Reasons To Give Up A Child With Special Needs For Adoption
When you give birth to a child who has special needs, you can feel just as strong of an attachment to the infant as if you'd given birth to a fully healthy child. However, where special needs are concerned, you need to give some serious thought about the challenges that you might face raising the child. There is no shame in placing the child with an adoption agency if you feel as though other parents will do a better job of caring for the child as he or she ages. Here are some things to evaluate and consider during this difficult time.
Cost Of Raising A Special Needs Child
Raising any child is an expensive endeavor, but children with special needs will typically cost their parents even more. A child with special needs may need expensive medical equipment and medication, and you may no longer be able to work on a full-time basis because you need to care for the child. This scenario can create a significant financial burden on your family. If you're not wealthy and know that a well-off family would be able to better handle the expense of raising the child, you may wish to consider adoption.
Your Emotional Health
Although you're likely to experience many periods of joy with your special-needs child, there will also be a lot of heartbreak and turmoil. You should honestly assess your emotional health to evaluate whether you're up to the task of raising this child. For example, if you've had emotional health issues in the past — perhaps you've struggled with depression or severe anxiety — it's possible that the stress of raising this child could overwhelm you. This is especially a concern if you have other children, as you could be neglecting them in addition to neglecting the special-needs child if you're not healthy. In such a scenario, adoption may be a better choice.
Your Support System
Parents of special-needs children often rely on a support system of people who can help out. Whether it's a family member dropping over to care for your child while you run errands or a neighbor watching your other children while you take your special-needs child to the doctor, this support system will prove to be highly valuable. Not everyone has such a support system; perhaps you're a single parent or you don't live near any family members. This could prompt you to opt for adoption.
If you'd like more information, reach out to adoption agents at centers like A Child's Dream.