Special Kids Need Special Parents: A Resource for Parents of Children with Special Needs [Paperback]

Judith Loseff Lavin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2001

Parents of children with special needs face unique emotional and practical challenges that are seldom addressed by the medical community. In Special Kids Need Special Parents, Judith Loseff Lavin-herself the parent of a child with special needs-draws on interviews with health care professionals, nationally recognized authorities, and other parents to give readers the answers, advice, and comfort they crave.

• Coping with chronic pain, sleep problems, and frequent hospitalizations
• Dealing with feelings of grief and anger
• Choosing a therapist
• Finding suitable, reliable childcare
• How to cope with teasing
• The impact a child with special needs can have on a marriage, siblings, and grandparents
• Finding cosmetic, prosthetic, and orthotic help
• and more

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The label special needs applies to a tremendous range of children, from those with physical issues like spina bifida or deafness to mental or emotional differences like ADD or Down syndrome. While each of these difficulties comes with its own specific set of frustrations and delights, families with special needs children face many similar challenges: finding qualified child-care and therapy; dealing with the daily realities of teasing, pain, and hospitalizations; and the impact that these special needs can have on relationships between parents, siblings, and extended family. Special Kids Need Special Parents is designed to cover these non-area-specific realities, and author Judith Loseff Lavin writes from a point of view many parents are sure to appreciate: her daughter was born with a cleft lip and palate, and Lavin knows exactly what she's talking about when issuing statements like "the severity of the disability is not necessarily correlated to the amount of stress." Various chapters attempt to cover the perspective of parent, child, and other siblings, and each chapter ends with a short list of important points. Behavioral and emotional topics are discussed first, including depression, grief, teasing, guilt, and techniques for encouraging appropriate behavior from your child, regardless of his special needs. Using video to teach body language and social skills is one practical suggestion; comments like "just because someone has a birth defect or is disabled doesn't mean she is automatically sensitive" are welcome reminders that each child is to be treated as an individual. Physical issues like chronic pain, hospitalization, and prosthetics are covered in later chapters, and with the understanding of emotional issues gained from the earlier parts of the book, readers will feel totally prepared to act as their child's advocate with teachers and doctors alike. The age of your children is irrelevant to the usefulness of this book--even if your child is already a teen, you'll find plenty of great advice in navigating the continual issues of those with special needs. --Jill Lightner

From Publishers Weekly

On Becoming a ParentTargeting both parents of kids with special needs and the professionals who care for these children, Judith Loseff Lavin, the mother of both a special-needs child and other children, presents Special Kids Need Special Parents: A Resource for Parents of Children with Special Needs. Combining compassion and considerable firsthand research (based on interviews with special-needs children, their parents, medical professionals, principals, teachers and celebrities with special needs, like actress Marlee Matlin), Lavin has prepared a positive and comprehensive guide to the myriad issues surrounding a special-needs child and a lengthy list of helpful organizations and services. Agent, Faith Hamlin.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; 1 edition (March 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425176622
• ISBN-13: 978-0425176627
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,150,923 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best book I've seen on coping with disability., June 11, 2001

By 

Marilyn K Melia (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Special Kids Need Special Parents: A Resource for Parents of Children with Special Needs (Paperback)

Dear Amazon: I am not the parent of a disabled child, but I know all of the issues that parents face first-hand, because I grew up with a mentally handicapped sister.

This is the first book which I have seen which discusses all the issues -- the strain on marriages, the difficulties siblings have when their brother or sister has special needs, what to expect from the schools and social workers, etc.

I gave the book to my mother and she keeps re-reading it.

It is practical, but inspirational, too. There are chapters about how one must reconcile what has happened, and how so many of us have a tendency to blame God or feel sorry for ourselves.

Right now, I am dealing with how to help an adult sister find good housing and a job. This book is something I pick up if I feel frustrated -- because it provides a real glimpe into how others solve similar problems

The definition of "disability" is broad in the book. That's why someone with a child who has slight learning disabilites would find it useful, as well as a parent or family member with a child with cancer. Any medical or even emotional problem can be tackled better with a read.

I recommend it highly. --

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST-READ FOR PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS, May 1, 2003

By 

leslie n., (los angeles, ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Special Kids Need Special Parents: A Resource for Parents of Children with Special Needs (Paperback)

SPECIAL KIDS NEED SPECIAL PARENTS is a unique and wonderful resource. (I'm so thankful that the Orange County Register, in the LA area ran several excerpts of the book in their paper--that's how I learned about it.)
What I love about SPECIAL KIDS NEED SPECIAL PARENTS, besides the fact that it gives practical, upbeat advice, is that it's not just one person's perspective or story. Many, many people (professionals and family members as well as others across the country) put in their "two-cents." And their "two cents" are great! Indepth, on-target insights, advice and even, wisdom. The book is inspirational, spiritual, practical and very well written.
Both of my children have different special needs--one is on the austism spectrum and the other has had a slew of medical challenges. (She is mildly delayed and has learning disabilities.) Honestly, SPECIAL KIDS NEED SPECIAL PARENTS was a lifesaver. It helped us understand ourselves and our dynamics so we could cope better with the situations at hand.
It is an engaging and easy read. The author put a summary at the back of each chapter, so you can get the highlights of the chapter in a snatch if you're too tired to read. Recently, I copied the summary page at the end of the advocacy chapter and took it to a school meeting so I could remember what to say. Believe it or not, using the tips and approaches this author provided, helped me get extra services for my daughter!
What's more, there's a fabulous resource guide--about 40 pages--in the back of the book.
If you have or even work with a child with special needs, this book is an absolute MUST. It is unique and answers so many questions for so many types of people.
I want to thank the author for writing SPECIAL KIDS NEED SPECIAL PARENTS. You really gave us something wonderful.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource!!, February 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Special Kids Need Special Parents: A Resource for Parents of Children with Special Needs (Paperback)

Finding a book like Ms. Lavin's has made such a difference. It is filled with wonderful pieces of advice that make it seem somehow manageable to cope when at times it seems so hard. This book offers helpful and practical strategies on dealing with self esteem, grief, anger, choosing a therapist and many other issues that arise. The book is easy to read for parents and professionals both and is sure to be of value in any home.