Raising a Child with Special Needs

Picture caption: Participants of the seminar having fun, carrying out one of the learning activities for special children.

28 August 2008 - It is every parent’s joy and desire to see their child grow up healthy and independent. Children with special needs are no different from other children except that they have special needs, indeed. In order for parents to raise them to be as independent as possible and successful in their own way in life, parents need to know how to handle these specific needs. There are seven categories of children with special needs – the intellectually challenged, those with autistic spectrum disorder, with cerebral palsy, emotional disturbance, learning disability, sensory deficits and physical disability. Presently there are about 1.3 to 2.6 million Malaysians with disabilities, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In fact, there are increasing incidences of children with special needs.

With this consideration, the Malaysian Nurses Association and the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, SEGi College Subang Jaya organised a public health seminar on 31st July this year. The seminar was entitled “Children with Special Needs Do you Know Enough?” to address issues related to raising these children.

More than 250 participants - parents, childcare practitioners, public and private hospital nurses, educators, NGO representatives – left the seminar better equipped with know-how and techniques to support children with special needs.

According to one of the speakers, Ms Puspa Sivan, “early detection and intervention is crucial in order for a child to live up to his or her potential as an adult.” Ms Puspa is a Child Development And Special Education Specialist as well as Founder and Director of the Parent-Teacher-Child Learning School International.

Mr Jayasingh Rajiah Nadar from Bethany Home gave deeper insights on raising a special needs child to become an independent individual. According to him, many-a-times, society and even family members impose limits on these special children.

In truth, they can do most of what a normal child can, but with extra support, care and guidance. Rather than isolating the child, parents need to give the child more exposure to the world and integrate the child into society.

Based on Mr Jayasingh’s experience integrating special needs children with normal children through leisure and recreational activities, teaches special needs children to socialise, learn crucial social norms and communicate more effectively with society.

Yet, the most important element in raising an independent, confident child with special needs is for parents to let go. This means not being over-protective and controlling. Parents should offer the child help only when the child needs it and allow the child to make mistakes.

He also shared that independence is gained progressively. These children need to be taught life skills such as folding their own clothes and cleaning after themselves. The supervision of their activities should be reduced in stages until they are finally independent.

Associate Professor Dr Sharifah Zaniyah bt Syed Yahya from Malaysia Down’s Syndrome Association was very pleased that the seminar was organised. In her talk ‘Parents’ Perspectives’, she touched on the challenges that parents face from having Down’s syndrome children, based on her research.

Her advise to parents is not to underestimate their child, stressing that education makes a world of difference. She also emphasized that mentally challenged children should be equal opportunity to develop themselves, for they can be trained and educated despite the prejudices thrown against them.

“The overwhelming response from parents and industry practitioners after the seminar indicate that it has met its objective, which is to make people more aware of issues, strategies and skills needed in raising children with special needs,“ said Lydia Foong, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, SEGi College Subang Jaya.

The Faculty of Education and Social Sciences offers Diploma in Early Childhood Education (DECE), International Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy, Diploma in Psychology, Diploma in Psychology and other short courses on early childhood education.

Health and Special Education Needs is covered in the Diploma in Psychology, DECE programme and International Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy.

The diploma programmes are recognised by MOHE (Ministry of Higher Education). Upon completion of the Diploma, Students have the option to articulate into the Bachelor of Early Childhood Degree from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia.

SEGi Group of Colleges is the largest private education provider in Malaysia. With a network of 66 campuses in 5 major towns and cities in the country, the college has a total of 15000 students. SEGi also owns St Nicholas Montessori Centre for children aged 2 ½ to 6, located at Bandar Utama, Subang USJ, Klang, Malacca and Penang.