When our children enter their teen years a whole new set of questions begin to flood our minds as parents. Their bodies, both mentally and physically go through so many different changes. It can be a roller coaster ride just as it is with many teenagers. They not only have to deal with the everyday changes every teen goes through, they also have to deal with their disability.

Physically they may experience dramatic growth spurts and it seems as if this can happen overnight. You may notice a gait change; maybe their hand seems to tighten up more so than normal. If your child has seizures you may notice a change in the activity; if your child has been seizure free it is possible that seizures may reappear at the onset of puberty.

Mentally they are trying to become young adults just like every other teenager.

They are looking into the future and trying to figure out what that holds. They probably have so many questions floating around in their minds which may seem trivial, but to them these are very important. Many of these questions will not be the typical question asked by many teens.

Raising a teen with hemiplegia may be a little different than raising your "average teenager". Many things come up that are related to their disability and often, the answers aren't readily available.  Finding solutions can take lots of brainstorming, patience, and many heart to heart talks as the teen begins to understand and deal with themselves as young adults with a disability. Some things that may work are:

•  trying to deal with all of the issues together,
•  keeping an open line of communication, and,
•  through trial and error, learning together.

Many of the subjects in the "For Teens" section of the website will be written from the personal experiences of CHASA families, so please keep this in mind when reading the articles.  Every child is different and hemiplegia affects every child differently. We hope you find the information helpful; it may not specifically relate to your teen, but it may help you along the journey.

Driving

Transition Services

© Copyright 1997-2005, CHASA, All Rights Reserved

The information contained in this Children's Hemiplegia and Stroke Association (CHASA) Web site is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment, and CHASA recommends consultation with your doctor or health care professional.