Mothering Special Needs

A mother reading this might feel less alone as she mothers her child with special needs. Professionals and others would get a flavour of the issues for mothers. Reading this book might serve to help them avoid some of the pitfalls which cause so much anger and distress.' - Rostrum 'An examination of the experiences of mothers raising children who have ASD, ADHD and Down syndrome, including an examination of working with professionals.' - Current Awareness Service This book explores the lived experience of mothers raising a child with a learning disability, through interviews with mothers of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Down syndrome. With frequent personal accounts from mothers themselves, Mothering Special Needs encourages other women who have children with special needs to recognize and express their own aspirations and needs for self-fulfilment. It addresses the social construction of motherhood, discussing issues such as mother-blame and society's images of the self-sacrificing mother, in the context of raising a child with a learning disability. It also looks at real-life experiences of working with professionals, giving examples of both good and bad practice. This is an invaluable book for mothers as well as for professionals working with families that include children with disabilities.