TIMELINE:
Birth-2 years old
YOUR CHILD IS BORN. Congratulations!
You are beginning a new journey that will offer great joy and unique challenges. While it may be difficult at times, we believe the journey will be very worthwhile. Here are some things to think about.
IN BRIEF
After many months of anticipation, the day has finally arrived and you are now parents of a wonderful baby. Some parents know about their child’s special needs in advance. Regardless of how much advance notice, it's difficult to be fully prepared.
Just as every child is unique, the way each parent reacts to the situation will be different. It is common for some parents to think about the immediate impact that having a child with disabilities will have on their lives. In other cases, a parent will think about the long-term implications for the future.
We encourage you to live in the present and seek strategies to help plan for the future. We're here to help.
Source: The Special Needs Planning Guide, How to Prepare for Every Stage of Your Child's Life, Haddad/Nadworny, 2021, Brookes Publishing.
EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES
Seek Local Support
ADVOCATE
Find Balance
Life Insurance
Establish Accounts in Your Name
Communicate Plans
Key Takeaway
When you discover that your child has a disability, it is important to obtain early intervention services as soon as possible. We encourage you to apply for early intervention services even if you are not quite ready to start them; there may be a waiting period. Also, look for parent-to-parent programs; other parents can mentor you and share their information and knowledge.
Research shows that the earlier infants receive stimulation and further professional supports such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy, the better these children do in reaching milestones.
Once you have these pieces in place, we encourage you to begin building out a plan that will carry on and help your loved one with a disability feel fully supported and secure. Download Sequoia's Letter of Intent document to organize this information.
TIMELINE RESOURCE PAGES
RESOURCES
Check out the Knowledge Bank—with our compliments!
We are committed to sharing free educational resources with all members of the disability community. Our Knowledge Bank has a catalog of information, along with downloadable checklists and tools, to help you. We also publish the Special Needs Planning Blog to keep you up to date with relevant information and events.