Special-needs children bring blessings
Thank you for the article on the Spurlock family (8/16, A1, “Family embraces two babies with special needs”). Families with a child having a disability realize both blessings and challenges. The blessings come through experiencing unconditional love and the discovery of patience and empathy. The challenges are wrought by broken dreams, of “what could have been.”
Typical decisions made by most families are anything but “typical” for families of a child with a disability. How does one handle teasing, a seizure in public, a stranger’s stare? What is the best way to ensure quality time with other family members? How do you juggle enormous medical bills, keep the family safe from aggressive behaviors or find a flexible job? How does one access a critical therapy or a new wheelchair?
Typically, parents dream of seeing their children grow old. Parents of children with a disability worry about what will happen if their child outlives them.
Get to know a family raising a child with a disability. Share their blessings and challenges. It will enrich your lives as well.
Lurena Mead
Community relations
manager, Johnson County
Developmental Supports,
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