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involved is conveyed by the commonresponses of parents. 84.4% of theparents in all categories reportedhaving severe emotional responses,such as depression, anger, shock,denial, fear, guilt, sorrow, grief,despair, hostility or emotionalbreakdown. 31.3% reported negativephysiological responses such as crying,not eating, cold sweat, trembling,physical pain, rapid heart beat andbreakdown. One parent of a four-year-old girl with Downs syndromeexplained: I felt as if the whole worldhad fallen on me. I didnt understandhow this could be happening to me.

Most parents who talked to spouses,family members or friends receivedsupportive reactions (53%), while 28%

faced a negative reaction, some asextreme as, Me? Id kill myself. 81%of the parents cited never-endingemotional and/or physical fatigue,social isolation and the feeling of lackof freedom. 78% cited financialproblems. The special expensesentailed usually constitute a heavyburden for the entire family. Privateteachers, specific learning courses,consultations, private doctors andtherapy constitute major expenses.About half of the parents felt that theylacked accurate information regardingeducational settings and servicesavailable for their children.

93% of the parents reported that theyused psychological services either forthe child, for themselves or for siblings.

The objective of this research is toexamine family resilience and thosefactors which help parents to managein these daunting circumstances. Theconcept of resilience in the context offamily life indicates the ability to copeeffectively with challenges andhardships, to function in crisissituations and to demonstrateresourcefulness, as well as the abilityto adjust to new and changingsituations and to resume constructivefunctioning.

How Parents FeelThe study focused on parents ofchildren with disabilities in threecategories, retardation, physicalhandicaps or severe learningdisabilities. A picture of the tragedy

Children with Special Needs:The Role of the Family

Dr. Tali Heiman of the Department of Education and Psychology addresses an issue of tremendous public interest andimportance helping many thousands of parents and professionals to assist children with special needs in their struggleto become constructive and successfully functioning members of society. Her industrious academic activity take threeparallel directions, all contributing to the needs of the community in reaching out to children with disabilities: inresearch on family coping with the special needs; in a public symposium open to students, parents, practitioners,educators and professionals who daily grapple with the challenge of trying to help; and a course textbook to provideinformative and authoritative knowledge on the subject.

Parents of Children with Special Needs:How They CopeIt is widely recognized in research that children with special needs generateheightened concern, stress and tension within their families. Parents of childrenwith developmental disorders encounter a variety of severe hardships in caringfor their childrens needs and coping with the challenge. Research by Dr. TaliHeiman, of the Department of Education and Psychology, sheds light onthe nature of their personal hardship and explores the coping mechanismsparents call upon to deal with their childrens everyday functioning. Themajority of parents, despite their initial perception of a personal tragedy,expressed a strong belief in the child and in his or her future, an optimisticoutlook and a realistic view and acceptance of the disability. The studyhighlighted the importance of social resources, support services used byparents, the need for effective intervention programs and the support of familyand friends, all of which contribute to their resilience, their ability to bounceback and cope effectively, despite the considerable adversities.

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80% reported referral to educationalservices, 71% to medical services, and51% to paramedical services, such asphysiotherapy. 55% of parents wereconcerned about their childrensinclusion in society, and especiallytheir financial and physicalindependence, 50% were concernedabout the childs education, finishingschool, ability to acquire a professionand have economic independence, and30% pondered how, in the future, theirgrown-up children would managewithout them, where they would liveand what kind of financial andemotional support they would receive.

A noteworthy 75% report that theirinitial negative reactions and feelingshave turned into positive andoptimistic feelings of love, joy andacceptance, as well as satisfactionand strength that accompany successin rearing their special child. 28% ofparents still felt anger, sorrow,frustration and pain.

Dr. Heiman stresses that while herresearch reflects the considerable painand difficulty encountered by parentsraising children with disabilities, itwould be incorrect to view suchfamilies as pathological. It is morecorrect and beneficial to focus on thestrong and positive relationships whichparents and families develop and thatbolster them.

Three Factors of Support thatHelp Parents to CopeThe results of the research indicatethree sources of support and centralfactors which favorably affect theparents ability to cope and to reducefeelings of hardship and stress andcontribute to successful functioning:1. Cooperation, discussion andconsultation of parents with family,friends and professionals contribute tostrengthening parental functioning;2. A positive bond between parentswhich supports and strengthens them;3. Utilizing the various services

available for diagnosis, treatment,counseling and training, whetherassistance is directed to the child or tothe family.

Maintaining Optimism andSatisfactionDespite the various difficulties thatparents raising children with specialneeds indicated, among them healthconcerns, the financial burden,organizational problems, socialdifficulties of the child and problems withsiblings, 75% of the parents reported afavorable and optimistic outlook andexpressed satisfaction with their lives.The expectations of parents that theirchildren will acquire an education andan occupation, will have families and befinancially independent are similar to theuniversal hopes and expectations ofparents of children without disabilities.But, alongside their hopes andexpectations, one third of the parents dreadand fear the day that they will no longerbe able to help their children as adults.

In Service of the Community

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It could have been expected thatchildren with different types ofdisabilities would diversely affect thereaction of parents and the extent offamily coping. No foundation wasfound for this hypothesis. The resultsof the research indicate that the mannerof the familys coping is notsignificantly different, and thesimilarity of coping mechanisms wasmuch greater than the differences. Itcan be assumed that a child with specialneeds causes disruption of the routineand creates stress, confusion and angerin most of the families, regardless ofthe precise nature of the disability.

This is preliminary research on thecoping of families of children withspecial needs. In families beset bycontinuous stress, crisis and hardship,the constructive and favorable mutualsupport of the family unit, as well aspractical support services, promotecooperation and coping, and are thehealthy forces that are the key toresilience and successful functioning.

This study demonstrates that it wouldbe advantageous to enhance copingstrategies that may contribute toparents competencies, for the benefitand future welfare of their children, aswell as for their own well-being andthat of their families.

Symposium:Parents of Children withSpecial Needs: How TheyCopeThe Tel Aviv auditorium was packed withover 500 participants in the symposiumon Parents of Children with SpecialNeeds all involved in some facet ofassisting children with a broad range ofdisabilities, all seeking an understanding,a formula, academic analysis, some tips,the common mutual support of the large

New Course:Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a common and widelydiagnosed disorder prevalent in at least 12% of school children. The disordercan find expression in a variety of manifestations, among them, difficultiesof concentration, sustaining attention and distinguishing between theprimary focus and other stimulations. Hyperkinetic, hyperactive andimpulsive behavior may also be involved, or combinations of excessivemovement and attention disorder. Often misunderstood in the school system,these children are variously referred to as dreamers, immature, lazy, fresh,restless, irresponsible and hostile.

Children with an attention deficit often experience functional difficultiesin learning, and in social and emotional interaction at home, at school andwith friends. The disorder can extend to adult life, affecting social andfamily relationships and work. Sometimes the disorder is accompanied byother physical and developmental disorders, sleep disorder, communicationdisorders and learning disabilities. The course textbook includes informationabout the role of diagnosis, the medical-neurological perspective, the roleof parents, medication, psychological-behavioral aspects of the problem,the family, and treatment. This course is an important service to the manypractitioners, educators and family members who seek more comprehensiveknowledge on how to teach and raise these children constructively.

In Service of the Communityaudience, or whatever might help in theirarduous route and never-ending effort todo the best for children with specialneeds. The foremost researchers, expertsand practitioners gathered to share theirknowledge and experience in meeting thechallenges of crisis, stress and despairand to offer strength and practical toolsto adapt to the changing needs of childrenwith disabilities.

Prof. Malka Margalits research oninteraction between parents and theschool system offered helpfulperspectives on the parents role. Prof.Haim Omer dazzled the audience bydeclaring that the approach of manyprofessionals that misbehavior ofchildren with disabilities is the fault oftheir parents is misguided and counter-productive. Professionals should betrying to strengthen parents in their role

and not undermining or weakeningthem. Hemda Klein presented a modelof professional care for autistic children.Rivka Neeman presented a uniqueInternet website called a special placethat offers a wealth of information forparents of children with disabilities. Dr.Iris Manor discussed the importance ofa multidisciplinary team in addressingthe multi-faceted needs of children withdisabilities. The symposium ended witha performance Allons Smile tracinga parents touching struggle, trials andhopes in raising her disabled child.

A testimony to the importance of thispublic service was the tremendousresponse of parents, academicpersonalities and professionals,flocking to the Land of Israel Museumauditorium to take part in this singularevent.