The reality is sobering. According to a report published on the online site of Children's Hospital Boston, about 57,000 babies weighing less than 1,500 grams (3 pounds, 4 ounces) are born annually in the United States. With medical advances, as of 2005, survival of these frail infants has increased from about 20 percent 15 years ago to nearly 90…

Vacations allow the mind and body to recharge from stress and fatigue; and it's nice to escape everyday busyness. Children need vacation time too: school can be hard work! Vacation is a great time to enjoy good food, fun, and bonding, whether it takes one to the beach, an amusement park, camping, or cruising rivers, lakes, and oceans. This article…

The excitement of going on a family vacation can be matched only by the stress parents experience as they prepare for the excursion. Parents of children with disabilities have special considerations to keep in mind, including the mode of transportation, the accessibility of accommodations, whether the activities will be appropriate for all members…

Estate planners counseling families who have children with disabilities are increasingly confronted with planning dilemmas that mirror the social, financial, and societal issues presented by an aging population. It is not uncommon when discussing "special needs" planning with clients to discover that they are in their 70s or 80s and…

When it comes to making the right choices for children with disabilities, families are the experts. To prove this point, the Hatton Project sponsored a grant wherein researchers interviewed members of 12 families of children with disabilities on factors that caused them to identify themselves as "successful." The results yielded eight lessons…

The goal of parenthood is to raise children to be productive community members who are self-determined. Adults who have freedom over how they want to live their life, spend their money and live in a way that enhances and confirms their importance are self-determined. Overall affection in the family will enhance self-esteem and help children grow…

People normally do not think about the future of their home in terms of accessibility. But, since Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, shouldn't their home be as accessible as possible? By doing a few simple home upgrades on overlooked items, it will lessen the burden later. To live safer and healthier use natural…

This article presents part 2 of the series on emergency preparedness. Here, the author offers suggestions that exceptional families can use to prepare for emergencies. While the circumstances--terrorist events, disease epidemics, natural disasters--may vary, emergency preparedness experts agree on one thing: It is important for families,…

CLC Network is an organization that partners with churches, schools, and families to help promote and build inclusive and interdependent communities for those with disabilities. This article describes CLC Network's most recent tool--a book entitled the G.L.U.E. Training Manual. G.L.U.E. is an adhesive process to allow each individual to be firmly…

With the increase in the numbers of diagnosed children on the autism spectrum, schools are being challenged to provide proper educational services for these children. In Educating Children with Autism, the National Research Council recommended that educational programs for students with autism include three basic components. These are direct…

A growing number of families are sandwiched between the long-term care needs of parents and grandparents, on the one hand, and the healthcare, income, housing, and other needs of children with disabilities on the other. As the parents of a child with disabilities age, they need to develop a plan to meet the caregiving needs of their child when…

Families are often taken by complete surprise when they learn that they have or will have a child with special healthcare needs. Such occurrences, for the most part, are neither preventable nor expected. Immediately, the family is faced with major changes in their lives, their finances, and the long-term expectations of their child. In this…

Three million Americans have epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures unprovoked by any known cause. Those at risk for epilepsy include individuals with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, stroke, major head trauma, central nervous system (CNS) hemorrhage, CNS infection, dementia, and brain…

This article presents the fifth part in the 12 installment Medical Home series that presents the experiences of a fictitious couple, Amita and Samir, as they learn to adapt to the reality of having a premature baby with special needs. It describes how Amita and Samir begin preparation for their daughter Anjali's enrollment in kindergarten. "EP"…

Parenting a child with special needs can be perplexing and overwhelming journey which requires parents to make choices in unfamiliar territory. The manner in which parents make choices for their children establishes a model and sets a tone for what they expect their children to learn as well as what we expect of the people who serve their…