A special needs mom of over 20 years, Marcia Gratsch of the Little Bug Foundation, wrote this book to help current and future special needs parents, educators, and caregivers navigate their way through the medical and educational aspects involved in raising a unique child.
This Special Education handbook discusses what caregivers/parents of special needs children face each day using real examples from the sample case and her family throughout the book. This publication uses a sample case of a child categorized as Severely Multiple Impaired (SXI) which is a child who was born with the developmental designation of the severest level of impairment in Special Education. The book begins with the story of the detection, delivery, and original hospital stay of the sample case child. Then, the events surrounding their lives like surgeries, therapy sessions, purchasing equipment, insurance policies, paying medical bills, setbacks, and community projects will be discussed in the Medical Aspects portion of the publication in addition to ideas of how to pay for big ticket items, how to obtain Legal Guardianship, and how to apply for Social Security.
Following is the Educational Aspects of Raising a Special Needs Child which includes specific Programs, Evaluations, along with how to Develop a Productive Individualized Evaluation Plan (IEP) as well as how Medicaid Consultants come into play. Concepts such as REED, PLAAFP, PLOP, IFSP, etc. are included as well as chapters on how to communicate with prespeech child, what are the roles of Special Education Professionals, and a description of what Special Education sites are available for the disabled individual.
Educational Administrators should note the 20+ suggested amendments, gathered at the end of the book in the Summary of Educational Aspects Involved in Raising a Special Needs Child/Adult. In addition, the issue of developing relationships where local engineering colleges can come to Special Education sites to work on real world projects is introduced as well as the relationship where Special Education may provide feedback to the medical field giving them statistics that lead toward what surgery procedures may need adjusted.
This parent knows it takes a village to raise a special child and it is an eye-opening reality. This publication discusses various types of villagers, programs, and procedures available to you and your child. Her family wants you to know that you are not alone and wishes you the best of luck.