Families of children with special needs often have a different perspective on advocacy and awareness issues because most have not grown up with a disability themselves.
That being said, family members are often the best advocates for children with developmental delays, physical disabilities, chronic or serious health condtions, because no others on the treatment, therapy or education team have the child's entire well being or a well rounded life with a richness in experience balanced into the plan.
Therapists, teachers, administrators and other staff usually have not grown up with a disability themselves, and may focus on only a small part of a child's diagnosis or difficulties, and often have experience only with children who have the disability. Experience with adults with the same diagnosis, or even older children and teens, can dramatically change their perspective and choice of treatment.
Parents and siblings often are aware of skills, talents and abilities that are not seen in therapeutic or educational settings. They are aware of useful, almost invisible, techniques that can be used to support a child so that he or she can focus on the activity at hand rather than the challenges that these accommodations relieve.
Family members always consider the future of a child as well as current opportunities. They were the first wave of advocacy for individuals with disabilities, and provide a lifelong support network that programs and paid providers can only imitate. The best use this interdependent model successfully.
Disability Advocacy and Awareness
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art35878.asp
