated to encourage further learning and initiative.

• He will develop speech. Talk to him, encourage him to speak. Do not give up. Keep working on his language development.

• Constructive play activities are important. Help him develop interest in playing with toys, drawing and coloring, listening to music and watching TV. Play with the child and make learning fun.

• Give him as much success experience as possible. With your own judgment pick up skills, which he is ready to learn, teach him small steps of learning a skill, keep encouraging him to work. Patience and perseverance are key factors in training.

• Take care of his feelings and emotions. You may see certain behaviors in him

which may not easily go. He may keep doing things which you are telling him not to do. Love, Care, firmness and Patience will be able to bring changes in his behavior.

• Your child is just like any other child. He needs to be loved, recognized, praised, disciplined  and encouraged to learn  various tasks needed for everyday life.

• Others would respect and value your child as much as you value and respect him.  We may not be able to change others but we can definitely try to change our own     attitudes and behavior.

• You should overcome embarrassment with regard to your child. It is very harmful for you as well as your child.

• Take him with you whenever you are going out. It can be going to market, meeting friends and going to social functions, marriages etc. It is only when you take him in public places that he would learn appropriate social behavior.

• Promote integration of children with disabilities in regular schools if they have facilities.

• It is important to remain engaged with normal life like going out, entertainment, meeting people and attending to your interests and hobbies.

• Do not overburden your other children with your anxieties and problems. Seek their support and explain to them about the importance of their cooperation.
  
  
• There is no age bar in learning. Like others, intellectually challenged persons also keep learning throughout their lives.
  
  
• Love, firmness, patience & perseverance are key factors in helping the development of your child.

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