Parents of Babies with Severe Handicaps: Concerns About Early Intervention

Abstract

Early intervention services offer benefits to babies with severe handicaps, to their parents, and to society; yet because of the special demands of adjusting to the birth of a handicapped baby, parents may have difficulty in recognizing these benefits. Using qualitative research methods, this study investigated the concerns of parents as they explored early intervention services for their young children. Interviews with 15 parents of babies with severe handicaps revealed these categories of concern: accepting a place in an early intervention program underscores the seriousness of a child's handicap; the decision to enroll a child in an early intervention program may seem at odds with the family's decision to care for the child at home; enrolling a baby in a structured educational and therapeutic program seems age-inappropriate, and the child's health and safety or the equilibrium of the family might be endangered. Once an enrollment decision is made, however, families perceive clear benefits, including the ability to lead a more normal life. Implications for professional practice include flexibility in programmatic offerings and the importance of an up-to-date referral network.