In some cases, the State Department cooperates with a school, like my own Lab School of Washington, where a child may come for a six-week intensive summer program plus occupational therapy, speech language therapy and special social skills training. Then the school writes up a program accompanied by the necessary materials for the tutors and parents to follow. Overseas, the child may pick up special interests and expertise in animal life, plants, art, music, photography, or shadow puppets, to name just a few. One student, whose family moved to Latin America, had miserable school experiences, but returned to this country with incredible knowledge of geography, environmental conditions and the rain forest, and had learned to make primitive musical instruments. Another student returned with great skills in mountain climbing and kayaking.
Parents receive no help with diagnosis of problems or treatment strategies.
However, the major burden of living abroad falls on the parents, most often the mother. They train parents so well that after they make progress, parents find they can create and manage large institutions with ease. Newsletter Copyright 1996-2001 WETA .