Children with Special Needs Hurt by Recession Cutbacks

Raising a child is expensive but when you have a child with special needs the cost of raising that child increases dramatically.  In addition to the added financial burden, carers of children with special needs also suffer from more stress.

Cutbacks in countries with struggling economies have led to cutbacks in the level of resources for children with special needs.  These cutbacks have placed a further financial burden on families who have children with special needs as they struggle to maintain some level of treatment for their children.  

A new study reports that parents of children with special needs cut back on their own health care so they could use this money for their children.  Despite these cutbacks, many families still struggle to pay for the medical treatment off their children because of the rise in health care costs and medical insurance.

It is generally accepted that early intervention is the key to diagnosing and treating children with special needs.  If we don't provide the appropriate level of medical intervention now, our children will pay for it later.

The study is published in the journal Health Affairs.

For more information, please see:

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/06/05/recession-forced-cutbacks-in-care-for-special-needs-kids-study 

©Mary M Conneely T/A Advocacy in Action