Special Needs Stories: My Story (continued)


Personally, I don’t care about the labels. I think that it is important that these kids get the developmental help that they need. Unfortunately, the label does make a difference with respect to medical insurance coverage and state and local benefits. However, the reality is that all of these kids, whether they have official labels such as Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Asperger Syndrome, Fragile X, Mental Retardation, Williams Syndrome or other Genetic Disorders, Attention Deficit Disorder, or other Development Delays, are “special needs kids.” They share a lot of the same problems and need a lot of the same interventions. Specific treatments will vary based on the child’s needs. But an early intervention program that incorporates specialized education and socialization will help all of these kids lead happy and productive lives.

To that end, our son is finally getting the appropriate help and is doing quite well. Although he attends a regular daycare class part-time, he receives speech therapy and occupational therapy at a publicly supported developmental preschool program and through a private program. Not only can he say mama and dada, but also he actually knows who we are! We no longer compare him to normal children. Instead, we focus on his personal rate of development.

We are also very open with people about his special needs. Of course this was not easy at first – especially with our family. In the African-American community people who are special needs are often labeled as “slow.” But talking about them in another light (i.e., mentally retarded, autistic) is not often done openly. This was compounded by the fact that our son is from all outward appearances very “normal”. People’s impression of “special needs” kids is often a cross between the rain man and the elephant man. In fact, many special needs kids look very normal in their appearance. Luckily for us we have a great group of friends and family and most of them have been very understanding and very supportive. But occasionally, I find myself having to explain to the lady at the grocery store that my son really is special needs and not just shy or better yet immature because he is a boy.

I hope that this brief glimpse of our story can help others out there who may be going through the same thing. I also hope to cause more discussion and awareness, especially in the African-American community, on special needs kids.



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October 6, 2004