Immigrant Special Needs Children: Education, Healthcare Woes

In the United States, the number of immigrant children continues to rise. As the population of foreign-borne children increases, so will the need for specialized services within our educational system. For children with special needs, there are unique services that are typically required but for immigrant children, these special needs may be far more complex.

The two primary concerns for immigrant children with special needs are that of special education and access to adequate healthcare. Because nearly 40 percent of these children live in poverty, access to these two much needed services is vital to the child's long term health and well being. If you are associated with an immigrant family, especially one that includes a child with special needs, it is important to offer any assistance you may be able to provide, especially in terms of special education and healthcare services.

While you may not be in the education services business, and not in the healthcare industry, there are ways in which you can assist and immigrant family with a special needs child. Offering transportation services to and from school, or to and from physician visits, is just one way to reach out. In addition, if you can offer any type of home health services, even if it involves just running errands for the family, this is a simple way in which to offer service.

In terms of financial contributions, many immigrant families live in poverty and oftentimes the special needs child is limited in healthcare access and special education access. While we all live in economic hard times, you may be able to find some monetary contribution you can make to tutoring or healthcare by simply selling household items you no longer need. By selling items in your home, you can raise money even in these hard economic times. Using that money to help a family in need can provide a powerful impact. Often, immigrant families find great challenges in accessing resources. When living with a special needs child, those essential daily issues are far more burdensome.