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Respite Care Advantages for a Child with a Disability

Caring for someone with a disability can take tremendous energy and focus. Children with disabilities have both the needs that correspond to their disability and the needs that go with being a child. Despite love and best efforts, parents and family members can become exhausted. Respite care is designed to give breaks both to families and to disabled children themselves. A change of pace and scene can be a positive experience for everyone involved.

  1. Fresh Attitude

    • Even the best and most dedicated parent of a disabled child gets tired and frustrated from time to time. Respite care gives children a fresh set of faces and people who may have different and positive approaches to their disabilities. Because respite care usually employs trained professionals who work with disabilities for a living, they are often well equipped to meet children's needs and are performing work they chose and love. This can make a very positive impression on children.

    Approaches

    • The trained professionals at a respite care program often include occupational therapists, nurses and other professionals educated in how to help disabled children. Their clinical skills and experience may lead them to discover new activities and approaches to doing things that improve a child's strength, self-reliance, mobility and self confidence. The key is for parents to select a respite care environment based in part of the staff and their backgrounds.

    Refreshed Parents

    • The term "respite" has to do with giving parents and family relief from their duties in caring for a disabled child. However, children benefit from refreshed, relieved parents. Respite is important for parents to maintain their emotional health to be good parents. Although a child going to respite care may not understand or appreciate this, the end result of having dedicated, loving, patient parents is invaluable.

    Experiences

    • Respite camps have become a popular form of respite care. Camps specially designed for children with disabilities or terminal illnesses not only give parents relief, but can be an opportunity for disabled children to lead a life with components similar to non-disabled children. Just as most children enjoy being outdoors and doing physical activities, disabled children enjoy it too. Horseback riding, playing games and being in sunshine are healthy, positive events for children and respite camps for disabled children have specially tailored programs to provide these safely.

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