Re: Octuplets mom has son with autism (and one with a speech delay)

[Guest guest]

May want to read the article I have below " Octuplets Mom Spurning Offer Of Free

Care? "

I just wanted to add that the preemies and the child diagnosed with

autism will get care that is appropriate for those conditions since

both are well advocated for. The speech delayed child will get some

sort of speech therapy -could be group for 30 minutes a month as

Gretchen's child was offered. Point is think of an underprivileged

family that has a child born deaf or blind. That child in almost all

cases will receive at least the minimum of appropriate services.

Hate to say this but apraxia is more of a condition of means. Without

advocacy and lots of work on the part of the parents- they won't get

the appropriate early intervention and without that will be placed in

" special needs learning disabled " classes and will fall through the

cracks in school -and if not helped at some point in life.

That's my concern for the child who just has the " speech delay " I

mean look at the subject title " octuplets mom has son with autism " As

always the silent majority is not even mentioned -and with no voice to

say " help me " So you know what? I stuck that up there too!

Octuplets Mom Spurning Offer Of Free Care?

Hasn't Responded; Could Get It Round-The-Clock, For All 14 Kids; Group

Puts Its Cost At $130G A Month

Comments Comments134

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20, 2009

(CBS) An organization offering free, constant care for the octuplets

born late last month and their six young siblings says it hasn't heard

back yet from their mother, Nadya Suleman.

Angels in Waiting estimates that such care would cost $130,000 a month.

Suleman has drawn the wrath of many in California since word got out

that her family will rely heavily on government assistance to pay for

raising her kids.

On The Early Show Friday, attorney Gloria Allred explained to

co-anchor Chen that, " Last week, unbeknownst to Angels in

Waiting, I contacted the Department of Children and Family Services in

Los Angeles County. I filed a complaint to ask them to open an

investigation into whether these babies, these octuplets, in addition

to the six siblings, were possibly endangered because the octuplets

are soon going to come out of the hospital. And the grandmother had

indicated that she didn't think her daughter, Nadya, was capable of

caring for them.

" At the same time, Angels in Waiting, a wonderful organization with a

registered nurse, with prenatal care, neonatal intensive care for

medically-fragile infants, had contacted Nadya, or tried to ... to say

that this is what they do: They provide for the care of high-risk,

premature, medically-fragile infants, and they would be willing to

provide 24/7 care to these babies when they come out of the hospital.

In fact, to the siblings, as well, with nurses and educational

development specialists. And so, when Nadya didn't respond to this

offer, which is so important to these babies' development, then we had

a news conference and made that offer public to Nadya. "

Allred pointed out that, " They would all be together in a home if the

Angels in Waiting offer is accepted. If not, then they may be taken by

the Department of Children Services, placed in foster care, all

children put in different homes, and they won't get the care from

public agencies because of budget restrictions that they would get

from angels in waiting. " Also, Nadya cold stay in the home with them

if she takes Angels in Waiting up on its offer.

Angels in Waiting founder West Conforti, a registered nurse

herself, told Chen all 14 " kids would come in. We have a property

that's set up. And that's why I contacted Gloria, because time is of

the essence here. We have to -- you know, we have the property, but we

have to make a home. It will take two days just to put 14 beds

together, eight of them being cribs. And I was really concerned when I

watched (a TV) special. I saw how small these preemies were. And I'm

set up for it. I have occupational therapists. I have physical

therapists. I have behavioral feedback doctors. It's all on board to

help these kids.

" We're looking for donations " to provide the funds needed for their

care, and for therapy for Suleman, Conforti added.

An infant developmental needs expert for Angels in Waiting, Jackie

Peebles, says, " Preemies that are born at such an early age, they're

two-and-a-half months early at this time, the brain development is so

crucial. They need to be -- to have the care that they are going to

have to be successful. Brain implanting that these babies need, you

know, they need constant rocking. They need the same patterning so

that the brain will pattern right and that they can start developing.

If they don't, then a lot of the time, the statistics are out there

that these babies will end up with failure to thrive and have other

issues. "

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/20/earlyshow/main4815110.shtml

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