From:  Lori Hickman
              P.O. Box 601
              Langley, WA  98260
              email: hickman@whidbey.com

Dear Parent:

        My name is Lori Hickman and I am a Speech-Language 
Pathologist. I am currently working on a project related to the 
experience of parenting a child with challenges/disabilities. 

        I have worked in special education for 15 years. Over the 
years, I have found that much of the pain and frustration that many 
families of children with special needs face is caused by the lack of 
understanding, support and acceptance they receive from other family 
members, professionals working with their child, friends,  and the 
community at large. It is my belief that the shortcomings of those of 
us who do not live with children that have special needs are often the 
result of a lack of any real understanding about the life-changing 
experience of living with special needs children.

        l am hoping to develop a resource for professionals, extended 
family members, and friends of parents with special needs children 
that will allow them to experience  what the challenges and the joys 
of raising a child with special needs can be through the words of 
parents who live this experience every day.

        If you are the parent of a child with special needs, please 
review the questions below. If you would like to participate in the 
development of this resource, please answer the questions below and 
send them to me (at the mailing address given above) along with your 
name, address and phone number. I will contact you for written 
permission if I use your responses in any published form. Any 
information you share will remain confidential. Feel free to share 
this letter and questions with other parents.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Lori Hickman, M.S., CCC-SLP


        Skip any questions that do not apply to you or that you are 
uncomfortable answering.

Please include as many personal examples as possible to explain your 
responses to the questions below.

1.      What is your childıs current diagnosis?

2.      Tell me about your family; (who lives at your home, what are 
your childrenıs ages?, what are the parentıs ages?)

3.      Describe a typical day at your house; i.e., what do you/your 
child/others in the home do from the time you wake up until you go to 
bed at night?

4.      When did you find out that your child had 
challenges/disability(s)? Who gave you this information? How was it 
shared?

5.      What was your reaction to #4 above?

6.      Describe the response of others when you told them about your 
childıs diagnosis/disability/challenges.

7.      The process of coming to terms with the knowledge that your 
child will have special needs and challenges in life takes time and 
can be very difficult. Please describe this process as it applies to 
your and your child.

8.      What are the most difficult aspects of your childıs special 
challenges?
        a. for your child
        b. for you, personally
        c. for your family

9.      In her book  Changed by a Child,  Barbara Gill provides 
insights into the positive growth that comes with supporting and 
advocating for a child with special needs. What are the joys/growth 
you have experienced because your childıs special challenges?

10.     What type of support system have you developed for you and 
your child? (extended family, friends, respite care, etc.)

11.     Describe the participation/support of the following as you 
have experienced it (positive, negative, or neutral impact)
        a. educational system
        b. family
        c. friends
        d. community
        e. church (if applicable)
        f. other

12.     What are your dreams for your child?

13.     What are your major concerns regarding your childıs future?

14.     What do you anticipate that your child will be doing as an 
adult?

15.     What/who has been the most helpful for your and your child?

16.     What/who has been the least helpful?

17.     What are your childıs greatest challenges?

18.     What are your childıs greatest strengths?

19.     If you could provide information to others about living the 
life of a parent with a child with challenges, what would you say to:

        a. extended family
        b. educators
        c. physicians/medical personnel
        d. friends
        f. spouses
        g. siblings
        h.  community
        i. parents of newly diagnosed children with challenges
            j. other

20.     Other comments

Name
address
telephone #
email address

send to: Lori Hickman   P.O. Box 601  Langley, WA  98260