Parenting a teenager through the teenage can be quite challenging. When navigating the teenage years, you and your kid often face new challenges. Your disabled child faces the real world and learns about the adult he/she wants to become. He may or may not be able to take a few steps that other teenagers take. But don’t regret it! Gradually, you can help your special needs teens achieve his/her desires.

Did you know nearly 93 to 150 million adolescents and kids live with disabilities? Yes. That’s true. As youth with disabilities transition from childhood to adulthood, they usually face serious economic, civic, and social inequalities, unlike adults without them. In many urban and rural communities, the environment is quite challenging with communication and physical barriers, making it tough for them to take part in social life. Remember, children and adults with disabilities have the same rights as others. 

Special Needs Teens | Special Needs Teenagers |Youth with Disabilities

Here is what you need to know about these young kids with special needs:

Special Needs Teens or Youth with Disabilities Definition

Youth with disabilities means students ages 16 to 21 impaired physically, emotionally or cognitively. They are eligible to get special education and similar services like that for special needs children.

Navigating Teenagers with Disabilities

Every teen whether or not disabled struggle to feel like they fit in. It’s because, during teenage, many hormonal and physical changes occur. Your kid needs assistance understanding these right behaviour and changes to their body. Furthermore, as your child experiences puberty, he/she might also have numerous questions about sexuality.

As a parent, you want to protect your special needs teens from crappy aspects of adult life and hurt feelings. But you know you cannot because it’s a natural process of growing up. However, with organizations and schools in your area that understand the emotional and social needs of adolescents with disabilities, you can ensure your teen with special needs achieves an independent future.

Common Challenges Faced by Youth with Disabilities

Teens with disabilities usually face the following challenges when compared to their non-disabled peers:

• Most of them continue living their entire life at home. So they are more likely to become socially isolated.
• They experience a high risk of violence and bullying.
• Poverty and lack of feasible choices force many young males to leave their homes. They either live on the streets or live a life without family support. Thus, we can say that young disabled adults have minimal sources of emotional support.
• Special needs teens do not actively involve in making decisions that affect their everyday life.
• These young adults are denied access to secondary education.
• Their disabilities also make them less likely to have their views heard in society.
• They also struggle with barriers to getting high-quality healthcare services.

What to Do Next?

Maybe your special needs teens need to spend time with peers with the same disability or need a mentor to speak to. Here is what you can do:

• Give your disabled youth the motivation and support they need.
• You can help them enrol in different training and employment programs that would let them live their life happily.
• Help them take part in disability youth groups.
• If you find other ways that allow your kid to do what they desire, implement them.