There are many parents wondering how to provide proper care for children with developmental and intellectual disabilities. However, there are many different types of disabilities that children can be affected by, and it is important that you learn about the different types of disabilities and
how to treat each one so your child can have a bright future. Here are some general tips on how to provide proper care for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities:
Special Education
You may need to enroll your child in a special education school with support services teachers that specialize in their condition or be sure you enroll them into a public school with these kinds of programs available. This way, your child can get the proper education they need with
professionals who know what to do.
In some special education schools, they even customize the lesson plans depending on the learning style of each child. This is especially important for children with disabilities because the ways they learn are all unique. In addition, their needs are also different from one another depending on their disability.
If the child has multiple disabilities, it is crucial to find the best teacher or school system that can meet their needs in order to ensure the child’s successful progress. Children with disabilities are worth the investment of time and money, and effort, and they deserve the best education possible.
Healthy Gluten-Free Diet
For children with ADHD, autoimmune diseases, Down’s Syndrome, and other neurodiverse conditions, gluten can be something that’s hard for them to digest. If gluten is not digested properly, the immune system of the body of your child will usually tag that protein as an invader. Then, your immune system will try to fight off the protein.
This will result to inflammation. For children with special needs, their brains and gut linings are mostly affected, which can lead to bloating, mood swings, tantrums, hyperactivity, anxiety, social delays, and inability to focus.
So, to provide special care for your child, you need to instill a gluten-free diet with them. Wheat, barley, and rye are some of the most common foods that contain gluten.
Thankfully, there is a lot of gluten-free food and snacks available in the supermarket already. You can just watch out for that tag before buying anything from the supermarket. In addition to that, there are also gluten-free recipes available online that you can check out.
Daily Routines
Having daily routines will also greatly help children with disabilities. One of the most important things for these children is to develop confidence in themselves and have a sense of stability.
When they have a schedule to follow, they will know what’s expected and how to manage their time better. They will be more at ease and condition themselves for what’s expected next.
Limited Screen Time
With remote learning and availability of devices, it’s very easy for you to leave your child with their devices. However, for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, leaving them with devices for a long period of time might be detrimental instead of beneficial.
With regards to screen time, it’s important that you set limitations with your child to achieve a healthy balance. Screen time must be a mixture of active (interactions with media or games), passive (no engagement), or educational.
While it’s good for your child to play educational games, they also need to spend time outside or do offline activities as well. For instance, you can provide an offline plan for tasks during the day. This can range from exercising, socializing or indulging in their hobbies. Proper care for your child also means monitoring or limiting screen time.
Therapy
Aside from special education, children with intellectual and developmental disabilities also need therapy on the side in order to ensure better improvement in their mental and behavioral state. The therapy needed for each child will vary depending on the disability.
For instance, for children with autism, they might need speech therapy in order to develop their communication skills. On the other hand, if the child has some physical disabilities, they might need occupational therapy to help them out. Consult a physician as to which therapy your child specifically needs.
Conclusion
Special care is needed for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Without the proper care, their mental and physical growth might be impaired. In addition to that, your child will be more scattered if they don’t get proper care. Some of this might be a bit more expensive, but it’ll all be worth it for your child.