Study Says Raising Kids with Special Needs Creates Parental Stress

Study Says Raising Kids with Special Needs Creates Parental Stress

by | Feb 26, 2014 | Advocacy and Research, Different Dream, PTSD

Study Says Raising Kids with Special Needs Creates Parental Stress

Are you surprised to hear that a new study conducted by Case Western Reserve University concluded that parenting a child with chronic special needs creates parental stress? No, I’m not either. Nor is any parent whose raised a child with chronic medical needs. But it’s gratifying to know that Case Western’s review confirms our experience.

What the Parental Stress Study Did

The study, “Parenting Stress Among Caregivers of Children With Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review” assessed 96 peer-reviewed studies in 12 countries between 1980 and 2012. The studies involved parents of kids with asthma, cancer, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, epilepsy, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and/or sickle cell disease. Many of those studies had examined parental stress associated with those specific illnesses, but this was one of the first to integrate everything into one report to provide a broader view.

What the Parental Stress Study Learned

Two of the main findings were that 15% of parents in the United States have chronically ill children with special needs. Researchers also found that the care demands associated with the illnesses caused greater stress than did the severity or length of the child’s illness. The study also noted several causes of stress:

  • Integrating responsibilities of caring for the chronically ill child (appointments, therapies, treatments, school issues) into the regular family routine.
  • Watching a child in pain.
  • Worrying about the child’s vulnerability
  • Explaining health issues to those outside the family

What Can Be Done About Parental Stress

The study found these three tips can help parents relieve their stress:

  • Be open to assistance from friends and family
  • Share special needs parenting responsibilities rather than expect one parent to shoulder them
  • Talk to the doctor about parental stress

Details of the study can be found at Parenting Stress Among Caregivers of Children With Chronic Illness: A Systematic Review

What Do You Do About Stress?

So, that’s what the Case Western experts say. But how about you, the caregiver of a child who lives with chronic illness. How do you relieve your stress? Leave a comment!

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Jolene Philo is the author of the Different Dream series for parents of kids with special needs. She speaks at parenting and special needs conferences around the country. She’s also the creator and host of the Different Dream website. Sharing Love Abundantly with Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, was released in August of 2019 and is available at local bookstores, their bookstore website, and at Amazon. The first book in her cozy mystery series, See Jane Run!, features people with disabilities and will be released in June of 2022.

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40 Developmental Assets for Your Child with Special Needs

40 Developmental Assets for Your Child with Special Needs

by | Mar 11, 2013 | Advocacy and Research, Different Dream, PTSD

40 Developmental Assets for Your Child with Special Needs

The 40 developmental assets concept came to my attention at a Foster and Adoptive Parents Conference in January. The assets are results of research done by the Search Institute. The idea was to determine why some children become well-adapted, productive, and happy adults while others don’t. Their research led to the 40 Assets, a list of supports that empower children to succeed.

40 Developmental Assets for Who?

The website features asset lists for children what supports children need around them to succeed. Their research led to different lists in the following categories:

  • Early childhood (age 3–5)
  • Grades K–3 (age 5–9)
  • Middle childhood (age 8–12)
  • Adolescent (12–18)

The site also features a list of assets families need to build a strong framework for success. It’s fascinating stuff.

How about Kids with Special Needs?

The site doesn’t have a list devoted to kids with special needs, but the assets are pertinent to our kids and our families. What makes me say that? Well, take a look at the categories used in each 40 assets list. An asset from each category is included, followed by an example of practical application.

External Assets

  • Support—Positive Family Communication: Parents and/or primary caregivers express themselves positively and respectfully, engaging young children in conversations that invite their input (age 3–5).
  • Empowerment—Children as Resources: Child contributes to family decisions and has opportunities to participate in positive community events (age 5–9).
  • Boundaries and Expectations—Adult Role Models: Parents and other adults in the child’s life model positive, responsible behavior (ages 8–12).
  • Constructive Use of Time—Time at Home: Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week (ages 12–18).

Internal Assets

  • Commitment to Learning—Home-program Connection: The child experiences security, consistency, and connections between home and out-of-home care programs and learning activities (3–5).
  • Positive Values—Integrity: Parents help child develop her or his own sense of right and wrong behavior (ages 5–9).
  • Social Competencies—Resistance Skills: Child can stay away from people who are likely to get her or him in trouble and is able to say no to doing wrong or dangerous things (ages 8–12).
  • Positive Identity—Sense of Purpose: Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.” (age 12–18).

And the list for the family assets framework uses these categories. Again, after each category, you’ll find a framework item followed by an example of practical application.

  • Nurturing Relationships—Affection: Family members regularly show warmth to each other.
  • Establishing Routines—Dependability: Family members know what to expect from one another day-to-day.
  • Maintaining Expectations—Fair rules: Family rules and consequences are reasonable.
  • Adapting to Challenges—Problem solving: Family members work together to solve problems and deal with challenges.
  • Connecting to Community—Supportive resources: Family members have people and places in the community they can turn to for help.

Do you see the correlation to what can help you successfully raise your child with special needs? And to your child with special needs maximizing his or her full potential? Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

How to Put the 40 Developmental Assets into Action

The lists give you the opportunity to see which assets are already in place for your child and family and which ones aren’t. The website also offers oodles of free downloadables and easy-to-find and easy-to-implement practical ideas about how to establish the assets in your family and community. They also consider a faith system one of the 40 assets. How cool is that?

To learn more about the 40 developmental assets, check out this link:
The Developmental Assets Framework

What Do You Think?

After you’ve had a look, come back and leave a comment. How could you adapt these assets for a special needs family? What assets are in place already at your house? Which ones are you going to work on? Your thoughts are most welcome here!

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop-up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

photo credit: www.freedigitalphotos.net

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Jolene Philo is the author of several books for the caregiving community. She speaks at parenting and special needs conferences around the country. Sharing Love Abundantly With Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, was released in August of 2019 and is available at local bookstores, their bookstore website, and Amazon. See Jane Dance!, the third book in the West River cozy mystery series, which features characters affected by disability, was released in October of 2023.

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Child Mental Health: 7 Common Myths

Child Mental Health: 7 Common Myths

by | Oct 20, 2010 | Advocacy and Research, Different Dream, PTSD

Child mental health is often misunderstood. Dr. Harold Koplewicz addresses 7 common myths about child mental health.

Whenever the words “special needs” are spoken, I automatically picture a physical or medical condition. Mental health needs always come to mind later, if they come to mind at all. And I’m saying that as the parent of a child who has been treated for both physical and mental conditions.

Dr. Harold Koplewicz

According to Dr. Harold Koplewicz, a leading child and adolescent psychiatrist, my response is fairly common. In a September 19 Huffington Post article he says, “It is easy to empathize with suffering we can see: a child who lost hair in chemotherapy, for instance. The suffering of a child with psychiatric issues is far less obvious. Many children and teens with emotional problems keep their pain secret. Others express their feelings in risky or offensive ways. Due largely to stigma–fear, shame and misunderstanding about mental health disorders–the majority never receive clinical care.”

7 Common Child Mental Health Myths

In the same article, he debunks 7 myths about child mental health. They are:

  1. A child with a psychiatric disorder is damaged for life.
  2. Psychiatric problems result from personal weakness.
  3. Psychiatric disorders result from bad parenting.
  4. A child can manage a psychiatric disorder through will power.
  5. Therapy for kids is a waste of time.
  6. Children are overmedicated.
  7. Children grow out of mental health problems.

 

To learn how Koplewicz debunks these myths, read the entire article at www.huffingtonpost.com. And if you have more mental illness myths to debunk, leave a comment. It’s time to approach treatment for mental illness with the same respect given treatment for physical illness, don’t you think?

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

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Brain Researchers find PTSD Marker

Brain Researchers find PTSD Marker

by | Jan 22, 2010 | Advocacy and Research, Different Dream, PTSD

PTSD Brain Marker

As I’ve mentioned in previous DifferentDream.com posts, (PTSD Treatment Can Change Your Child’s Life, PTSD and NICU Parents: What About You?, and Critically Ill Kids and War Veterans Have What in Common?) war veterans aren’t the only people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It also affects children who have endured invasive medical treatment, and  PTSD can affect their parents, too.

Minnesota Public Radio’s Midmorning Show

PTSD nearly ruined our son’s life until he went through cutting edge treatment at the Intensive Trauma Therapy, Inc. in Morgantown, WV in December of 2008. So when he heard the topic of Minnesota Public Radio’s midmorning talk show for January 7, he told me to listen. I’m so glad he did.

University of Minnesota Brain Research

Karri Miller, host of the show, interviewed two scientists from the University of Minnesota. They imaged the brains of war veterans suffering from PTSD and the brains of people without PTSD. By analyzing and comparing the images, they located a PTSD marker in the brain. To learn more, you can go to this link and hear the entire interview. The discussion of the research and its implications are fascinating.

So have a listen and then tell me what you think. I’d love to hear from you.

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

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