7 Ways to Advocate for Your Child in the Health Care Community
One role every parent plays is that of being a child’s advocate. Parents of kids with special needs sometimes have to advocate for their children in special ways. The role can seem intimidating for young parents preparing to ask questions and share concerns with people in the medical community.
Special Kids Need Special Advocates
In this short video, I share seven ways to become a better advocate with doctors, nurses, and other health care workers. Some of the ideas come from our own experience and some come from other parents. Rest assured, none of us asked for the role or expected to become effective advocates.
Special Kids Need Special Moms Video
But it happened because we weren’t in it alone. God brought people and situations into our lives that equipped us to do what we thought was impossible. If He did it for us, He can do it for you. Hopefully this video will be one of the tools He uses as you speak on behalf of your child.
Special Kids Need Special Moms
Special Kids Need Special Moms Outline
Of course, the old teacher in me can’t resist the opportunity to make an outline. Click on the link below to download the one that goes along with this video.
Special Kids Need Special Moms Outline
If you’ve advocated for your child, leave comments about what worked for you.
We’re in this together,
Jolene Philo
I have been very fortunate that we have a great team in place for our son, including the school. A couple things that I think have helped us immensely was being very open and honest with the school staff about everything. I also made an “All About Me” notebook for each of the teachers, counselors, OT and Social Worker at the school that I knew would be working with our son. I included information regarding diagnoses, medications, therapies, individuals involved in his care. It took quite a while, but very well worth it!!
how frustrating, i’m at the hospital with my amazing child and the network won’t let me see the video!
i wanted to say what an encouragement this site is to me. i have had wonderful children and then my ‘amazing’ child got cancer many complications and our life changed forever.
being the mom of an ‘amazing’ child sometimes is lonely, and exhausting and i feel a little less alone now!
thanks for blessing me today-even if i can’t see the video, i will see it when we get home!
god bless, lynette
The notebook is a wonderful idea, Cassandra. Thanks for passing it on to the rest of us.
Hi Lynette,
Isn’t it weird how institutional online networks work? Probably this is a good thing – maybe it keeps employees from watching You Tube on the job. I’m sorry to hear about your child’s cancer diagnosis. How is treatment going? If there are topics you’d like me to tackle to help you feel even less alone, pass them along.
jolene,
my daughter is cancer free now, but she suffered devastating complications that has her on a vent 24/7 and had a stroke which affected her dominate leftside. we have 16 hours a day nursing care, which is a huge help. i enjoy all your topics, but i think that being a mom, and being needed so much, at times it feels like my life is on hold as the rest of my family heals and tries to move on with their lives, i feel stuck. i also struggle with the disappointment of an extended family that isn’t very supportive of the the day to day struggle…what was/is amazing to me was that when jocy got sick the whole family got sick. the lack of counseling for all is very frustrating, and the lack of money because of having a chronically ill/special needs child is hard. you find community help at times of crisis, and now that we are in the ‘routine’ of her issues, everyone has gone back to their lives.
thanks for the encouragement, and reminder of God’s great care and provision in all things!
God bless, lynette
Hi Lynette,
Wow – you are dealing with a lot. My father was bedridden for most of my childhood, and we cared for him at home. I know what you mean about support petering out after the crisis is over. I’ll address more of the issues you’re talking about as time goes by. If you find any good resources, let me know!
Hugs to you,
Jolene