From the time a couple discovers they are going to have a baby, they begin to dream about the baby's future and how her birth will impact the family. Perhaps the parents' hopes and dreams are not as obvious as hoping their daughter will become a doctor or a lawyer, but the hopes and dreams are there. Many parents never think that there is a chance that their baby will have a birth defect. Unless there has been some indication that the pregnancy is not going well or there is a family history of birth defects, parents assume that their baby will be healthy … ten fingers, ten toes … a happy, healthy bundle of joy.

Although parents hear about babies with congenital defects, it seems like something that cannot happen to their family. When they learn that their baby has a birth defect, a number of emotions and reactions can follow.

Much research has been done on parents' reactions to the news of a child's disability, and most special educators agree that each parent reacts differently. Parents are as unique as each of their children.

Some parents react with doubt or disbelief … surely it cannot happen to their child. Some parents become depressed. Some experience guilt, feeling that they must be to blame. Others become angry, believing that their child's disability must be someone else's fault. Reactions and feelings can be mixed and can change over time. Hopefully, the parents will accept their child's condition, and with acceptance comes the ability to address the child's needs realistically.