ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the ways in which help could be given to families with a congenitally handicapped child through the ordinary medical, social and educational services. Distress symptoms shown by families with a handicapped child are often considered to be as neurotic, in the sense of indicating permanent or long-term personality problems. Most people are vulnerable to extreme stress and most disturbed behaviour in the families of handicapped children is usually of this nature. Wing has pointed out in relation to autistic children that the tensions created by a disturbed child may bring to the fore emotional difficulties of the parents or siblings which otherwise would have remained dormant. As Woodburn states, All families with spina bifida children are at risk of developing pathological patterns of behaviour unless society recognizes the extent, the degree and the complexity of the demands made on them, and unless help is actively offered and appropriate to need.
