At my last optometrist appointment, I was presented with some interesting options for new “shades”. One of the options offered were “transition” lenses. It’s an interesting concept. These lenses change shade increasingly to match any increase in brightness. Outdoors on the sunniest day, they are the darkest. Indoors or in the shade they are completely clear. I had a couple of questions though. “How does the lens material know how much tinting that my eyes need?” And, “Isn’t it likely that even the speed at which the lenses change will not match my needs?” In the end, I opted for a clip-on lens of the darkest material I found comfortable. I prefer to decide for myself when I need them and when I no longer need them. “Transition” turned out to be more complicated for me than the technician had originally thought.
It’s that way, too, with my son’s transition from “child” services to “adult” services. The type of services I refer to include educational, therapeutic, medical, social, and more. It’s more complicated than it might seem to an outside observer. It is entirely an individual process, unique for each and every person with special needs and their families. No one else can fully determine your needs… you really must become assertive about your needs.
The transition process is by definition a drawn out one. To avoid the frustration that comes with it, try the Boy Scout pledge... Be Prepared. Begin thinking about what your special needs will be at the age of termination of services such as pediatric medicine (age 18 -22, in most cases), public and private school educational services (the same, 18-22 years old is typical), therapies (highly variable), and social, recreational, and other routine activities. Even your insurance plans will present issues to be dealt with. There is NOTHING automatic about this thing called transition - you truly should start to plan the path of the process EARLY.
As in my choice of appropriate lenses to help with my eyes that are extremely sensitive to bright light… families and persons with special needs will need to weigh all the options, taking into account what matters most to them. It’s time to get serious about defining the difference in your NEEDS and your WANTS. When the time comes, you will have to work hard to get both of those categories of services… and you will want to have started the arrangments for the NEEDS first.
Moving to service providers who treat, manage, coach, teach, represent, and care for ADULTS with special needs WILL happen. Don’t put your head in the sand… your time is coming! Start brainstorming now about what your needs will be then. If you are like me, you will find the services that you truly need… and will discover along the way that much of what you thought you needed were simply wants.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
It’s that way, too, with my son’s transition from “child” services to “adult” services. The type of services I refer to include educational, therapeutic, medical, social, and more. It’s more complicated than it might seem to an outside observer. It is entirely an individual process, unique for each and every person with special needs and their families. No one else can fully determine your needs… you really must become assertive about your needs.
The transition process is by definition a drawn out one. To avoid the frustration that comes with it, try the Boy Scout pledge... Be Prepared. Begin thinking about what your special needs will be at the age of termination of services such as pediatric medicine (age 18 -22, in most cases), public and private school educational services (the same, 18-22 years old is typical), therapies (highly variable), and social, recreational, and other routine activities. Even your insurance plans will present issues to be dealt with. There is NOTHING automatic about this thing called transition - you truly should start to plan the path of the process EARLY.
As in my choice of appropriate lenses to help with my eyes that are extremely sensitive to bright light… families and persons with special needs will need to weigh all the options, taking into account what matters most to them. It’s time to get serious about defining the difference in your NEEDS and your WANTS. When the time comes, you will have to work hard to get both of those categories of services… and you will want to have started the arrangments for the NEEDS first.
Moving to service providers who treat, manage, coach, teach, represent, and care for ADULTS with special needs WILL happen. Don’t put your head in the sand… your time is coming! Start brainstorming now about what your needs will be then. If you are like me, you will find the services that you truly need… and will discover along the way that much of what you thought you needed were simply wants.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
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