I have been super frustrated these last couple of days and it’s NOT my son’s fault, it is our damn world! I’ll tell you why…it’s so frustrating when I can’t even find an orthodontist for my child with ASD. I simply can’t take him to just any orthodontist because they may not take his sensory issues into consideration. I have been calling for days looking for specialists who take my husband’s top of the line insurance to no avail. It’s beyond frustrating for me but what’s more upsetting is that it seems as though this becoming more common in our world.
I am finding roadblocks like these everywhere I turn. If it’s not with doctor’s who are supposed to at least be familiar with children with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), it’s the teachers, the school system, distribution of awards, people not knowing any better and having the same expectations for all children! The fact that we are in the year 2015 and our system doesn’t know any better is disheartening to me! When will we have doctors who specialize in supporting all types of children? When will the school system really and truly accommodate all needs? When I called one orthodontist’s office, her response was, “We don’t take your type of insurance because the drill alone is worth over $80,000.” With that response I was glad she didn’t take our insurance because it made it seem to me as though my child wouldn’t be valued there… As if having my child in their office would be an inconvenience!
I have voiced over and over again about the school system and how I feel it’s failing our children and now I have to deal with doctors too. I am also realizing that even though a person is a doctor, he or she may not be sensitive to the fact that many children have different needs, and they aren’t all the same. Sad, isn’t it? A doctor not treating each child as an individual? Then imagine school teachers who make the most ignorant comments! FRUSTRATING!!!! I truly believe if all parents unite and express their concerns we can make this world a better place for our children….for all children! We must voice our needs and the needs for our children to function properly in this world that is so quick to stigmatize.
I had to share these aggravations with you because something tells me I am not the only one. I want MommyTeaches to be a place for parents to voice their frustrations, concerns and for us to come together to work out a way for us to all move forward for the benefit of our children. There is no reason why we should encounter such difficulty finding doctors, put up with ignorant and improperly trained teachers, tolerate other parents who don’t understand and want to ASSume, as well as anyone else we may run into. Take a moment to share your frustrations with me…go ahead it’s okay. I had to share them with you because today has definitely been one of those days.
Care to share: What frustrations are you dealing with as a parent of a child with ASD or even just a frustration as a parent in general?
My daughter was born with a Cleft Lip and Palate…and we too have to make accomodations for her needs. She has some delays and I was nervous about putting her in school when she turned 3. Good thing her speech therapist suggested our school system and its preschool because they have programs that help special need students. She has been doing great, and I thank God daily because I love her teachers and therapist at school (her teacher is also certified in Special Needs, and she gets therapy in school)! Its so sad how people treat kids with special needs, but luckily your son has a mommy that is his #1 advocate because that makes a HUGE difference!