I once knew a man who detested going to the doctor. Unfortunately, he encountered illness and accident at least as often as the rest of us. His reluctance to seek timely expert advice or treatment transferred an unnecessary burden onto those around him. His wife reported that she found him on the bathroom floor numerous times, laid out in agony while suffering the malady of the moment: kidney stones, dehydration during a blizzard, 103˚ and rising fever, severe sprains, and so on, after reporting himself as “I’ve got this” only a few minutes before. (Well, he did “have it”, but not in the way he wanted to think.) By that point, an ambulance or a speeding trip to the hospital could not be avoided. His whole family’s anxiety could only be exceeded by his wife’s anger at his failure to take reasonable preventive or curative measures.
Parents of special needs children, unlike the man and wife in the story of unwanted emergencies, often deal with urgent situations on a sometimes-near-daily basis. These parents gradually learn to cope and proceed with close to legendary self-reliance. Problems present only one more hurdle they must overcome, another situation to navigate, a new victory waiting to be claimed. The trouble is that the parents’ very strength can obscure the vision they need in order to know when expert help could make life better for them and, most importantly, for their child. Prevention cannot be overrated in this area of future financial burdens, optimum child development, and overall health of the family unit.
When parents make every imaginable effort to communicate with the school, but can’t seem to be heard, many parents get the first, but belated, clue that they need expert help. What if they had recognized the signs of imminent stand-off or had found a common-ground solution earlier? What if they had sooner known what important questions to ask? No doubt, their child would be farther along, blessed with smoother travels at school and on into adult life.
Here’s what a professional special needs educational advocate can offer to any special needs parent:
- Guidance on identifying the real, solvable issues underlying the obvious problem, often avoiding unnecessary future disappointment
- Authoritative expert connections to inform parents about what is a thorough, timely assessment of the child’s needs—some parents are happy to discover that their child needs less service or intervention than the school recommends!
- Leadership in how to frame requests to get results the first time, making the parent’s voice the child’s best voice
- Training in negotiating skills to suit the particular circumstances, including situations where school personnel attempt to disarm parents with soothing assurances that do not really serve the true, discoverable needs of the child
- Assistance with effective research, strategic planning, and preparation before engaging in crucial conversations with school personnel
- Discernment into what is an important issue, and avoidance of immaterial or weaker issues
- Time-saving education on pertinent topics of disability, law, and remediation techniques; acquiring knowledge necessary to measure educational progress (it’s not always the way the school does it!); learning how to write measurable goals and objectives that actually help the child make progress; discovering how to effectively monitor IEP or 504 plan compliance, etc.
- Vetted contacts with reliable, experienced experts who can really help your child, often properly at school expense
- And best of all, help to avoid or resolve problems before they become frustrating obstacles to both child and parent
Yes, the best time to consult with a professional advocate is Right Away, like a maintenance check on your blood pressure or car fluids. Don’t wait until you want to collapse or blow a gasket! Pre-empt and prevent those negative emotions. Schools employ experts before parents ever darken the door, in every case. Always level the playing field and get professional help while it’s easy, before your child’s precious educational time is lost.