THE PROBLEMS
The first problem faced by the parent of a hurt child is to discover just what it is that their child is, or has. Whether the child's problem is discovered at birth, or a week, a month, or years after birth, or even if the problem is created by some trauma such as an automobile accident during the teenage years, the problem of discovering exactly what has happened is immense for most parents. Most people are extremely ignorant in regards to hurt children. Their limited information usually comprises a collection of "old wives tales," and a few details about a child belonging to some distant relative or neighbor. As traumatic as the discovery that you have a hurt child is, the lack of information intensifies that trauma all the more. The family physician who helped you through your last case of the flu, or who correctly diagnosed your neighbor's heart condition often disappoints you in regards to your hurt child. He frequently cannot even tell you what is wrong with your child, let alone what to do about it. All too often his suggestion is to institutionalize the child as soon as possible. Doctors commonly wish that the problem would simply go away. Either at your doctor's recommendation, or because of our own need for information, you may search further for answers by going to see a “specialist." The specialist usually takes the form of a neurologist, neurosurgeon, orthopedist, or a psychiatrist. The visit with the specialist often is an even more upsetting and frustrating experience than the visit with the family doctor, because the "specialist" should know. Why doesn't your doctor know? Why doesn't the specialist know? Quite frankly, they don't know because almost no one knows!
What is known about the brain today is extremely limited, and of what is known, much of it has just been learned in the last twenty years. Some diagnoses are relatively easy to make, such as Down syndrome, with physical signs which can be seen and chromosome tests which can be used for confirmation. Or to a lesser degree, cerebral palsy, which is used to describe most children with obvious motor problems. But even with these problems, if you ask the physician exactly where the problem is, or what is going to happen to the child, the answers will probably be vague. Unfortunately however, of all the questions asked, the one which is generally answered with the greatest frequency and confidence is the one about which the least is known. That is, what is to become of my child, or what is the prognosis (outlook). Every hurt child is different and almost every hurt child has a chance, if given the opportunity. If every doctor's response to the question of prognosis is simply that he doesn't know, and not that it is hopeless, many, many, more hurt children would improve, and some would have the opportunity for “normal" lives.