The following is an excerpt from the Special Olympics story, Navigating Your Child’s Intellectual Disability Diagnosis, published in Exceptional Parent Magazine:
“Whether you are a new parent or caregiver of a child with intellectual disabilities (ID), or are further along in your journey, you can probably recall a time when you felt alone and in need of some advice or guidance. Special Olympics understands this and aims to support families by providing information about intellectual disabilities, supportive opportunities within your community, and high-quality health education resources.
An important step you can take to provide support for your child with an intellectual disability or developmental delay, is to proactively partner with your child’s medical and educational teams to create a supportive plan of care. Understanding your child’s diagnosis and needs, takes time and is part of a continuous journey to create the most positive environment for your child to succeed.”
Read more about the qualities of a good physician for your child and tips to improve communication with your child’s physician here.