I want to work with mentally and physically handicapped children but not in a school system, where and what?

Question

I have been home from Africa for about a week and am starting to make the decision that I would like to get a degree in something that I can go back there and do. There are so many handicapped children that noone does anything with, they feed them and give them a place to sleep but no one works on their development. I know these kids could be so much more then they are if someone would just work with them. But what? I know there are Special Education degrees but I'm not sure if that fits right. Anybody have any wisdom?

Answer 1

You could try doing some sort of disability care degree. I just got a pattern book for World Vision (knitted stuff for children in orphanages in Eurasia) which talks about how disabled children are looked after there - the carers they have are very poorly trained and there are 20 to 30 children for each child.

You could become a therapist of some sort specialising in working with children or a peadiatric nurse specialising in working with children with disabilities.

Answer 2

You could do Occupational, physical, or speech therapy in a setting other than a school.

I'm going for my OT degree.

Answer 3

A degree in special education will give you the tools to understand what those kids need, the progression you need to use in teaching them (human growth and development) and ideas on how to structure your teaching.  If you are planning on returning to Africa and working with those kids, you may also want to take some classes dealing with physical therapy so you can understand what to do to help the kids with any gross motor skills that they are having trouble with and classes dealing with occupational therapy so you can help the kids with fine motor skills if they have trouble there.

I have found working with kids with special needs to be the most rewarding way to spend my time.  It takes someone with a heart for the kids to really love working with them and understand that pity isn't what they need.  I teach life skills in a self-contained special education class and I don't ever want to do anything else.  No matter how much you give of yourself to these kids, they will give you back so much more.  Get that degree, go back and have the time of your life!!!

Answer 4

Try a nursing home...nursing homes are not just for the elderly

Answer 5

Occupational Therapy -- A good  occupational therapist can do everything from teaching a child how to hold a pencil properly to improving motor planning to sensory integration therapies. OTs are worth their weight in GOLD to kids with special needs.

Answer 6

a childrens hospital as a nurse or other profession

early intervention  )birth to age 3)-often going to teh kids homes

social services

alternate degrees would include pyschology/socialogy

physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy

Answer 7

try a private school for the mentally and or physically handicapped children