Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/744525
26 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • November 2016 When Tracy Glock's 13-month-old daughter Kira was hospitalized with acute myeloid leukemia, she was touched by the outpouring of support she and her husband received. During those eight diffi cult months, the Fredericksburg community rallied around the family. Friends and acquaintances babysat Kira in the hospital while her mom and dad worked, and many others helped by delivering meals and even mowing the family's lawn. Although Kira, now 7, has recovered from the frightening ordeal, she still faces many daily challenges. As a child with Down syndrome and autism, learning and development takes longer and requires more patience compared to the typically developing child. Like many parents who have children with special needs, Glock says fi nding time for herself is diffi cult. While many of us know how to help a family in crisis, how do we support parents who often put their own needs last as they focus on the daily challenges of caring for special needs youngsters? Caring for the Caretaker: WRITTEN BY CHRISTA MELNYK HINES How to Support Parents of Special Needs Children Finding trustworthy, alternate caretakers is a huge relief for parents who regularly juggle doctor's appointments, school issues and therapy, not to mention jobs and other children. Offer to Babysit " Words cannot express the gratitude you feel when someone you barely know does so much for you," Glock says, who was also pregnant at the time with Kira's sister Allina. " "Every special needs parent's needs are different, but most just love a little rest," Glock says. While many of us know how to help a family in crisis, how do we support parents who often put their own needs last as they focus on the daily challenges of caring for special needs youngsters?