Get help for your child who has disabilities

To the Editor:

As a mother of a child with a disability, I urge parents to take advantage of the programs Red Wing offers to children with disabilities.

According to Red Wing School Board minutes June 2008, there are many programs that children are qualified for that allow them to receive services at no cost to the parent(s), such as physical, music, speech, and occupational therapies.

Another service offered is personal care assistance. PCA services allow parents to hire someone to assist with the daily living skills of a child. To receive PCA services, parents need to go through Public Health. To qualify for these service, parents need to get an official diagnosis from a recognized facility, such as the University of Minnesota. They can also expect to be on a waiting list for at least six months.

If your child is younger than kindergarten, parents should contact Kim Chalmers, who is the director of children with disabilities and works out of Colvill Family Center, which assists children from the ages of 2 1/2 up to 6 years old.

My son began going to Colvill when he was 3 years old. He has benefited a lot from these programs.

He has progressed to the point that some people would say that they cannot tell that he is autistic.

My hope is to let parents understand that a disability does not mean hopelessness. There are places and people that can help. You just need to know where to start.

Michelle Walls

Red Wing

Tags: red wing school district, opinion, letters