I have posted a new article at the Special Needs Children website:

Multiple Births and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art60818.asp

It is virtually impossible not be be aware of the controversies surrounding the birth of octuplets to Nadya Suleman in January, 2009, with the assistance of a fertility clinic in California.

Families of children with special needs have become alarmed by the cutting remarks, anger, and hateful attitudes of some in the media and online who have made ugly comments about the extra expense of supporting children with special education and support needs due to developmental delays and disabilities, chronic health conditions or other risks involved with multiple or premature births.

It is reported that three of Ms. Suleman's previous six children have special needs, including a three year old who is said to have autism.

Families raising children with special needs and other advocates point out that the cost of public education is not reported in news stories as a cost of raising mainstream children, and that children with special needs deserve and have the legal right to accommodations, opportunities and support in public schools.

Those responsible for our current economic crisis are not children with special needs and the spotlight should be moved right back on CEOs and bankers who are still rewarding themselves with bonuses and lavish lifestyles without any regulation or concern about what their decisions cost the middle class, small businesses and families.

Pam W
SE of Seattle

Thank you for those thoughts. I have been concerned ever since the birth of these babies about the prevailing attitude of the media, bloggers and especially the members of the internet forum bearing ms Sulemans name. They all love to hate her, and even if unintentionally by extension her children. I have followed this story closely and have been shocked and saddened by this reaction. I can understand why she wouldn't choose to reduce her pregnancy and think it truly is a blessing that the babies appear so healthy. I realize that there could easily be disabilities that become obvious as the children grow and develop and feel like the public outcry has almost precluded Ms Suleman from accepting the services any other child and parent would be considered entitled to. She has resorted to selling coverage to various forms of the media in order to provide support for her family and is now severely criticized for that. I suppose it is a sign of these economic times, but it still is a sad picture of the America we now live in that this attitude towards this family is found acceptable.

It is disturbing to me that negativity flows so freely from people sitting alone with their keyboards as if they did not have people in their real lives who would benefit from their attention and compassion; maybe they are people who could benefit from both themselves.

Pam