I found this essay a couple of days ago and thought it was so helpful!
When You See A Special Needs Child
When you see a special needs child, the best thing you can do is smile. Smile really, really big at the parents and at the child. Say hello. Compliment the child's hair, or clothing, or smile, or even comment on how "cool" their medical equipment is. Because it is! It may be saving their lives, or giving them mobility. And how cool is that!
(Comment by me: this is really true! I am so happy to talk about what's going on medically with Ana! Don't be scared to ask! Also the suggesting treatments thing is very true. If you don't have a child with many special needs and a history of neglect, I will probably roll my eyes at you ;-)
When you know a special needs family, you wish that you could help. But you don't know what to do, so maybe you don't do anything at all. Short notes or email messages that simply say "thinking of you" mean the world to them. Dropping off a dessert, or fruit, or a meal is always appreciated. Gift cards in any amount, or a five dollar bill to pay for parking at the next doctor's appointment, ease some of the financial burden. Joining them for walk-a-thons or special events let them know you are with them on their journey. Every little thing you do is actually huge to special needs families.
The author of this essay is Amy Boyd.
Permission is granted to reprint all, or any part of this post, as long as the following is included: Copyright 2013 Amy Boyd and the Dare to Hope Foundation, Inc.
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