Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child

February 19, 2024
This helpful debut guide from Coleman draws on her experiences raising a son with an undiagnosed genetic syndrome (supporting diagnoses include autism, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disability) to offer advice on caring for children with disabilities. The guidance is largely structured in a q&a format. For instance, Coleman responds to the question, “Do I need a diagnosis?” by noting that while some parents believe labels are limiting, she finds that they “open up doors to therapies, services, allies, and insurance coverage.” Elsewhere, she tackles how to coordinate care providers, navigate insurance and government benefits, choose the right education pathway, and afford care, explaining that tax-advantaged ABLE accounts can be used to pay for disability-related expenses and that a special needs trust can provide funds for a disabled individual without “affecting that person’s eligibility for government benefits.” Coleman’s conversational and empathetic tone is a balm (“Remember when you had all those plans? Sigh,” she writes on adjusting expectations after a child’s diagnosis), and interviews with disability rights activists and medical professionals provide expert insight on, among other topics, the benefits of starting therapies early and the importance of working with educators on a child’s education plan. Caregivers for children with disabilities will want to check this out. Photos. Agent: Laurel Symonds, Bent Agency.

May 1, 2024

Feature-film development executive Coleman is the parent of two children, including one with multiple disabilities. She learned firsthand that there's a significant lack of support for parents of children with disabilities, so she assembled this book as a form of help. The book's topics cover handling diagnoses, getting comfortable with children's disabilities, working with medical experts, dealing with insurance and government benefits, getting one's child enrolled in a special education program, developing care plans for the future, and more. Coleman found there's even less assistance for families of color; the book's research shows that Black students with physical disabilities are more likely to be perceived as having intellectual and emotional issues and are often harshly disciplined with school suspension or expulsion. Each chapter includes a personal story and a photo with image descriptions for visually impaired readers. The appendix also includes interviews with experts in the field. VERDICT An invaluable guide. It tackles many situations that parents of disabled children encounter.

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