Caring for a child with cerebral palsy can be difficult. Dealing with the emotional and financial stress takes a toll on families. You love your children and want what is best for them. By addressing your needs as a caregiver, you may be better equipped to care for your child. Connecting with other parents in similar situations is a great start. Within the support group setting, you can lean on other families for help, as well as receive useful suggestions for additional resources
Support groups and services
Throughout the state of Maryland, you will find a number of options for support groups. There are many organizations aimed at helping families of children with disabilities, such as:\r\n
- The Arc. With locations in Baltimore, Frederick, Ellicott City, and many more, The Arc is a nonprofit dedicated to helping adults and children with disabilities, as well as their families. They offer many specialized support groups. In Baltimore, for example, Guy Talk is for fathers of children with disabilities, and Moms Understand is a group for mothers. Visit org to find the chapter nearest to your home.
- Lollipop Kids. Located in Rockville, MD, Lollipop Kids provides comprehensive services for children with disabilities. In addition to planning outings and offering rental medical equipment, there is a support group for families every Saturday at 10 am. Childcare is available and siblings are welcome.
- Special Needs Kids Information. Special Needs Kids Info is a comprehensive website aimed directly at special needs families living in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia. Besides offering a host of helpful resources, the website has a directory of support groups filtered by location.
You can also call the Maryland Department of Health And Mental Hygiene at 1-800-638-8864 for additional references for support groups and organizations.
Online support
You do not have to leave your house to get the help you may need. There are web-based groups designed to connect parents of children with disabilities, such as:
- Special Needs Moms for Moms. This social network for families of special needs children offers forums, groups, and helpful information through their blog. There is a group specifically for parents of children with cerebral palsy. If you have a specific question or concern, you can post to their forum.
- Love That Max. This is a blog written by a mother of a child with cerebral palsy. If you are in a similar situation, read the blog to hear about another person’s experience. You can leave comments on the blog or get in touch with the author for more information.
You can also search for Facebook groups specifically designed for families impacted by cerebral palsy.
Getting legal help from Maryland and Washington D.C. cerebral palsy lawyers
The financial and emotional burden of cerebral palsy is devastating for families. Struggling to pay the bills, you may wonder how to get your child the help he or she needs. If your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by a preventable medical mistake, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact the medical malpractice attorneys at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg, and Cardea, P.A. at 410-234-1000. You can meet us in either our Baltimore or Washington D.C. office.