Therapy for Special Needs Children

"Special Needs" can be an array of diagnoses. Children with special needs may have mild learning disabilities, terminal illnesses, panic attacks or serious psychiatric problems. With therapy these children will learn various techniques for building confidence, self esteem, coping strategies for maneuvering through life and its stressors utilizing play therapy, drawing, games and writing.

What is a Special Needs Child?

"Special Needs" are commonly defined as what a child "can't" do, -- avoiding common activities or experiences etc... These situations affect each family in different ways. Some families look at the lost potential and let the conditions become more troubling over time. Other families find the daily challenges to be rewarding when their children overcome the difficulties and find their strengths.

How Can Therapy Help Behavioral Issues in Special Needs Children?

"Special Needs" children that have behavioral issues not do respond traditional discipline. Children with special needs who lie, act up, disrespect others are signs of apparent disobedience may have more to do with a lack of communication skills, motor planning ability, sensory integration and cause-and-effect thinking than with deliberate intent. Does this mean you have to allow out-of-control behavior? No -- your child still needs to learn acceptable behavior to be safe and successful. It just means you're going to have to look at things from a different angle. Understand who is responsible for the change, decide what behavior you most want to target, keep track of when the behavior occurs, keep track of where it occurs and why.

Here are some resources for further research:

• TEACCH
• CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)
• ADDA (Attention Deficit Disorder Association)
• National Resource Center on AD/HD