When Someone Else is Caring for Your Special Needs Child

This year at church, my son was blessed with a bible study teacher who had two autistic children. When I would drop him off at class, I never worried or had to explain anything. She automatically knew how to calm him down and how to help him get the most out of her class. I wish every year he would have her as a teacher. Other years have not been so easy and getting a babysitter can be really hard. For people that do not work in a special needs environment or do not have children with special needs, caring for a special needs child can be very difficult. They might be very nervous and not know what to do; however, knowing what to expect can make them feel comfortable caring for your child. Here is a list that I make sure I go over with new teachers / babysitters:

·        Give them a snap shot about the disability, for example: my children tend to get overwhelmed by busy and noisy environments, so please try to keep a calm environment. They also struggle with change.

 

·         Let them know of any equipment that the child might need, for example: If my children do get upset while I am gone, my son can be calmed with his chewy stick or critter vibe, and my daughter can be calmed by swinging and a pacifier. At bedtime, my son will also need his weighted blanket.

 

·        Explain your child’s routine- Since my children struggle with change, the routine is key to having success with a caretaker. If they come to our house,  I usually leave a schedule when we are gone that looks like this:

5- 6:30 play time

6:30 – 7:30 dinner

7:30- 8:00 bath

8:00- 8:15 quick show

8:15- 8:30 story time

8:30 prayers and bed time

If they are taking care of them at church or in a classroom, I explain to them how important it is for them to have a routine and to please notify me in advance if there will be any changes to the schedule or class, so I can prepare my children.

·        Inform the about eating, for example: my children might not eat all of their food due to being nervous or they may take a really long time to eat. This is okay. I also let the caretaker know of any extra food my children are allowed to have. For example: before bedtime, my daughter may have a cup of milk and my son can have teddy grahams for a snack. Please do not let them pick out extra food.

 

·        Let them know your child’s needs, for example: my daughter has a hard time with touch. Please give her some space. She will come to you on her own terms. She also might not let you know when she is hurt, so please watch her carefully. My son will chew on everything when he is nervous or over stimulated. If you see him chewing, please give him something healthy to chew like gum or his chewy stick.

 

·        Leave a list of contact numbers in case of an emergency

Leaving your special needs child in the care of someone else is not easy. We were very reluctant at first because we do not like watching our children get really upset when we leave, and we worried about how they would do with us gone. Knowing that I fully prepared the caretaker about my children’s needs, gives me some peace.