What is a Special Need? About This Page:

[Jennifer Marx]

Yesterday I participated in a research study at the University of Michigan Autism & Communication Disorders Center. Alexander was invited to a one-on-one play session as part of the study's control group. Alexander was entertained with their toys and books; I was enlightened with their questions and activities. Watching my son interact with the researchers made me think of special needs -- what they are and what they mean to each of us.

As I've come to learn through our publication of "PassPorter's Walt Disney World for Your Special Needs," the term "special needs" has different meanings to different people. Some people hear "special needs" and think of ADHD, autism, cognitive difficulties, and mobility issues. Others, like myself, feel the term covers a broader range: essentially anything condition that requires special effort to accommodate. Is that too broad, I ask myself? Is it wrong to say my efforts to accommodate my infant son's needs last year weren't special? Or that my struggles to lose weight while travelling aren't special?

The answer is simple. Each person defines their own special needs. It's entirely relative and very personal. Only YOU can determine what is a special need for YOU.

For some, getting pregnant is as simple as trying -- and thus, not a special need. For others, it's a wrenching struggle that may span years. It's engulfing, overwhelming, and emotional. It may encompass many other sorts of special conditions, including special diets, medical treatments, and fears. When I struggled with infertility and travelled to Walt Disney World, I had several special conditions to accommodate. I spent hours researching things that were an issue for me. Was it a special need? You bet it was.

Similarly, travelling with an infant is a breeze for some. In our case, it also happens to be pretty easy. But when Alexander was young and I had difficulties with breastfeeding, travelling took a lot of planning and coordination. If I hadn't been prepared, my son may have lost more weight and become very ill. Knowledge saved us. With research, I knew where the Baby Care Centers were (and what they could do for me), where to get more of my kind of formula if I needed it, and so on. I spent two weeks preparing for my trip to Walt Disney World with Alexander as a young infant. Was it a special need? Of course.

How about dietary issues? If you're overweight and must get healthier, will simply avoiding the buffet restaurants do it for you? Anyone who has struggled with weight as I have knows there's so much more to it than this. Knowing which restaurants are more likely to accommodate your dietary needs, and how, makes all the difference in the world. Losing weight can be a matter of life or death for some people.

One could argue that each of the above issues is a CHOICE, rather than a condition that was imposed upon them. While I don't happen to agree that this is part of the definition of a special need, I disagree that the above issues are just choices that could have been ignored. Could I have chosen not to have a baby? Some do, but I could not. I tried that route. It truly was a biological imperative for ME. I would have moved the earth to become a mother. Was feeding my baby a choice? Um, no. Is being overweight a choice? That's debatable, but in my case, I've always been -- I've never known anything else. I'm not an overeater nor do I eat food that is bad for me. But just because I've always been overweight doesn't mean I should be. Any doctor will tell you the serious dangers of obesity.

I could go on and on. Special needs are a spectrum -- no one's needs are identical.

In the end, I came to the same conclusion as before: We each define our own special needs. All special needs are real to the person experiencing them. Life is relative.

I feel privileged to have been involved in the Special Needs guidebook. It's empowered me. I keep the book close at hand to look things up for myself and for readers with questions. And we can all use some empowerment, can't we?

[iamgrumpy]

Thank you for sharing this made me realize that sometimes i can be closed minded when it comes to what a special need is

[disneydani]

Thanks for sharing...this particularly hit home for our family. While my DD looks and acts relatively "normal" her multiple, severe, chronic medical conditions truly make her a special needs child. I am thankful WDW is a place that can accomodate our requests to ensure a SAFE and MAGICAL experience.

[CinderAbby]

I agree also, that everyone defines their own special needs. Truthfully, and I admit it, before I picked up a copy of Passporters Special Needs, I thought of only obvious things (Autism, Mobility, etc). I never considered all of the other topics as being special needs. Not because I don't feel they are special needs, but because they don't pertain to me and my family (or at least some of them don't and the ones that do, I didn't really think about as possibly being a need before). I picked up Passporters because my DD is Autistic and my DH is mobility impaired. Did I only read those sections in the book - no, of course not I read the whole thing, cover to cover because I was raised to believe that by reading things, you learned new things, and boy did I. Both my DH and I are pooh-sized, so the section on larger people I found to contain good tips. My DH is also colorblind. Reading the section on vision impairments gave me tips on some shows and low lighting areas that I never even thought could be a factor. So from me, I give to you, Jennifer and Dave, a huge, huge Thank You for publishing this book. It not only helped me to realize there are other totally non-obvious special needs out there, but it also helped me to realize that me and my special needs family could take a Disney vacation and take it successfully.

[FireFightinCouple]

I am so grateful for your special needs book. I was touched that it covered invisible special needs. I learned many valuable things from your book that could save me from many trips to the emergency room as well as prevent me from having a life threatening event occur. I am so grateful... thank you so much!

[stonewall]

Thank you, Jennifer; as usual, you said it beautifully.