Establishing Positive Relationships With Professional Services For Your Special Needs Child

This article discusses the role that professionals and other support services play in the lives of special needs children and their families. The reason I chose this topic to discuss is because

whether you like dealing with professionals or not, you need outside help so that your child gets the expertise he or she needs to develop at all levelsrelationships can be tense or distant with some professionals or support services but it really is in your child's best interests to avail of any treatments and interventions recommended

Firstly do not be intimidated by professionals or support personnel due to their qualifications or manner. Also do not think you are being troublesome by asking what you think are too many questions.

Some parents will take a different approach and want professional to make most of the decisions about their child. This is fine too. Others however want a shared role in the decision-making process.

It is up to you as a parent of a special needs child to decide what approach you would like to take. Of course you are free to change course along the way too to whatever works best.

If you have to go for a meeting, write down or mentally go through what exactly needs to be asked or said during that meeting. Be very clear what is most important to you and what is negotiable.

Ask for clarification if you are unsure of anything and listen well. Do not be afraid to mention any new research, ideas, concepts etc and ask for feedback on any items you raise.

Learn new terminology and do not be afraid to ask questions and ask the meaning of terminology of phrases that may be used by professionals in relation to your child.

Write down questions before your meeting and more as the meeting progresses if you do not want to ask straight away. Stay focused and do not allow yourself to become distracted.

Help others at the meeting also stay focused by referring to your child specifically by their name. Do not give up too early If you are dissatisfied. See what can be improved upon and prepare for the next meeting. It is important to stay calm and positive at all times.

Ask for and get written copies of documents from professional services. Save them in one place and keep them safe for ongoing review. Alternatively if you are not organised, get a box and put everything in for safe keeping.

Try to recognise that each of the teachers, doctors, professional services or support staff are just one part of the solution for your child. The support, encouragement and unconditional love you put into your child will reap the most reward.

If you would like to know more about being the best parent you can be for your special needs child, download my free guide "Care for the Carer-A Short Guide To Parenting Special Needs Children" at http://www.parenting4specialneeds.com/

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What Kind of a Person Is a Child Molester?

While it is easy to be horrified by what one man is being accused of when you see headlines in the newspaper about a public figure, school teacher, or even your neighbor, being taken to jail, you can be certain he is not the only man who has been singled out, and accused of being identified as being a child molester.

Incidents of child molesting continue to be front page news. When it occurs in a major company, a public figure, a well thought of sports figure, or a member of your neighborhood, most people get all exercised and demand something be done.

For far too long, the whole focus on preventing child molestation was all about "stranger danger." Most girls, especially were warned at a very young age to be afraid of strangers. Don't let them get you. Most of people of a certain age have been told the same thing.

The problem is: child molestation is not about strangers but the people we know: family members, members of our social circle, people in our churches, local professionals and acquaintances in our neighborhood.

It is estimated that 1 in 20 teenage boys and adult men are sexual molesters. One teenage girl or adult women in 3,500 females are sexual molesters.

Looking at the bigger picture, 1 out of every 15 Americans is either a molester or has been molested.

Pretty scary statistics, that are well documented in Abel and Harlow's 1999 study of child molesters and their victims.

You can help prevent child molestation by knowing the facts about who molesters are and how and why they prey on children.

Some molesters, a few, are opportunists. They believe the rules that apply to everyone don't apply to them. They molest children because they feel like it, because they can, with little or no feelings for the harm they may be causing the children.

Others may have a medical or psychological problems that need treatment. When this is the case, part of the treatment means staying away from children.

However, most of the sexual abuse acts against children are perpetrated by men with pedophilia.

Pedophilia is a sexual drive disorder where the man is sexually attracted to children. It is a well known problem within the psychological/psychiatric professions. The features of this disorder are thoroughly described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the standard for the psychological and psychiatric professions.

The primary factors in identifying pedophilia include:

sexual arousal, fantasies and sexual behavior with prepubescent childrenbeing involved with or aroused by a child for more than six monthsbe at least 16 years old, and at least 5 years older than the child or children h is attracted to.

While this is horrifying information for most parents, only by knowing the facts and being prepared can you help the children you know stay safe.

If you are in the midst of struggling with making sense of what happens when you discover your husband, friend or family member has been molesting children, be sure to check out the information and resources at http://marriedtochildmolester.com/ Written and edited by Patricia Wiklund Ph.D., a psychologist and former wife of a child molester. You will find articles, videos and ecourses to help you manage the challenges facing women who have been married to a molester and their friends and family members.

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