Different Dream readers, please welcome guest blogger Barb Dittrich. She’s here today and tomorrow with 5 tips that can help our kids with special needs transition to adulthood as painlessly as possible. Read on for today’s tips and come back for Part 2 tomorrow for more.

Special Needs Transition to Adulthood Tips, Part 1

I was minding my own business. My nose was to the grindstone. I consumed every bit of medical information I could. I learned a whole new language and carefully discerned which treatment options to seek. I found my spine. I advocated relentlessly in the community, in the school, at the hospital. Then one day, I woke up and my little boy was a young man.

Isn’t that how so many of us feel when are children are suddenly on the precipice of adulthood?

My son turned 16 this year. Aside from the fact that a boy whose room is trashed will soon be driving on his own, his diagnosis has me taking a deep breath as well. The thought that I will be sending my child with severe hemophilia off into the wide world without me is nerve-wracking. I pray that all the preparation over the years will set him on a solid path.

HERE’S WHAT I’VE LEARNED

Having assisted many other parents and teens in this special needs transition to adulthood over the years, I am at least clear on what needs to be addressed when we get to this point in child rearing. Here are 5 simple tips that tend to make it more manageable:

Tip #1: Work on Self-Care – While kids’ abilities vary based upon diagnosis and cognition, the sooner a child learns self-care the better. This may look like simple personal hygiene for some teens. For others, it may mean taking responsibility for medications and therapies. For my son the requirement was that he had to learn to self-infuse completely without me before I would let him sign up for driver’s education. Having to a put an IV needle in his arm every-other-day isn’t fun. A parent’s natural tendency is to rescue that child from anguish or discomfort. But I knew the sooner I could nudge him towards that responsibility, the sooner he AND I could live with more freedom. I also insist he order all his own medication and supplies from the home health care agency. This has grown his independence and self-reliance.

Tip #2: Look for Job Opportunities – Often we think that employment isn’t a possibility for our teens with challenges. Nothing could be further from the truth! In fact, gainful employment bolsters our kids’ self-confidence. That sense of accomplishment is matchless. It broadens their horizons and helps them entertain possibilities for their adult years. Assessing our son’s capabilities and limitations were where we started. He hasn’t needed the vocational interventions of some of his peers. They have secured jobs through places like Goodwill, St Vincent DePaul Society, and other community programs. He merely needs to look at what might be unsafe in regard to his diagnosis. Even so, there has never been a better time for kids like ours to be seeking a paid position.

Your Tips for the Special Needs Transition to Adulthood?

Barb will be back tomorrow with 3 more tips in Part 2. Have you helped someone make the special needs transition to adulthood? What tips would you add to Barb’s list?

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