Interview With a Parent of a Child with Special Needs Essay -- Intervie

I interviewed a woman who has a child with special needs. The child is now in kindergarten. The mother reported having a normal pregnancy with no complications. This was the second child for the mother, who has another child who was five years old at the time. The mother disclosed that during the pregnancy, she was in the process of separating from the child’s father and that this caused a moderate level of stress. At the time of the pregnancy, the mother was also working full time as a waitress in a local restaurant. The mother reported that her job required her to be on her feet for long periods of time. She was able to work until around a week before her child was born. The mother reports that the child was born around two weeks early but that labor was easy and the child was born healthy. The mother described the child as being a fussy infant who had trouble sleeping and would awake several times during the night. The mother also reports the child was a fussy eater, and she experienced trouble feeding her daughter during infancy and needed to switch her daughter to soy formula. Overall the mother reported that the daughter was a happy infant who smiled often. The mother reported her child being alert and responding positively to family members who visited and enjoyed playing with her toys. In regards to the development, the mother reported that her daughter seemed to be developing slower than her first child who hit certain milestones earlier. The mother reports remembering her daughter babbling, but says she did not say her first word until much later on than her first child. She said that this was a concern for her and that she discussed it with her pediatrician who did not see any cause for alarm at the time. When t... ...orking collaboratively with families is to be patient understanding. Do not assume their unwillingness is because they do not want to help their child. I would also say that it is important for them to keep communication open make an effort to include the parents. â€Å" Take the initiative to a establish coequal relationship. Don’t be discouraged by limited initial success.† (Oslens & Fuller 2012, p 128.) References: o http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/K †¢ Gerald Mahoney, Ann Kaiser, Luigi Girolametto, James MacDonald, Cordelia Robinson, Philip Safford, and Donna Spiker Parent Education in Early Intervention: A Call for a Renewed Focus Topics in Early Childhood Special Education Fall 1999 19: 131-140, †¢ Olsen, Glenn W., and Mary Lou Fuller. Home and school relations: teachers and parents working together. 4th ed. Boston: Pearson, 2012. Print.