In his book on The CICC Discovery Tool,
CICC's founder and executive director,
Dr. Kerby T. Alvy, writes:
"In the most general sense, a child with special
needs is a child who, because of is or her unique
medical, family, birth or developmental difficulties,
has needs in addition to those of his or her
peers."
"All children have an array of needs, especially when
they are very young. The all need love, nurturance
and guidance from caring parents and other adults.
They need food, drink, shelter, clothing and
protection from a variety of possible harms."
"They also need stimulation and opportunities to
exercise and refine their functional skills and
abilities. It is the job of the adults who inhabit their
world to ensure that these skills are cultivated and
allowed to grow and blossom."
"Some chldren come into the world with special
needs. These children can have special needs in one
or more areas of child development, such as having
particular difficulties in being able to walk, talk, think
or get along with other people. Some of these
children will have special needs in nearly all areas of
development."
"The special needs of these children can also vary in
degree or severity, ranging from mild, to moderate or
severe. Other children are born like other typically
developing children, but special needs emerge later in
life."
Medical doctors, psychologists and other
professionals who are responsible for ensuring that
children and their families receive the treatment and
educational services they need and deserve, define
children with special needs in the following ways:
Functional Developmental Definition
Clinical Diagnostic Definition