Having a babysitter that loves your child isn’t enough when it comes to special needs kids. Although the average babysitter or daycare worker is plenty capable of tending to most children in a professional manner, special needs kids can often be the exception. Many of the kids suffer from seizures, tantrums and other irrational behavior and require a disciplined setting where the care providers are trained in emergency care. In addition, many special needs children have difficulty communicating, leaving it upon the provider to have almost an intuition about what the child may want or need.
Most towns have at least one day care center where the needs of special kids are met. Because day care workers for the handicapped are often called upon to assist children in and out of wheelchairs, dole out medications, tend to bathroom needs and assist in everything from eating to sitting, these types of daycare centers tend to be very expensive. The Department of Social Services will sometimes assist in paying for the tab, as long as they approve of the facility. If you don’t know of a local facility the department can sometimes recommend one where your special needs child will receive appropriate care. Some babysitters leave their phone number with the local DSS in case someone is searching for a qualified babysitter for special needs kids. Check with them to see if they know of any daycare centers or individuals.
Since your child may not be able to tell you about the conditions at the daycare, the attitude of the workers, or how clean the place is, it’s a good idea to spend some time there, dropping in on occasion or volunteering to help for a day, just to see how things are run. Of course, before hiring any babysitter or daycare, speak with the employees, ask questions about the reputation of the institution, and find out how they handle medical emergencies and other pertinent information.
Before taking your special needs child to the new daycare or babysitter, make a journal of sorts, to assist the caregiver. List your child’s likes and dislikes when it comes to food, human touch, animals, or whatever is appropriate for your particular child. List medications, what they’re for, how often to take them, side effects to be aware of, etc. Also, let the babysitter know of anything that calms your child if he gets upset. He may have a favorite blanket or song, but be sure and also warn the caregiver of destructive behavior in the past. Some special needs kids try to harm themselves or others upon frustration, so be sure that the caregiver is well aware of the history of your child.
Some special needs children find it difficult to change circumstances and surroundings. If your child is this way, accompany him to the daycare for several days, staying a short while with him the first day, then coming back to stay a little longer on the second day, and so forth until he has adjusted to the new surroundings.
