caring for the disabled in 200 words
Answers
Caring for a disabled child can make your daily parenting duties, such as feeding, toilet training and getting them to sleep, more challenging.
Feeding and eating
A disabled child may have problems with feeding and eating for many different reasons, such as:
physical problems that cause difficulty swallowing, chewing, sucking or digesting certain foods
limited mobility, which might make it difficult to sit up to eat or drink
a learning disability
It might take longer for your child to be able to feed themselves, but developing the skills to do so can also help them in other ways, such as with speech and language development and co-ordination.
Your health visitor can advise you on many aspects of feeding and weaning your baby.
As your child grows, you might be able to get a referral from your GP or health visitor for specialist help.
This could include:
a speech and language therapist – to help with physical issues like chewing and swallowing
an occupational therapist – to advise you about aids that might help your child, such as special plates, bowls, cups, adapted cutlery or non-slip mats
a physiotherapist or occupational therapist – to advise you on getting your child into the right physical position to eat
a dietitian – to help you if you're concerned that your child isn't eating enough
Answer:
If you are a family member who cares for someone with a disability, whether a child or an adult, combining personal, caregiving, and everyday needs can be challenging. This site has information for family caregivers such as yourself to help you and those you care for stay safe and healthy.