Mixed feelings: A parental perspective on early intervention

Parents of children with disability are often enthusiastic supporters of early intervention programs and are happy to participate in home therapy. This involvement can have many benefits but also raises a number of issues for parents and families. These include
1) the impact on parent-child relationships when a parent takes on the role of “therapist” or “teacher”,
2) the pressure and guilt associated with feeling responsible for your child’s
development, and
3) the impact on family routine and other family members.
Parents, particularly mothers, may also feel compelled to present themselves to
professionals as “good”, “responsible” and “coping”, thereby possibly limiting their decision making and missing opportunities for support for themselves. Concerns exist regarding whether extensive therapy can send a message that the child is unacceptable as they are and needs “fixing up”. Parents must
grapple with the extent to which the optimism that accompanies early intervention merely delays an acknowledgment and acceptance of the child’s impairment.
Lisa, a social worker, and Glenys, a teacher, are both mothers of young boys with Down syndrome. This paper will present a parental perspective on these issues. The paper will build on ongoing conversations between the presenters and other parents of children with disability.