"Special Needs"

Monday, 01 September 2008

I have seen those two words so often in the past few days. Since the VP nominee has a "special needs" child it seems everyone has an opinion on why she should or should not be running. Me personally, I have no opinion to share about her ability to run, but I have many on people's perception of having a child with Down syndrome.
The biggest discussion revolves around how a mother with a (and I quote, because I do not use this terminology) "down's baby" must surely be too busy to focus on anything else. I have a daughter with Down syndrome and aside from the fact that she sees a few more doctors than any of my other children, she is a perfectly normal toddler. She does not require any more nor any less attention than any of my other children. Yes, she had health issues that needed to be addressed her first year of life. Two separate hospitalizations that added up to 11 days total. Yes, there are other children born with Down syndrome that might require much more time in the hospital, but the point is, NOT all of them do.
I keep reading about her "special needs" child and I am beginning to hate those words. I do not look at my daughter and think of her in that manner. She is my daughter, she gets cranky, she has happy times...she is NORMAL. I somehow find the time to raise my other children, maintain my home, have a relationship with my husband, and care for my "special needs" daughter. Oh, and amazingly enough, I find the time to blog about things that are bugging me.
I know many children with disabilities and their mothers all seem to find the time to have a life. Sometimes it is not easy, but is it always easy when the child is healthy?
In my eyes all my children are special and only one of them has Down syndrome. I just wish that those political blogs would actually take the time and research what life is like with a child with Down syndrome. I think that most would be shocked at how normal life really is for the family. Walk a day in my shoes and then write your story. I am willing to bet it would have a very different ending.