When a teenager or child of any age develops seizures, the impact on the family can be enormous. Worries and fears may affect everyone, and left untreated, crises can occur too easily. This article explores the way that epilepsy can affect family dynamics. Common factors that may contribute to family stress and patterns of coping will be…

When it comes to making the right choices for children with disabilities, families are the experts. To prove this point, the Hatton Project sponsored a grant wherein researchers interviewed members of 12 families of children with disabilities on factors that caused them to identify themselves as "successful." The results yielded eight lessons…

Parents of a child with muscular dystrophy recount their reactions to learning of the diagnosis, their gradual acceptance, and their son's resistance, which was gradually lessened when he was provided with more information and treated more normally as a member of the family. (CL)

Written for parents, the paper describes experiences of 16 parents of handicapped children. Discussion includes excerpts of parents' initial feelings at their child's diagnosis, their reactions (largely negative) to medical and other professionals, their growing awareness that their own instincts were of most value in raising the child, difficulty…

The mother of two boys, one with residual cerebral palsy and one nondisabled, discusses her single parent experiences. She outlines her initial refusal to accept help from family and friends, her original role as a "martyr-Mom," and the difficulties in making decisions alone and balancing attention between disabled and nondisabled siblings. (JDD)

The experiences and thoughts of numerous parents who have raised severely handicapped children are shared in this pamphlet. The pamphlet describes the life changes brought about by the birth of a severely handicapped child; stages in the grief process; coping strategies; the impact on siblings; the reaction of family members and the importance of…

This book examines the divorce experience firsthand-through the eyes and voices of children and adult children of divorce. People from various ages, ethnic groups, and backgrounds share artwork, essays, and their personal stories of divorce. The book contains practical suggestions for coping with the challenges of double-households, long-distance…

Noting that the number of grandparent-led families is increasing in the United States and that raising one's grandchildren can and should be a positive experience, this book is designed as a handbook for both grandparents and the professionals who advise them. Chapter 1, "Parenting Again," provides a checklist for the parenting…

This paper presents two articles for parents of children with disabilities. In the first article, "You Are Not Alone," by Patricia McGill Smith, a parent discusses the range of emotions that parents of children with disabilities experience and offers 18 suggestions for coping with the effects of disability on the family. These include:…

Presents suggestions for helping stepfamilies cope with problems they may encounter: (1) helping the children move from loss to reconnection; (2) being patient with everyone in the new family; (3) cultivating communication and negotiation; and (4) sensitizing school personnel and society. (SM)

A case is discussed in which parents of a disabled child seek counseling for the strain placed on their relationship by child care demands. The importance of understanding each other's perspective on child care and home management is emphasized, along with sharing burdens and maintaining open communication through stressful years. (PB)

This brief booklet, which discusses characteristics and problems of learning disabled children, describes the typical learning-disabled child as one who frequently fails at school, appears disoriented, and has reading and language difficulties. The learning-disabled child is immature rather than abnormal, often functioning at a social and…

Six issues of the newsletter address practical matters for parents of handicapped children. The first issue examines behavior and offers suggestions such as avoiding inconsistency and idle threats while holding reasonable expectations. The second issue continues the discussion on behavior with ideas for disciplining the child fairly but…

Many researchers have cited the trauma of divorce as being second only to that incurred by the death of child. Yet divorce does not mean the end of a family or of parenting responsibilities. This book focuses on co-parenting and how real divorced parents attempt to make a "family apart" function successfully. The stories and quotes were…

The challenges that families face in caring for a child with a disability or a chronic illness are reviewed in this report on respite care. A parent's narrative describes the difficulties in providing around-the-clock care to a child with a chronic illness. The benefits of respite care are outlined as follows: gives the family peace of mind,…