About this stage of the journey
MANAGE
There’s an adage that knowledge is power. This is certainly a truism, but something a parent may not consider – information can be a source of comfort. When a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, there’s an immense amount of information parents must absorb. The first among these is to have a clear understanding of a child’s condition, which aids in coordinating care, applying for government assistance, seeking early intervention, and obtaining support.
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Helpful suggestions:
- Consider using a care plan outline as a guide for possible ways to manage your child’s condition.
- Understand your health insurance plan; is it working for you? If not, learn about ways to seek the coverage your family needs and your child deserves.
- Embrace your child’s IEP process or early intervention requirements, and advocate for your child’s educational supports.
- Adjust to a therapy ritual at the clinic, and reinforce at home.
- Find opportunities to bond as a family unit.
- Explore community support options.
- Give yourself a pat on the back for adjusting to your new demands.
- Be good to yourself, so you can be good for your family. it’s not good for you or your family to take on a martyr type role. Seek counseling to find your balance, regain energy, and form a healthy perspective.
- Include proper nutrition, sleep and exercise into your daily routine to reinforce your ability to cope and adjust to the fairly new demands.
- With the increase in medical-related expenses, explore avenues to reduce your monthly expenses by other means to help accommodate.
- Accept help and support from others, especially family and friends. They need to be needed, and sometimes you just need a break.
- Resist the attempt to sequester your child, instead find ways in which they can socialize with their siblings and peers, on par with other children at every stage of their development – this may require creativity, but you are also teaching your child valuable workarounds and life coping skills.
