Raising a child alone is difficult and challenging, and having to face a learning disability easily exceeds all parenting expectations. It has an entirely different set of demands that could easily overwhelm you physically and emotionally.
With these challenges, no wonder parents of children with learning disabilities are faced with increased risks of mental health problems like depression or anxiety. A 2021 study published in Disability and Health Journal shows that parents of children with some form of developmental disability were faced with up to three times for mothers and at least twice for fathers.
However, despite the uphill battle that awaits, there are small changes around you intended to help ease your burden. Additionally, there are a few habits and strategies you can adapt to help you overcome anxiety.
Stress is often the body’s response to overwhelming physical, mental, or emotional pressure. While there’s not much you can do about the things around you, you can always start with yourself and how you respond. Sometimes, fear and anger come from the things you might not fully understand–and this also applies to your children.
It is important to formally undergo a learning disability assessment and evaluation for your child. This process, conducted by specially trained professionals, will help you better understand what your son or daughter might be going through. Essentially, it will identify a child’s unique needs and could help guide the educational decisions you will need moving forward. More importantly, the information you will gain from this process will help you adjust and set your expectations in providing the social and emotional support that you can and will provide.
By also assessing your child’s educational needs, you can also start finding the right institutions that can provide their specific needs. Depending on the scenario, it might include individualized teaching and therapy programs such as those for occupational therapy or speech-language support.
Lastly, it will provide some form of relief for both you and your child. By knowing what you’re going through, you now have an idea of what to do and how to respond. As for your precious son or daughter, they can feel better by knowing why they feel or experience things that way. Usually, professionally-trained evaluators can effectively explain to kids their condition. By giving them an image of what they’re up against, they can also adapt better and start adjusting.
In raising a child with a learning disability, it is important that you’re there for them. Although it might be difficult to stay in the present when you’re being overrun by your own thoughts, there are a few techniques you can try to help you ease anxiety as it starts to rise:
Sometimes, stress rises too rapidly that you can no longer recognize at what particular point it started. It’s easy to get lost in your emotions, especially if your beloved child is experiencing the same stressful environment.
As an adult, though, you can check certain telltale signs that your body is undergoing stress, or when an anxiety attack is about to set in. For certain people, it manifests through physical pain, shortage of breath, sweating, and even blurring vision.
This might take a bit of experimenting but there are specific sensory inputs you can take advantage of to help you calm down. Usually, one of these strategies works faster for you. More importantly, you can use it together with your child–even greater if you share the same responses or if you can adapt to your kid’s preference.
For example, people leaning towards touch could find solace in weighted blankets. The additional weight could help you ease stress, arousal, and stimulation levels. You can even use it while working at home to help manage your stress. For others, they prefer the sense of taste, with certain flavor profiles helping them calm down or think better in the face of stress.
Easier said than done, learning how to reframe your thoughts can often save you from spiraling when things get out of control. This helps you stay grounded and, more importantly, in the present where you can stay with your kid. By focusing on the present, you stop yourself and avoid having to think of the worst-case scenarios.
Since parenting is a long-term commitment, you have to try your best to keep yourself in good condition. Practice an all-around healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, a healthy diet, and enough sleep. By keeping your body healthy, you are better equipped to manage stress and provide care and support for your child.
Parenting is already a taxing experience in itself, even more so when your child has certain needs that are not easily met. However, it is important to remember that as the parent, your child relies on your example and the efforts you put in day in, day out. This is why you should learn to manage your stress and whenever possible, fight against anxiety attacks as soon as they kick in.
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