The mother of a young child with a life-threatening respiratory disorder recounts her personal growth in learning lessons of acceptance, the value of each moment, the courage to change, and love. (DB)

Information is presented on a number of tests used in genetic counseling (e.g., genetic evaluation, chromosome evaluation, consideration of multifactorial conditions, prenatal testing, and chorionic villus sampling) which help parents with one disabled child make family planning decisions. (CB)

A father writes about his six-year-old son born with hydrocephalus. He describes such day-to-day experiences as going to a baseball game and the grocery store, reactions of friends and strangers to his son's social interactions, and a special day at preschool. The boy's medical treatment, including surgeries, are also described. (VW)

A husband and wife's self-described difficulties illustrate the complex effects of living with a special needs child on marital relationships and on communication between parents and professionals. Practical solutions included obtaining child care help and meeting with the family pediatrician to coordinate information and records from a variety of…

This article, in the form of a letter from the parent of a teenager to parents of younger children with disabilities, encourages parents to take advantage of integrated educational opportunities for their children. Negative aspects of segregated education are illustrated with examples from the teenager's life. (DB)

A mother of a severely handicapped child recounts her experiences and adjustment including the pressures of single parenting, sibling issues, and ways to meet one's emotional needs. (DB)

A father describes how his experiences as parent of a severely disabled young son have deepened his resilience, causing a reexamination of personal and social values and a broadened perspective on the significance of competition and achievement. (JW)

The father of a profoundly hearing impaired 4-year-old describes his initial anger upon discovering his child's problem and ways in which he translated those feelings to action on his child's behalf. He describes a program of intensive speech therapy and parent training that has resulted in progress in speech. (CL)

The mother of a seven-year-old boy with Down's Syndrome describes her feelings as she came to realize that, despite intense early stimulation activities, her son's developmental capabilities were limited. The article also notes that media exposure of the successes of some disabled children sometimes creates unrealistic expectations in parents.…

The progress of a developmentally delayed child is described by his mother, covering his infancy, placement in and withdrawal from a residential school, family life, placement in a day school, adolescence, and entry into adulthood. (CB)

The father of a boy with autism reports on the events and emotions accompanying the presidential signing of Public Law 101-336, the Americans with Disabilities Act. A chart outlines the law's titles (employment, public service, public accommodations, telecommunications, and miscellaneous provisions); effective dates; regulatory deadlines; and…

A mother recounts how her kindergarten-aged daughter (who has severe cerebral palsy and is quadriplegic and nonverbal) is able to participate in mainstream school life with the assistance of an electrically powered wheelchair, an electronic speech output device, and a computer. (DB)

The author of this article talks to Robert Kreider about why helping people with special needs is so important to him and his colleagues. Robert Kreider is the president and chief executive officer of The Devereux Foundation, the nation's largest non-profit provider of behavioral healthcare services to children and adults with emotional,…

Family counseling helped the parents of a learning-disabled, hyperactive nine-year-old causing behavioral problems at home and school to recognize the importance of keeping their child on medication since his behavior and learning improved when he was on the prescribed medication. (CB)

The mother of a five-year-old with partial growth hormone deficiency recounts how she and her son attempted to deal with the physical pain and emotional upheaval caused by the regular injections of human growth hormones she had to administer to the child. (CB)