For children with physical disabilities and their families each day may bring new challenges. Persons with physical disabilities may experience functional, visual, orthopedic, motor, or hearing impairments, which may impact upon their ability to walk, play and learn. Physical disabilities are also often defined and categorized by some degree of limitation in the use of upper or lower extremities and maintaining posture and positioning.

Physically handicapped children want to succeed and participate as much as they can and this needs to be encouraged and fostered by the teacher. The focus needs to be on what the child CAN do - not can't do.

Strategies that help:

1. Physically handicapped children long to be normal and be seen as normal as much as possible. Focus on what they can do at all times.

2. Find out what the child's strengths are and capitalize on them. These children need to feel as successful too!

3. Keep your expectations of the physically handicapped child high. This child is capable of achieving.

4. Never accept rude remarks, name calling or teasing from other children. Sometimes other children need to be taught about physical disabilities to develop respect and acceptance.

5. Compliment appearance from time to time. (I had a child with CP who took immense delight when I noticed her new hair barrettes or a new outfit).

6. Make adjustments and accommodations whenever possible to enable this child to participate.

7. Never pity the physically handicapped child, they do not want your pity.

8. Take the opportunity when the child is absent to teach the rest of the class about physical handicaps, this will help foster understanding and acceptance.

9. Take frequent 1 to 1 time with the child to make sure that he/she is aware that you're there to help when needed.

The child needs your affection, tenderness and care. He has a future and he needs you to mould it for him. The child has to grow up and face the ups and downs of the competitive world. You have to ensure that he can do it on his own because you might not be there for him forever. Hence the sooner you put your disappointments and frustrations behind you, the better it is for both your child and for you.

To begin with, start loving your child. Let the child know that you care for him. Hold the child close to your body, let your parental instincts flow. You will soon find the child responding. Love and care go a long way in giving your child emotional strength and confidence.

You must meet your paediatrician and other specialists to assess the extent of your child’s disability and also explore the possibility of any form of correction that might mitigate the situation. If medical science can help, nothing like it but once the doctors tell you that no correction is possible, then you need to accept the reality and focus on how best you can bring up your child so that he may lead as complete and as independent a life as possible.

Read books related to your child’s disability, meet parents of children with similar problems. Collect all the information you can on the subject. Meet as many people as you can who have a child with the same problem as yours. Find out how they have handled life. You could well meet people who have failed to deal with the problem, but this should not dampen your spirit. On the other hand, look at it as a learning experience and treat it as a preview to the difficulties that lie ahead.

A disability is God given, it is natural, it becomes a handicap only when seen in a social context. As parents your task is to work towards minimising the situations where the disability becomes a handicap.

Making your child a champion is your challenge. Bringing up your disabled child should not be seen as a sacrifice on your part, it should be taken as an expression of your love and commitment. See it as an opportunity that God has given you and not as an ordeal. It should not be seen as a burden you are carrying, it should be seen as a mission you have set out to accomplish.

   Care of loved ones with special needs

 Positive about Disability

  Child needs your affection