Newfound help for parents with special needs children

By Doug Carlson - Sep 30, 2008 - comment

At a time when our nation aborts nearly 90 percent of babies who are prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome, it is clear that something must be done to help reverse this deplorable trend and build a culture in which each life is welcomed. Thankfully, a law is soon coming that could help turn this tide.

Amid the wrangling over proposals to strengthen a teetering economy, Congress agreed without objection last week to the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act to help encourage parents to give life to their unborn special needs children and to provide resources for parents who learn during their child’s first year that he or she has a disability. President Bush is expected to sign it into law soon.

Under the bill, parents of children who receive a positive test diagnosis, prenatally or postnatally, for Down syndrome or another disability, such as spina bifida, cystic fibrosis, or dwarfism, will be given up-to-date information on caring for their special needs child. These parents will also have a greater means to connect to other parents of special needs children through expanded peer-to-peer support groups. In addition, a registry for couples who are willing to adopt children with disabilities will be created.

Every child is a blessing from the Lord. It is a tragedy for any culture to encourage parents of an unborn child diagnosed with a mental or physical disability to simply discard that life rather than bringing the child into the world through birth. Our culture has conditioned us to measure the value of a life by beauty and intellect, athleticism and achievement. Such a standard diminishes the sanctity God ascribes to every human life.

Those with special needs teach us some of the finer things in life that we cannot learn in a classroom or from a how-to manual. They teach us how to love, and remind us of the things most important in life. We need only ask the families of these special children.

The Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act will benefit all of society. More unborn lives will be welcomed into society, each of whom will help change us all for the better.

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission works to protect the sanctity of human life by supporting bills such as the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act. If you would like to learn more about this issue, additional resources are available here. If your church is interested in purchasing bulletin inserts or other materials on the sanctity of human life, please visit our online bookstore and “erlc.com“http://erlc.com/products/sanctity.

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