The Face of a Special Needs Child

Submitted by Debbie Dougherty
     As I sit in the parental waiting room of the Emerge Center (formerly the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation) located in the very south end of the parish, I watch as the children walk by on their way to the lunch room, the playground, or back to class. Dozens and dozens of beautiful, normal little faces streaming by,some smiling,some totally blank, some crying because transitioning from one area to another is so completely overwhelming.  All these beautiful, diverse, angelic faces are the face of Autism and sensory deficit disorders, which in and of themselves are as diverse as the little body that holds it.
     I watch as the therapists, and there are many here, work so gently with these angels they are caring for. You see, sensory perception is magnified tenfold in most children with autism, so the need for soft voices, soft lighting, gentle touches to guide, and the patience of a saint are mandatory. Surely they must love their calling, for this must be one of the most heart rendering, exhausting, and yet rewarding jobs ever. They CHOSE their field.  They CHOSE to make a difference in the lives of each of these children. For these angels on earth I will forever be grateful.
     I am the extremely proud grandmother of 9 wonderful grandchildren, two of which are classified as special needs. My journey into their world has vacillated between heartbreak and elation, tears and laughter, acceptance and then sheer determination to provide my babies with all resources available to them.
     In the north end of East Baton Rouge Parish there are no facilities like the Emerge Facility; Emerge is a state of the art facility with specialized rooms for each sensory need, including speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, sensory therapy; all the senses that come together to make our minds work as a whole.
     I have found many families with special needs children in the Central area who are searching for ANY information available to bring their child forward in development. It is for this reason I have formed a support group in the Central area.
     Our first meeting will be September 2. Chamber President Ron Erickson has graciously offered the conference room of the City of Central Chamber Office, located at 13013 Hooper Road. We will begin our meeting at 6:30 PM. Please join us if you are the parent, grandparent, or caregiver of a special needs child.
     If you have information you wish to share to help parents obtain help for their special needs child/children, we will welcome it! Positive reinforcement is a must at our meetings. This is the beginning of great things to come for our children. Together we can do this. See you there! Child care will not be provided. 
You can find our Facebook page:
Special Needs Parents of Central.
I can be reached at:
Debbie Dougherty
571-4252
[email protected]
Thanks and God Bless!