When you have a child with physical needs, the amount and type of care they need is far different from the average child. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find the right type of professional care to fill those needs and allow your child to live as full and independent a life as possible.
To help you connect your child with exactly the type of professional physical support they need, explore any of the avenues described below.
Consult Your Doctor
The best place to start is at your doctor’s office. Because your doctor is likely already familiar with your child’s condition, they have the best idea of what kind of support your child would most benefit from. Even if the first recommendation isn’t a match, that person can then recommend someone else, who can recommend someone else, and so on until you eventually find someone who provides exactly the kind of care your child needs.
Look for Community Support Groups
Caring for a child with physical needs can feel like a solo pursuit, but you’d be surprised how many parents in your area are in the exact same scenario as you. This is why it’s so important to look for community support groups that can provide information and recommendations. These groups are not only great for insider information, but they’re also great for helping your child to meet other children with similar physical needs. The same goes for you as a parent, as you get the added benefit of connecting with other parents over your shared experience of raising a child with physical needs.
Even if you can’t find local support groups, you’re bound to find support groups online. During a time where in-person contact can be risky, these virtual support groups can even be a better option.
Look for Community Services
While support groups can be great connecting places for both parents and children, they can sometimes lack the professional care element required by a child with physical needs. This is why it can pay to combine the use of community support groups with the use of community services catering more to the care or development of your child. These services will differ from community to community, but they can include school programs, social skills training, job training, and counseling.
Consider Respite Care
Just because you love your child with physical needs doesn’t mean you’re any less stressed or exhausted. This is why taking advantage of respite care can be so helpful, as respite care consists of trained professionals temporarily taking over your child’s caregiver needs whenever you as a parent need a break. This allows parents to recharge their mental and physical capacity, tend to any other children in the family, and generally better maintain their level of care in the long term.
Takeaway
The right care can not only improve your child’s quality of life, but it can also help you as a parent or guardian better navigate and connect with other families, and better maintain the other elements of your family’s life.
If you’d like a clearer picture of all of the support options available to you and your child, get in touch with us at Joshin today!
Looking to schedule care? Find special needs caregivers near you.