From the author of Laughing Allegra and On Their Own, a reassuring and invaluable book filled with personal stories and practical guidance to help parents of a child just diagnosed with a learning disability or related disorder.

More than three million children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with a learning disability, and their parents are often at a loss as to where to turn for practical and emotional help. Anne Ford, who raised her severely learning disabled daughter, Allegra, and became an advocate for LD children, understands this all too well.

In A Special Mother, Ford shows parents how to get through the early period surrounding the diagnosis, and offers advice on:
* Coping with the emotional upheaval and confusion of a child's diagnosis
* Getting an accurate diagnosis and understanding what it means
* Navigating the system
* Caring for your own psychological needs
* Educating yourself and knowing your rights
* Striking a balance between advocacy and obsession

Filled with voices of other mothers who have struggled with the issues of raising an LD child, A Special Mother lets parents know they are not alone, and that they can enable their child to thrive.