Its Hard Being a Parent or Carer for People with Special Needs

Being a parent is a full time job and at times can be such hard work,but we must all take time to look around us and see those friends or family that have to cope daily being a parent/carer for someone with special needs or disabilities.

I have five children and three of them have multiple special needs including

Tourettes syndrome

Aspergers syndrome

Adhd&Ocd

Epilepsy

Learning disabilities

Cerebral palsy

As a parent finding out your child has a special need  can be heartbreaking and leave you angry,frustrated and very confused.

All of a sudden you want to find out about all of these conditions and see how best to support and help the person with the condition,this by itself can leave you worried and depressed as you become so involved in trying to find out all you can as well as putting the information to use to ensure the person you care for can lead as normal life as possible with all the help and support that’s available.

We must remember that although we will go to the ends of the earth to help our friends and loved ones that we should also make sure that we have some time out and a break from time to time,we need to keep ourselves healthy and remember to eat well and sleep as best as we can.

I say this as being a parent with first hand experience of special needs I became very depressed and suffered panic and anxiety,as well as this I stopped going out and would not admit I needed help for me or help with the children and my life revolved around the children but to the extent that even my diary became full all with appointments for the children and all incidents about them and the days information.

Now I know if we decide to have children then it is a choice we made and we should care for them to our best ability but also remember that we have a life to and must continue to think of ourselves too otherwise what use will we be in the long term to our children if they have to see us go through things like I did.

I hope this helps others understand more and think often of help they may be able to give to people who are a parent/carer just to show you care and understand this will help things be recognised more and ensure more support will become available.