Posted: May 22, 2015
While it may be easy to spot the items that are relevant to the winter months due to the holidays and natural breaks in scheduling, there are other topics of focus for special needs parents during June, too! June 21st marks the first day of summer, but this month may be significant to you and your child for perhaps other, and even more important reasons. We’ve put together a few items that Cerebral Palsy parents should keep in mind as the calendar changes and, as always, welcome your input and suggestions as well!
First, the start of summer means spring is already in full swing. With the change in seasons and explosion of life comes the dreaded reality of allergies. Allergies can be triggered by any number of things, including environmental changes inside and outside, as well as maturation/age and other health factors. Be sure to keep careful records on any signs of allergic reactions from your child and do not hesitate to have your child tested – doing so can eliminate emergency scenarios, and eliminate or reduce allergy symptoms, while also helping with planning for events and more.
Second, if your child is still in grade school, you should already have begun planning their IEP and/or Special Education efforts. IEP meetings can be a headache for many Cerebral Palsy parents, but ensuring that you are a vocal and active part of the planning ensures your child will receive any required special adjustments in their learning and education, in addition to needed therapies. What’s more, getting as active as possible with your child’s learning heading into summer may also let you work on certain segments of learning in advance while at home over summer break.
Third, go through all of your child’s adaptive equipment and ‘active gear’ to find out what your needs are and what can be possibly donated to other families. The life of a Cerebral Palsy parent is a hectic one and planning ahead isn’t always an option. However, if you, for example, begin seeing that your child’s braces will not be a fit for long or that he or she may need larger clothing/outdoor gear, it’s better to plan in advance. Doing so may also afford you the opportunity of taking advantage of a sale, placing an ad ahead of time, applying for grants and more.
Fourth: get access to your medical records. Summer brings with it travel opportunities and a variety of activities for your family and child. Having a copy of your medical records will make everything much easier in the event your child needs medical assistance during a vacation, if you’re transitioning between doctors or just to ensure that you have an up-to-date and complete record. One member of our community even noted that your travel checklist should definitely include your handicapped parking credentials: just because you’re not near home doesn’t mean you won’t have the same needs!
Fifth and final: contact us! We have a wide assortment of resource available for Cerebral Palsy parents to review for their children, and several of them are geared toward the warmer months. Whether they are for therapy, energy bill assistance, housing, camps, adaptive equipment or any number of other areas, our kits, guides and resources are aimed at making this an amazing summer!
For more information on any of the items discussed, be sure to contact us either by phone ((800) 692-4453
(800) 692-4453 FREE) or through one of our contact forms (on our website or on Facebook). We hope you have an amazing June and are happy to help in any way we can!
