I’ve talked about Autism, and there are unfortunately so many childhood ailments that keep youth from experiencing a carefree childhood.
I met a young woman who has a nine year old daughter who has a physical impairment. So far medical tests haven’t been able to identify exactly what it is. But labels aren’t always necessary.
She can’t walk, her arms flair uncontrolled, but she shows all signs of being intelligent. What she’s on the way to her aunts, she knows exactly when they’ve come around the last corner and she claps and gets excited.
I asked her mother to eliminate TV, spend time doing hand/eye coordination games and spend at least an hour everyday doing physical therapy to strengthen the muscles in her legs.
Her mother is single and fortunately has her mother and two aunts close by who are very concerned about her daughter and are always available to pitch in and help her with her daughter’s care.
The mother has to work full time and spends long days away from home. When she gets home, she’s tired and doesn’t have the patience it requires to work with her daughter.
So, what can she do to manage it all? It’s time to regroup and develop a schedule where she will be able to take time out for herself and have the time to work with her daughter more. It might require she will have to give up her TV time, but the long term benefit will be worth it.
I’m anxious to follow up with her to see how it goes.