When you have a child who has medical needs, you’re going to have extra factors to consider during a divorce. You and your estranged spouse have to consider your child’s best interests and how to help them with their medical care while still traveling between homes. You may also need to look into finding the best ways to maintain health insurance and discuss additional child support for the purposes of paying medical expenses.
Having a child who has medical issues isn’t simple. They may need around-the-clock care, have a nurse who comes to your home or just a lot of medical expenses. In that case, you and your spouse will need to consider a visitation and custody plan, as well as support, that will guarantee that your child is getting the care they need while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Here’s an example. If you have a child who is wheelchair-bound with cerebral palsy, you may have one parent who has stayed home with them. It might be a good idea to continue having one parent stay with them in a primary custodian role while the other works so that the working parent can maintain health insurance for your child.
Another thing to consider is that medical care can add up. If one parent is working and providing health insurance, the other may need to help with co-pays and medical costs, too. You and the other parent will need to work together to decide on how to handle your child’s illness and the financial strain that comes with it following your divorce. Your attorney can help you work through a plan.
