social aspects and psychology implicances.

[Piky (from Argentina)]

My first daugther, 4 y.o., was born with a complete cleft palate. We found an excelent doctor who repeared it succesfully. But doctors didn´t stop,
My second girl was born two years ago with unilateral anopthalmia(only one eye) and I started to be worried about the social aspect of that kind of conditions and how it would affect her in her personality and psychology development.
I didn't worry about disabilities, I knew very well that condition allow her to do anything because of my husband- he was born with a similar condition but not as severe.
But I had - and I have- a lot of doubt about how to deal with this topic with her, with her sister, with children at street, at school, friends.. The only thinks that I'm sure is :
.- We dont have to protect her (my mother in low strongly recommended it to me)
.- We have to be open to speak seriouslly about that.
(It helped their very much to pass surgeries, medical appointments and face uncomfortable situations at street)
.- Support Groups (through internet) are very useful to share experiencies.
I'm expecting my 3er girl and we are hoping every thing to come out ok, but i'm really worried.
My sister, who is studing psychology, undertood my concern and decided to prepared her degree thesis in this kind of topic.
"A research about children that suffer from any kind of visible conditions without mental compromise or
physical impediment that implicate disadvantages to accomplish familiar, social or educational integration
of the individual".
For analyzing it she prepared a anonymous survey to collect parents´ experiences.
I want to invite all of you to participate with the survey. I think that our experiences would be very useful to obtain some conclusions, and after that we could take advantage of them during the education process of our children.


I'm very optimistic about the results. It's a little long but I think that it is worth!!
The survey is on the web at: www.geocities.com/encuesta33


Good luck and enjoy filling it!
Piky (Milagros and Trinidad's Mother)
sidvam@siderca.com