Parents of Babies with Severe Handicaps: Concerns About Early Intervention

Abstract

Early intervention services offer benefits to babies with severe handicaps, to their parents, and to society; yet because of the special demands of adjusting to the birth of a handicapped baby, parents may have difficulty in recognizing these benefits. Using qualitative research methods, this study investigated the concerns of parents as they explored early intervention services for their young children. Interviews with 15 parents of babies with severe handicaps revealed these categories of concern: accepting a place in an early intervention program underscores the seriousness of a child's handicap; the decision to enroll a child in an early intervention program may seem at odds with the family's decision to care for the child at home; enrolling a baby in a structured educational and therapeutic program seems age-inappropriate, and the child's health and safety or the equilibrium of the family might be endangered. Once an enrollment decision is made, however, families perceive clear benefits, including the ability to lead a more normal life. Implications for professional practice include flexibility in programmatic offerings and the importance of an up-to-date referral network.

Discharging the Premature Infant: Family Issues and Implications for Intervention

“…The decision to use support services is not always easily made. It requires parents to admit the possibility of developmental delay, to "go public" with their child's special needs (Calhoun, Calhoun, & Rose, 1989), and to allow unfamiliar professionals to intrude upon their lives at a time when many families may be most vulnerable.…”

What Parents of Young Children with Mental Disabilities Want

“…In several studies, parental satisfaction with special education services, early childhood special education services, or components of these services has been evaluated (Able-Boone, Goodwin, Sandall, Gordon, & Martin, 1992;Calhoun, Calhoun, & Rose, 1989;Epps & Myers, 1989;Hamblin-Wilson & Thurman, 1990;Leyser, 1985;E. W. Lynch & Stein, 1987;Mahoney, O'Sullivan, & Dennebaum, 1990;Meyers & Blacher, 1987;Salisbury & Evans, 1988;Yanok & Derubertis, 1989).…”

“…They also found that most parents reported receiving more assistance from the early intervention program than from public schools to help during the process. Finally, Calhoun et al (1989) asked parents of young children with severe and profound disabilities about their concerns with regard to placing their children in a center-based early intervention program. Most of the parents reported that the decision to participate in an early intervention program was not easy or comfortable for them.…”