Many babies weigh 7 pounds at birth. But can you imagine a 7-year-old weighing that less? An orphan in Bulgaria was on the brink of death when he was adopted last year by an American couple. The good news, He has gained weight rapidly and the transformation is just remarkable!
The Morse family from Nashville, Tennessee, USA saw a picture of this Bulgarian orphan online. Priscilla, the mum immediately felt a connection and wanted to give this boy a family. They finally flew the boy to USA and named him Ryan. He suffered not just from undernourishment, but also had a host of conditions: cerebral palsy, microcephaly, club feet, and scoliosis.
Priscilla was herself adopted as a child. In July 2015, months after coaxing her husband for the adoption, she flew to Bulgaria. She spent a few weeks bonding with the boy. She went again in October to bring him to USA.
As she recalls, Ryan’s thigh was as big as her index finger. He was reduced to bones due to starvation. As soon as they reached USA, he was rushed to a hospital where he was stabilised. Now, 13 months later, his weight has tripled and he has started to talk a little.
But Ryan is not the only child that the Morse family adopted. In 2012, they adopted McKenzie from Russia, a girl suffering from Down’s syndrome. They have two biological children of their own. Today, the Morse family looks very happy.
The Morse family. (Image source: Caters News Agency, The Sun)
It takes a big heart to adopt someone with special needs. These children are the ones who need the most care, however, they end up getting the least of it. They are the last to be adopted, and the high cost of maintenance of these children leads them to be neglected.
But this is just one of the problems these children face. Children with special needs are often discriminated everywhere, especially by other children. When this happens, it is the responsibility of the parents to sensitise their kids towards the special needs of these angels.
How to sensitise your kids about children with special needs? Read on to find out.
How to generate empathy in your kids about children with special needs?
It sounds like a tough job, but it is not so difficult. Here are the things you should do to raise kids with empathy.
- Lead by example. It is no secret that kids imitate adults. So, if you are good to a special child, chances are that your kid would be good too. But it is an even better idea to educate yourself about these special needs and act with empathy, whether or not the kids are watching.
- Encourage them to be friends with these angels. Children with Down’s syndrome are one of the happiest babies in the world. Encourage your kids to be friends with them. Only when your kid sees what they go through will he become sensitive about the conditions like these in general.
- Don’t treat them like they need help. This may sound strange, but when you make concessions for special children, their parents may not always like it. No one likes a different treatment. Instead, you can just have a normal conversation with the parents. Make them understand that you share the world with their children and that you think it is perfectly alright to do so!
The world needs more families like the Morses. But we all can do our bit to make the world a great place to live!
(Image and story sources: The Sun, Daily mail, Today.)
Also read: 7 ways to teach your child empathy
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