What Parents Need to Know: Health and Medical Care For a Child With Special Needs
How To Make The Medical Care Process For Your Special Needs Child a Little Easier In Arizona
You want the best for your child, no matter what challenges or special needs they may have. You want your child to be happy and healthy and to have the best quality of life possible. And you will do whatever you can to provide that.
Unfortunately, when your child has special needs, you can’t always provide everything they need yourself. You can’t be there at all hours of the day to provide assistance or medical care. You can’t provide the intensive educational tutoring or physical training tat they need. You need help.
It can be difficult to find the right professionals to provide the health and medical care that your child needs. Here are a few things you can do to make the process a little easier:
Be Honest about the Care Your Child Needs
You need to be very specific about the type of care your child needs. You may already have the big picture items in place, like that your child uses a wheelchair or that your child has learning deficits. However, you may not be thinking of the day-to-day practicalities like that your child needs help using the toilet or that you will need someone who can change bed sheets.
Make a specific list of all the help that your child will need, as well as the help you will need in caring for your child. Then you can start thinking about the types of providers who can fill those needs.
Consider the Logistics of Routine Medication and Treatment
Your child may need to take medications every day – sometimes multiple times a day – and may need routine treatments that require visits to clinics, hospitals, or other care provider offices. If you are looking for help in your home, you will need to find someone who can administer these medications and see to the routine treatments, or at the very least, to be able to work around the schedule for those treatments.
Include Socialization
Every child needs to spend time with family and friends. Socialization brings us together, and it helps build our emotional and social skills. When you are considering providers, you might consider daycare for your child, or maybe a day camp. If that isn’t the right fit, you should look for a personal provider who can also tend to social needs, such as by taking your child to play dates or other opportunities.
Evaluate How Much Attention Your Child Needs
Can your child spend time engaged in independent activity? Or does your child have problems with impulse control? Or is prone to emotional outbursts? Think carefully about how much attention your child needs in any given scenario. Children who needs more attention and supervision will need providers who are experienced and prepared for giving this kind of care.
Determine Your Budget
In most cases, given enough money, you’d be able to find the ideal providers for your child with no problem at all. But money makes things harder. Providers for children with special needs can be expensive. Depending on your budget, you may need to prioritize what type of care is most important and will have the biggest impact. You will also need to explore all your options for funding the care, including insurance, tax credits or deductions, grants, and so on.
Though the journey may be long, with the right research and persistence, you will find the right medical providers for your child with special needs, and your whole family will be better for it. You will get the support you need, and your child will get the help they need to be happier and healthier.
East Mesa Family Doctors provides a full range of services for all children, including children with a variety of special needs. Our doctors are experienced in caring for children with behavioral and medical needs, including ADHD, autism, physical disorders, and more. We provide ongoing medical care, and we can connect you with specialty providers and at-home aides where needed. We also perform testing to diagnose some special needs. Call East Mesa Family Doctors today to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment with one of our caring and experienced providers.
Written by:
East Mesa Family Doctors
8035 E. Brown Road, Building 4, #101
Mesa, AZ 85207
Phone: (480) 750-0085
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://eastmesafamilydoctor.com/