This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Calhoun, M. L. Articles by Rose, Terryl. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Parents of Babies with Severe Handicaps: Concerns About Early Intervention

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Lawrence G. Calhoun

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Terryl. Rose

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Early intervention services offer benefits to babies with severe handicaps, to their parents, and to society; yet because of the special demands of adjusting to the birth of a handicapped baby, parents may have difficulty in recognizing these benefits. Using qualitative research methods, this study investigated the concerns of parents as they explored early intervention services for their young children. Interviews with 15 parents of babies with severe handicaps revealed these categories of concern: accepting a place in an early intervention program underscores the seriousness of a child's handicap; the decision to enroll a child in an early intervention program may seem at odds with the family's decision to care for the child at home; enrolling a baby in a structured educational and therapeutic program seems age-inappropriate, and the child's health and safety or the equilibrium of the family might be endangered. Once an enrollment decision is made, however, families perceive clear benefits, including the ability to lead a more normal life. Implications for professional practice include flexibility in programmatic offerings and the importance of an up-to-date referral network.

Journal of Early Intervention, Vol. 13, No. 2, 146-152 (1989)
DOI: 10.1177/105381518901300205


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. L. Westling What Parents of Young Children with Mental Disabilities Want: The Views of One Community Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, January 1, 1997; 12(2): 67 - 78. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. A. McWILLIAM, L. LANG, P. VANDIVIERE, R. ANGELL, L. COLLINS, and G. UNDERDOWN Satisfaction and Struggles: Family Perceptions of Early Intervention Services Journal of Early Intervention, January 1, 1995; 19(1): 24 - 42. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. E. Long, N. E. Artis, and N. J. Dobbins The Hospital: An Important Site for Family-Centered Early Intervention Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, January 1, 1993; 13(1): 106 - 119. [Abstract] [PDF]

				M. F. Hanline and J. Deppe Discharging the Premature Infant: Family Issues and Implications for Intervention Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, January 1, 1990; 9(4): 15 - 25. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. L. Rose and M. L. Calhoun The Charlotte Circle Project: A Program for Infants and Toddlers with Severe/Profound Disabilities Journal of Early Intervention, January 1, 1990; 14(2): 175 - 185. [Abstract] [PDF]