Frequently Asked Questions

Learning that you or someone you love has a developmental disability can be overwhelming. It's difficult to know what to expect, how your life might change, or what kind of help is available to get you through it.  But it helps to know that you're not alone.  Thousands of people just like you have experienced the same feelings, fears, pressures and challenges that you are feeling now or might feel in the years ahead. 

This page contains a list of questions and answers about issues you might be facing.  Since there are a lot of them, this page will probably be under construction for a while.  If there's something you'd like to ask, contact bholloway@arc-spokane.org.  We'd love to hear from you, and we'll do our best to address your question.

GENERAL 
1) What is a developmental disability? 
2) How is a developmental disability diagnosed? 
3) I recently learned that my son or daughter has a developmental disability. What do I do now?
4) Will my child’s condition get better with time?
5) How "severe" is my son or daughter’s condition?
6) As a parent, how do I interact with parents of typically developing children? 
7) How do I interact with someone with a developmental disability?

THE ARC
8) Who does The Arc help?
9) What does "Arc" mean?
10) How do clothing donations benefit The Arc?
11) How is The Arc of Spokane unique from other Arc chapters?