Homework

INITIAL POST: Parents, caregivers, and other family members are faced with many challenges when a child is diagnosed with a disability, disorder, or exceptionality. They may feel an urgency to learn about the condition, pursue treatment options, and understand what the short- and long-term outcomes might be. This is all while they may be coping with new information about their child, experiencing many mixed and complicated emotions (e.g., grief, stress, disappointment, relief, overwhelm, anxiety, etc). The search for information or support from others online is often one strategy family members pursue on their journey—and this process can be very helpful and supportive. However, it can be difficult to wade through information and to determine which information is valid or accurate, helpful and relevant, or potentially containing misinformation or biased perspectives.

Initial Post: For your initial post, please find an online website or forum about a disorder, disability, or exceptionality that affects children and/or adolescents. This forum or website should be geared towards parents, caregivers, or other family members (e.g., grandparents, siblings). You might search for something that is particularly of interest to you (e.g., symptoms to look for; how to cope as a parent; sibling experiences). Please title your post accordingly (e.g., ADHD).

PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL and do not join the group or make comments. Merely observe what is written in several posts. Support groups help many people and you should be sensitive to that and not interfere with the support group by interacting within it.

a. Post the URL to the website/forum in the beginning of your discussion topic post. The link should be to a website containing information for family members or hosting a forum where family members might seek and provide support to one another. Indicate the type of resource you found.

Here is an example of a website: https://chadd.org/for-parents/overview/

Here is an example of a forum: https://www.additudemag.com/forums/forum/parenting-adhd-kids/

b. Summarize the two most prevalent themes you found amongst the website or forum and how they relate to what you learned about family member experiences in the textbook. You can also reflect on your own experiences, if relevant. For example, you may find that people on the support site write about themes such as difficulty finding services, meeting friends, or challenges with schoolwork. Please write two complete paragraphs (one about each theme you observe).

c. Share any reflections you have on the resource and its public availability.