Who can be our advocate?

[Guest guest]

Fellow list members,

At the risk of starting up another round of verbal food fights over

presidential politics, I am posting this pro-Obama essay for your

consideration.

This is not to comment on the writer's conclusions, only to say that I

appreciate his civil and thoughtful tone. He makes his point without

heated rhetoric, personal attacks and ideological spearchucking.

I would welcome a pro-McCain posting that took the same road less

traveled in rebuttal.

Lenny

Commentary on Children with Special Needs and the Election:

Who can be our advocate?

By A. Naseef

All of the candidates are talking about disability advocacy, but

what have any of them actually done? As the father of a son with

autism and as a professional in the field, I have a responsibility to

my own children and to the families that I impact to help define and

advocate for what helps families in this situation.

What is it really like down in the trenches? Children with

special needs are endearing and loveable while simultaneously draining

their parents to unfathomable lengths. As a psychologist who

specializes in family life while raising a child with a disability, I

have met thousands of people.

Their children, such as my son with autism who is now 29, may

cry and tantrum for long periods, break things, or injure themselves

inadvertently because they cannot communicate effectively. Some

children have dangerous or self injurious behaviors. As my son's

autism worsened, I didn't sleep through the night for 8 years. I

became more frantic, helpless, exhausted, and in need of services for

myself and my family. Most parents of children with special needs have

similar experiences.

Then despite all these emotions and concern for their child's

health and safety, they need to be part of their child's education

through advocacy and involvement putting them at high risk for

depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Many of our children

have physical constraints, medical needs and/or must be fed and

diapered into adulthood. A sizable number need the active involvement,

advocacy and guidance from parents or caregivers their entire lives.

What do we need? Families of children with disabilities need

comprehensive educational, behavioral health, and family support

services. We now know that with early and intensive intervention,

children with disabilities have greater developmental and educational

gains for the child and improved family functioning--a long-term

benefit for society as a whole.

As a nation, we need more research into the causes and most

effective treatments.

Approximately 1 in 150 children and therefore1 in 75 families

are impacted by autism alone. In our public school systems,

approximately 10% of our children have special needs that require

special education. No wonder that both campaigns are competing for our

votes.

Racism and poverty compound the challenges. Research further

informs us that services are hard to come by, and less educated, more

stressed parents are often less skilled in advocating for their child.

So which candidate is more likely to be a friend and advocate

based upon proposals and not rhetoric? At McCain.com, readers will

notice 2 short paragraphs about autism and another page, " Americans

with Disabilities for McCain " which does not include actual policy

positions. To his credit, McCain was a co-sponsor of the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He has also supported some of

the same legislation as Obama; however, he has not supported full

funding of these bills and has sometimes actively opposed it. Recently

McCain opposed the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance

Plan (SCHIP) which is vital for families with expensive healthcare

bills for children with special needs. McCain's running mate

Palin does not have a track record of focus on special needs though

she has implied that having a baby with Down syndrome may change that.

At BarackObbama.com, readers can review an 8 page " Plan to

Empower Americans with Disabilities. " Obama plans to fully fund the

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to insure that

children with special needs are not left behind. He also has a

significantly strong record of support and has sponsored varied

legislation concerning the special needs population. His running mate,

Joe Biden also has a long record of supporting the educational rights

of children with disabilities. Both Obama and Biden have substantial

track records that are easy to find on the internet.

To " advocate " means to speak or write in favor of a person or

cause. We moms and dads need more than words in order to truly care

for our children. To speak for the cause of therapy moms and dads

requires vigorous support of the need for full funding of Special

Needs programs including those involving education, health care, and

civil rights. So far only Barrack Obama has spelled out such a policy.

- A. Naseef is the author of Special Children, Challenged

Parents and the co-editor of Voices from the Spectrum. Permission is

freely granted to reprint with byline.