Submitted by Bedford TV
Bedford TV’s program “You Are Not Alone: Surviving Your Child’s Disability” is a mutual sharing and support dialog that helps parents deal with the frustration and isolation they feel raising special needs children.
In these half-hour segments, host Susan Cauley– herself a parent of two autistic children—introduces guests whose work it is to provide programs and outreach to families who deal both with the challenges of everyday life in a special needs home as well as times of heightened crisis or transition. Cauley also features guests who are parents of special needs children whose personal stories resonate with viewers and emphasize the value of establishing a supportive network and community.
Episode One
Guests: Ann Guay, mother of an autistic son, and Kate Brewer, parent of a daughter with complex physical and intellectual impairments resulting from a cardiac birth defect and subsequent strokes.
This discussion includes learning to come to terms with the news of the diagnosis as well as the reality of dealing with the day-to-day challenges of the disability; the learning curve of understanding the availability of resources and how to ask for help; how to cope with developmental transitions.
Episode Two
Guests: Claudia Vigil from “Parents Helping Parents” https://www.parentshelpingparents.org/, a statewide organization offering crisis hotline connection, support groups, and speaker programs; Dana Fine, Irene Gravina, and Roy Watson from the Bedford Special Education Parents Advisory Council https://www.bedfordsepac.com/livepage.aspx?page_id=2
SEPACs are community-based state-mandated resources that advise local school committees and administrations and promote the creation of parent-to-parent networks that help families navigate the difficult terrain of living with children with special needs.
Episode Three
Guests: Barbara Donati of “ Massachusetts Family Ties” https://www.massfamilyties.org/ —also parent of an adult autistic daughter— and Jean Batty, mother of an eight-year old son with spina bifida share how they deal with the everyday care and transitional challenges of raising special needs children along with other, regularly developing siblings.
Topics include how they received the news of their children’s diagnoses, whether and how their extended families have supported them, and how to find time with spouses and with their other children.
Watch this and other Bedford TV shows on Bedford TV (Comcast channels 8 and 99, Verizon channels 38 & 40) and on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BedfordTVMA
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