Parenting an Intellectually Disabled Child

Key strategies to consider:

Establish a supportive environment:

• Your contribution in this regard is vitally important. You need to create a loving, accepting, and inclusive home environment where your child feels safe and valued.
• You will also need to encourage open communication and foster a sense of belonging within the family without any emphasis placed on being ‘different’.
• But while you provide opportunities for independence and self-expression, you still need to set clear and consistent boundaries that will assist your child to understand the rules of engagement.

• The first thing to do is educate yourself about your child’s specific intellectual disability to better understand their needs, strengths, and challenges. This will determine all your decisions going forward.
• Information is king. Stay informed about all the available resources, support groups, and educational programmes that act to assist you and your child.

• You will need to recognise that each child is unique and tailor your parenting approach to their specific needs and abilities, focusing on their specific strengths in order to provide opportunities for them to explore and develop their individual talents, and ultimately reach their full potential.

• Intellectual disabilities may result in slower learning and delayed milestones. But this should be expected and not be seen as negative. Be patient and supportive during their learning process. A good way to approach training is to break down tasks into smaller, more easily manageable steps to facilitate learning and a sense of accomplishment. Always encourage effort and progress, regardless of the outcome, and celebrate achievement.

• To avoid any development of anxiety, establish a structured daily routine that provides predictability and stability for your child. Create a board of daily activities. Regular eating and plenty of sleep are important to ensure feelings of security and wellbeing, which in turn helps with concentration and learning capability.

• Find a way to be concise and clear when communicating. Make sure you are not using language and instructions that are above your child’s comprehension level. Most ID children will react more positively to visual aids, gestures, and actions that emphasize appropriate social skills through role-playing and example.

• Throughout your journey you will be engaging with professionals who specialise in helping children with intellectual disabilities, such as doctors, therapists, or special education teachers who can provide specific guidance, expertise and support. It also makes complete sense to connect with other parents of intellectually disabled children through support groups or online communities to share experiences and gain valuable insights.

• Parenting a child with an intellectual disability can be emotionally and physically demanding. Take care of yourself to maintain your own wellbeing and energy levels.
• Additionally, your family should be incorporated to assist, encourage and support your efforts, promoting a sense of unity within the family, and ensuring you have time to re-charge and attend to personal interests, thus helping you to maintain motivation and purpose.

The story of Sunfield Home

Chris and Lynne Bennett, parents of a young girl with Down Syndrome, pursued their dream of establishing a home for their daughter and other intellectually disabled young adults in the Western Cape. Together with other parents, they founded the Sunfield Home in Wellington, providing a loving and nurturing environment for over 100 residents and day-care adult individuals.