PRESCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
just kids
A quarterly focus on Special Needs
Education and acceptance are the greatest needs for children with special needs and their parents, Pegues says. Children and parents should know their strengths and weaknesses, and should never give up hope.
DIAGNOSTIC AND EVALUATION SERVICES SPEECH/LANGUAGE THERAPY SPECIALIZED COMMUNITY AND
SCHOOL-BASED SPECIAL EDUCATION
Serves all eligible students ages 3-5 with disabilities. Parents must live within the Fulton County School district.
404-763-5600
It is the policy of the Fulton County School System not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or disability in any employment practice, educational program, or any other program, activity, or service. Yvette Pegues (second from the right), the current Ms. Wheelchair USA, lobbies for boundless playground so all children can play together.
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40 Atlanta Parent November 2014
Many families in Georgia find themselves in situations like the Bullards – trying to do what’s best for their child with special needs. Though finding the appropriate services might be exhausting and expensive, parents should never give up advocating for their children, regardless of their needs, says Unumb, who fought for similar legislative change (and won) in South Carolina for her son Ryan, who is also autistic. Ryan’s Law eventually passed but not before the Unumbs paid roughly $70,000 a year out of pocket for their son’s treatments. “There are all kinds of issues when having a child with special needs,” Unumb says. “You might need to be advocating with the school or on tax issues or with your legislators. There are so many legal and political issues. There’s so many opportunities for advocacy.” Yvette Pegues of Canton knows plenty about advocating for special needs. Three years ago the mom of two boys suffered a traumatic brain injury and is no longer able to walk. The tragedy was life-changing, but instead of focusing on what she can no longer physically accomplish, Pegues set about to advocate for others, specifically children with special needs. In July she was crowned Ms. Wheelchair USA and her mission for 2014/2015 is to lobby for boundless, ADA-accessible playgrounds so that children and adults of all abilities may play together. “Advocating for children with disabilities has been both a joy and a responsibility,” says Pegues. “ADA essentially infiltrates and impacts everyone’s life and children are the perfect conduit through which we see the world and champion the rights of the entire
family. I assumed this path to help parents of children with disabilities find resources and answers where there once was none.” Education and acceptance are the greatest needs for children with special needs and their parents, Pegues says. Children and parents should know their strengths and weaknesses, and should never give up hope. “You have to be an advocate and dig and beg for healthcare,” she says, explaining she didn’t accept the first recommendations and diagnoses from her doctors. She wanted more and she got more. She is able to navigate her home and her busy life with two boys, despite being in a wheelchair. “Just take pause. Say, ‘Is there something better? Is there something else,’” Pegues advises. It’s important for parents to understand their child’s special needs and also what the child’s rights are as a student and individual. Organizations like Parent to Parent of Georgia, a nonprofit based in Atlanta, help parents navigate the world of special needs by connecting parents to other parents with children of similar needs, and also pointing them in the direction of appropriate resources. “Raising a child with a disability does not have to be overwhelming. Organizations like Parent to Parent help families become aware of not only what supports are available, but also what the parents’ rights are to a quality education and community supports after high school,” says Debi Tucker, executive director for Parent to Parent of Georgia. “The better equipped the family is to navigate these services, the better the outcomes for their children.” c atlantaparent.com