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Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

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Raising a child with a spinal cord injury requires that parents and caregivers learn about how to promote a child’s physical health and wellness, as well as their emotional and social well being.

Explore this section to discover resources that explain how a child’s growth and development is impacted by a spinal cord injury, and the developmental milestones to be reached at various ages. Adaptations and accommodations will be required to support learning at school. Resources are available to support a child’s social and emotional development and help foster self-confidence, friendships, and ongoing development of independence.

Promoting a child’s recovery from a spinal cord injury often requires a new approach to communication. Discover resources with advice on how to talk with children and teens about their spinal cord injuries, and how to find therapists who can help children develop positive self-esteem, manage traumatic stress, and PTSD. Resources are included with helpful information on interacting and communicating with extended family, friends, and teachers about spinal cord injury.

Learn how to collaborate with healthcare professionals and educators to develop an Individualize Education Plan (IEP) to ensure learning needs are addressed at all stages of education – preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, and college. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that students with disabilities be educated along with their non-disabled peers to the greatest extent possible. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also applies to children.

Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation is committed to raising funds to support research on spinal cord injury and to improving the quality of life of people living with paralysis. The Foundation’s Paralysis Resource Center provides a robust collection of resources that span key areas of life. Scroll down to obtain a FREE 442 page Paralysis Resource Guide in hard copy or electronic format, Wallet Cards on autonomic dysreflexia, deep vein thrombosis, and sepsis. The Resource Center also provides a Peer Mentor program to support life-long learning. Persons interested in connecting with someone to answer questions directly via phone or email can do so through the “Ask Us Anything” link.

 

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