IN*SOURCE – the Indiana Resource Center for Families with Special Needs

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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.

IN*SOURCE – the Indiana Resource Center for Families with Special Needs IN*SOURCE is a parent organization that provides support services and educational resources to Indiana families. Through the work of staff and many volunteers, virtually all of whom are parents of persons with disabilities, IN*SOURCE provides parents, families and service providers in Indiana the information and training necessary to assure effective educational programs and appropriate services for children and young adults with disabilities. IN*SOURCE also provides an array of resources to allow parents to quickly assist their children – regardless if the topic is bullying in school or how to transition their child from school into adult life.