Having a physical disability adds an extra challenge to your child’s everyday life. Despite the world’s best efforts to be accommodating and install accessibility features for the physically handicapped, some forms of disability make everyday routines involving travel, such as attending school, into tiring ordeals. This rings especially true for children who are paraplegic or quadriplegic and may require an escort to push their wheelchairs and assist them in daily tasks such as eating lunch. Often one of the parents of a child with a disability must quit their job and dedicate their time to helping their little one full-time.
Other children often don’t understand the needs and struggles of disabled children and can be insensitive to the presence of medical braces, wheelchairs and other necessary items to make your child more comfortable. It’s possible that bullying may cause your child to dread attending school, even if he enjoys learning. If you are always there acting as an escort, other children may be hesitant to approach your child because adults can be intimidating to children, especially ones that they don’t know.
If attending school is more of a disruption and upset than it is a benefit, perhaps you should consider enrolling your child in online classes and forgoing traditional education. Though learning through the Internet is better known for catering to college students, many online schools such as onlineeducation.com offer complete courses for grades K-12 and the ability to graduate with a GED. Best of all, someday when your child graduates from high school, if he wants to pursue further learning he can always attend one of the many programs for two, four and six year college degrees online as well.
You and your child have options, and a disability should never stand in the way of your child pursuing her hopes and dreams by getting a complete quality education.
