{"id":2465,"date":"2015-04-16T17:29:31","date_gmt":"2015-04-16T17:29:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/veipd.org\/earlyintervention\/?p=2465"},"modified":"2021-10-15T18:42:25","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T18:42:25","slug":"abbys-mother-asks-again-is-it-my-fault","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.veipd.org\/earlyintervention\/2015\/04\/16\/abbys-mother-asks-again-is-it-my-fault\/","title":{"rendered":"Abby’s Mother Asks Again: “Is it my fault?”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Abby has significant motor\u00a0delays. Her mother asks you some version of this question during every visit: “Is it my fault that Abby isn’t walking yet?” or\"Woman “What did I do to cause this?” The question itself makes you uncomfortable, because you can’t really answer it well and because you feel like you’ve tried to answer it for the past several weeks. Each time Abby’s mother asks, you say that you don’t really know what is causing Abby’s delay but what’s important is that we keep supporting Abby’s development so that she can learn to move. You and Abby’s mother both recognize that this is the best one you’ve got…so why does she keep asking?<\/p>\n

Emotional Questions Matter<\/h2>\n

It can be incredibly challenging to manage the emotions that pop up during EI\u00a0visits – both with parents and within ourselves. When we see a parent struggling with guilt over her child’s developmental delay or disability, it can be difficult for us to know what to do or how to help. With a question like this about fault, it can be especially challenging because we really don’t have the answer. In most situations, the child will have a delay and we won’t know what caused it. It might be easy to think, well, it doesn’t really matter what caused it…what matters is what we do now. However, it probably matters ALOT to the parent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When a parent asks a question like this, it’s important that we have an honest and appropriate answer. It’s also important to recognize (and say so) that sometimes we don’t have the answer but we can still acknowledge the emotions behind it. Abby’s mother is not hoping that her service provider will place the blame on her shoulders; instead, she may be hoping to share her anxiety and fear with someone she trusts. You may be the person she’s chosen to voice her fear to…what do you do then?<\/p>\n

Answering this Tough Question<\/h2>\n

Here are a few things to consider when a parent asks you if it’s her fault:<\/p>\n

Be honest and be kind<\/strong><\/p>\n

In most cases, the answer is that you really don’t know what caused the delay. Most likely, it wasn’t something the parent did, and you can say that too. If you DO think it was something that happened (or didn’t happen) in the child’s environment, like when a child has experienced neglect or there is a history of substance abuse, you can be gentle about this and redirect the focus of the conversation to what the parent is doing well now. I remember working with a parent who struggled to interact with her child during the day because she had so much else to do. Honestly, I felt that the lack of interaction had probably affected the child’s communication and interaction skills. Rather than answer “yes, not paying attention to him contributed to this delay” – which I would never say because how do I really know? – we talked about the changes she’d made since she found out that he needed more interaction and I praised her efforts. It was a tricky conversation because she did have a learning curve, but as she began to feel more like she was making a positive impact on her child’s development, the guilt she felt about the past seemed to lessen.<\/p>\n

Acknowledge the parent’s feelings<\/strong><\/p>\n

I think it’s very appropriate to ask the parent to tell you more about how she’s feeling. You might invite it by saying something like “You’ve asked me that question several times on the last few visits. We can talk more about how you’re feeling about Abby’s development if you like.” You can open the door and see if she decides to share more. Inviting this discussion can also be tricky, though, because what comes through the door could be more than you can handle. Since most interventionists are not counselors, follow your instincts. If you suspect that the parent could benefit from more professional support, or maybe even another parent to talk to, offer to make that connection or see if the service coordinator<\/a> can help. Sometimes, interventionists are afraid to have these conversations because they might distract from the “real” work of the visit. I would suggest to you that the real work might not be possible, or be unnecessarily challenging for the parent, if these feelings are left unacknowledged.<\/p>\n

Acknowledge your own feelings<\/strong>\u00a0& examine your own response<\/strong><\/p>\n

If a parent asks a question like this over and over, it could be because she is not getting an adequate answer. If you avoid answering, she may sense that and think you really do think it’s her fault. While we can’t be in control of how a parent interprets what we say, we can be mindful of the messages we send. Reflecting on your tone of voice, the words you choose, and your body language are important.<\/p>\n

Follow your answer with encouragement<\/strong><\/p>\n

The question might really be a cry for hope and encouragement. A parent who asks this question\u00a0may be\u00a0very worried about the future. Follow your best answer by pointing out what the parent is doing well, how it’s a wonderful thing that she’s involved in early intervention, and that the child is making progress (if this is the case). Offer genuine reassurance and help the parent see that, regardless of why or what happened in the past, she has the opportunity now to make a big difference in her child’s life and you are there to help<\/a> her do that.<\/p>\n

There will be times when answering Abby’s mom’s question are easier than others. Just remember that this question is probably harder for the parent to ask than for you to answer. Answering it as best you can and following it with encouragement for what’s to come can be just what is needed.<\/p>\n

How have you answered this question before? <\/strong><\/p>\n

What do you do when a parent expresses fear or anxiety over the child’s delay or disability?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Share your insights and suggestions below in chat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Abby has significant motor\u00a0delays. Her mother asks you some version of this question during every visit: “Is it my fault that Abby isn’t walking yet?” or “What did I do to cause this?” The question itself makes you uncomfortable, because you can’t really answer it well and because you feel like you’ve tried to answer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[139,10,12,14,16],"tags":[26,31,46,48,50,58,59,68,77,78,86,87,93,95,104,112,125],"class_list":["post-2465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all","category-engaging-collaborating-with-families","category-intervention-visits","category-practical-strategies-for-intervention","category-service-coordination","tag-autism-spectrum-disorder","tag-challenges","tag-development","tag-early-childhood","tag-early-intervention","tag-families","tag-family-centered-practices","tag-infants","tag-motor-development","tag-multiple-disabilities","tag-parent-professional-partnership","tag-parents","tag-red-flags","tag-relationships","tag-service-coordination-2","tag-strategies","tag-toddlers","clearfix"],"yoast_head":"\nHow To Ease Parents' Feelings of Guilt During EI Visits<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It's common for parents to express guilt during EI sessions. 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