Table of Contents:
Overview
What to Know
Groups to Support Families
Podcast
References
Overview
There are many families that are raising children with disabilities. In fact, there are lots that are in similar situations in the area. In the nearby area, there are many resources to help the child. In 2019, approximately 4.3% of all children in the United States have a disability. That number rose from 2008, when it was 3.9% (1). Of that 4.3%, 8.56% of children between the ages 3 and 17 have some sort of developmental disability (5).
What to Know
According to Cornell University, 5.1% of children of the age 15 and younger in Illinois have a disability (1). That is higher than the national average. Although the numbers are high, parents do not realize that there could be delays present that can be addressed early on. In Peter Medlin's "Illinois families of young children with disabilities face challenges accessing early interventions," he writes about a woman who has a son who was meeting all of the developmental milestones, but she noticed some delays and thought it was normal. She ended up calling the doctor and found out that he needed to be enrolled in three different early intervention services before his behavior got worse (2). This woman's son had multiple areas that were developing as they should, but she had no idea. She also says she did not know about services like this that were offered. Information like this should be shared by other parents as well, so that everyone knows the signs of a developmental delay that can be helped. Some disabilities cannot be fully treated, but children can learn to live with some disabilities through the help of therapy. For example, something that we can catch early is autism spectrum disorder. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, some signs that may lead to a diagnosis of autism include, "intense reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, textures, lights and/or colors," "resistance to minor changes in routine or surroundings, avoidance of eye contact," "persistent preference for solitude," and some others as well (3).
Groups to Support Families
The Penguin Project:
The Penguin Project helps children with disabilities get involved in musical theatre. Each performer is given a mentor that helps them on stage and off the stage learning lines and choreography. Here is a link to their page: About Us - (penguinproject.org)
Easter Seals
Easter Seals helps individuals with disabilities get different therapies such as physical therapy, speech therapy, and cognitive therapy. They also have lots of information about different types of disabilities. Here is a link to their page: Easterseals Community and Disability Services
Special Olympics
The Special Olympics helps individuals with disabilities participate in all kinds of different sports. There are also different roles to be filled such as athlete, be a coach, or just simply volunteer at the events. Here is a link to their page: Special Olympics
Podcast
Here is a video that talks about children with disabilities and is another helpful resource: Children with Disabilities
References
1. “2018 Disability Status Report.” Cornell University. 2020. https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/StatusReports/2018-PDF/2018-StatusReport_IL.pdf. Date accessed 22 February 2024.
2. Medlin, Peter. “Illinois families of young children with disabilities face challenges accessing early interventions.” NPR Illinois. https://www.nprillinois.org/illinois/2023-06-05/illinois-families-of-young-children-with-disabilities-face-challenges-accessing-early-interventions. Date accessed 22 February 2024.
3. “Special Education Disability Areas.” Illinois State Board of Education. 2023. https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Special-Education-Disability-Areas.aspx. Date accessed 22 February 2024.
4. Young, Natalie A.E. “Childhood Disability in the United States: 2019.” United States Census Bureau. 25 March 2021. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/acs/acsbr-006.html. Date accessed 22 February 2024.
5. Zablotsky, Benjamin. Ng, Amanda E. Black, Lindsey I. Blumberg, Stephen J. “Diagnosed Developmental Disabilities in Children Aged 3–17 Years: United States, 2019–2021.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db473.pdf. Date accessed 22 February 2024.
