You know you have a child with special needs when.....

[Guest guest]

This was posted on another group I belong to. For those of you in the

throws of every verse or for those of you that have survived this and more -

Cheers to you ! Know that you are not alone.

You know you have a child with special needs when...

You compare ER's instead of grocery stores.

You compare your child's oxygen saturations.

You view toys as " therapy " .

You don't take a new day for granted.

You teach your child HOW to pull things out of the cupboard, off the

bookcases, and that feeding the dog from the table is fun.

The clothes your infant wore last fall still fit her this fall.

Everything is an educational opportunity instead of just having plain old

fun.

You cheer instead of scold when they blow bubbles in their juice while

sitting at the dinner table (that's speech therapy), smear ketchup all over

their high chair (that's OT), or throw their toys (that's PT).

You also don't mind if your child goes through the house tooting a tin

whistle.

You fired at least 3 pediatricians and can teach your family doctor a thing

or two.

You can name at least 3 genes on chromosome 21. (You really know your toast

if you can spell the full names correctly)

You have been told you are " in denial " by at least 3 medical or therapy

professionals. This makes you laugh!

You have that incredible sinking feeling that you've forgotten SOMETHING on

those few days that you don't have some sort of appointment somewhere!

You get irritated when friends with healthy kids complain about ONE

sleepless night when they're child is ill!

Your vocabulary consists of all the letters OT, PT, SP, ASD, VSD, IFSP, etc.

You keep your appointment with the specialist even though a tropical storm

is raging because you just want to get this one over with.....you waited 8

months to get it.....and besides, no one else

will be there!

Fighting and wrestling with siblings is considered PT.

Speech therapy occurs in the tub with a sibling.

When potty training is complete, you take out a full page public notice in

the Washington Post.

When the Doctors/Specialist/ Hospitals etc. all know you by your name

without referring to your chart.

You keep a daily growth chart.

You calculate monthly statistics for the number of times your child vomits,

and did this for more then one year.

You phone all your friends when your child sits up for the first time, at

age two.

With a big smile on your face you tell a stranger that your four year old

just started walking last week.

His/Her medical file is several inches thick and growing.

You have a new belief......that angels live with us on earth.