# Do special needs children develop differently due to the extra attention they get??



## Emmea12uk

Here is a thought - I was thinking the other day that all the spina bifida children I know seem to develop much quicker than normal babies. They also seem to have a higher than average IQ - is this because :

A) something linked with precotious puberty which most children with Spina bifida get (early puberty);

B) do they develop faster because the parents are constantly watching and spending more time with them? As developing babies they get all kinds of extra support even if they display no signs of learning difficulties.

The latter may be true for other types of disabilities.


Just pondering.....


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## 1st_baby

B) do they develop faster because the parents are constantly watching and spending more time with them? As developing babies they get all kinds of extra support even if they display no signs of learning difficulties.

I would think so yes ,but thats my opinion ..

By the way love the avatar :)


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## Emmea12uk

1st_baby said:


> By the way love the avatar :)

Thank you :):happydance:


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## mrsholmes

Hiya, Im a silent follower of this section! 

I def agree with the second statement but thats only my opinion and from observational experience,

btw work with adults with physical disabilties supporting them to live as indpendant as possible in the community rather than group homes etc, so thats why I follow! lol


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## Sweetie

I too follow silently... we have family members on both sides with spinabifida so...

anyways I agree with "b" too. I am interested to hear what parents in this section have to say about it tho


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## mrsholmes

I have noticed a massive difference in adults between people whos parents have spent time with them, encourgaed them to do normal things, as mush as poss for themselves and not not listened to everything doctors had said to them ie: will never walk. Apposed to parents who have 'wrapped their babies in cotton wool' because of their disability.


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## Emmea12uk

I try as much as possible to put Tom into mainstream, and I give him a hell of a lot of exta encouragement - I sometimes wonder if i give himtoo much - but can you really do that??

He has loads of toys aimed at developing his senses and skills which other children dont normally have - surely all this attention and extras should give him a boost.


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## reallytinyamy

I think this is very true- my previous job was as a carer of 92 children with all manner of disabilities, and, I tell you, some of them were so clever, and their way of thinking was absolutely genius

eg I was looking after a boy with ADHD and autism aged 12. it was dark ad he wanted to play in the garden but knew he wouldnt be allowed so he devised this game which meant me taking my shoes off. He stole them, peed in them and hid them. When challenged he said he did it to distract me and then when I realised he was in the garden I wouldntbe able to go out- GENIUS!!!

I dont think many other 12 year olds would go to those lengthsn to get what they want!


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## Emmea12uk

reallytinyamy said:


> I think this is very true- my previous job was as a carer of 92 children with all manner of disabilities, and, I tell you, some of them were so clever, and their way of thinking was absolutely genius
> 
> eg I was looking after a boy with ADHD and autism aged 12. it was dark ad he wanted to play in the garden but knew he wouldnt be allowed so he devised this game which meant me taking my shoes off. He stole them, peed in them and hid them. When challenged he said he did it to distract me and then when I realised he was in the garden I wouldntbe able to go out- GENIUS!!!
> 
> I dont think many other 12 year olds would go to those lengthsn to get what they want!

Wow!! I am kinda impressed by that!! But couldnt he have just hidden them?? lol


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## reallytinyamy

Emmea12uk said:


> reallytinyamy said:
> 
> 
> I think this is very true- my previous job was as a carer of 92 children with all manner of disabilities, and, I tell you, some of them were so clever, and their way of thinking was absolutely genius
> 
> eg I was looking after a boy with ADHD and autism aged 12. it was dark ad he wanted to play in the garden but knew he wouldnt be allowed so he devised this game which meant me taking my shoes off. He stole them, peed in them and hid them. When challenged he said he did it to distract me and then when I realised he was in the garden I wouldntbe able to go out- GENIUS!!!
> 
> I dont think many other 12 year olds would go to those lengthsn to get what they want!
> 
> Wow!! I am kinda impressed by that!! But couldnt he have just hidden them?? lolClick to expand...

thats what i thought. guess he just wanted to make sure in case I found them!


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## Tegans Mama

I'm not sure if you mean in a physical or a psychological way? (re faster development) but anyway physically I would say, no, there is no way Tegan will ever be able to do what some babies can. 

While I'm optimistic that she'll walk with help, I know from the way she is now that she will never, ever, in a million years, walk without some kind of aid - and before anyone says I'm being pessimistic, I'm not. She has no feeling in her legs at all, She has her jabs without feeling it, she has blood taken from her heel/toes and doesn't feel it.. For us there aren't just parts of her legs she can't feel, she can't feel her legs.. She has some movement but most of it is just random. She has physiotherapy 4-6 times a day to help her legs get into a better position, but even when her legs are in the right position she doesn't move them. She can hold herself up with her arms (on her front) and has just started rolling over (she rolls over using her arms and her legs follow). 

However.. intellectually there is more to her than people think. She seems to be very intelligent, she is always demanding something to do and easily gets bored - she has a lot of stimulating toys and spends a lot of her time observing when we are in a social environment that she is unfamiliar with - on her own she is a very vocal baby but in groups she looks at other children and observes. She's learned how to take the toys from her play gym and throws them at the cat. She calls Boo "Goggy" (hasn't got her G's down yet) and says "Ayey" at OH (her name is Hayley and although T is meant to call her Mum she doesn't lol) and earlier she tried to say Grandad. She copies faces and has realised that when you leave a room, you are coming back.. there are so many things that she is doing that are above her age group. 

But I do agree with B - We stimulate our children a lot more because we know there is a possibility they will have learning difficulties (and they most probably will, but they don't always present in the normal ways - some are forgetful, some learn in specific ways, some are introverted and shy and learn through exploration instead of someone telling/showing them things and some simply repeat the things they say a thousand times before they're satisfied) but there is always a chance that its a coincidence - Emma you're doing a law degree so you're obviously quite an intelligent person and I have 7 A Levels.. It could be that our babies have inherited our genes or it could be something we have taught them..

Nurture or nature? Hmm..


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## Emmea12uk

I didnt mean physically - i was talking about mental development in any unimpaired way.

It seems that every Sb baby i have come across is very intelligent - and nature or nurture was the words i was looking for!!!

Maybe it is like the senses, if you are blind you hearing is much improved....


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