The birth of a child is among the most joyous events human beings ever experience. After months of anticipation and preparation, a precious little one joins a family. Parents dream of the things they will do with this new arrival, the birthdays, the family vacations, the continuing of family traditions. Above all, parents hope to provide the best…

Taking a young child to the doctor is not always the easiest of tasks, even when the child does not have a disability. This can be seen in the sheer number of children's books on the subject. Using key words such as "going to the doctor," a quick search of Amazon.com's children's book listing brings up a list of over 1,200 books. While the books…

Medicaid Waivers are crucial to the community life of individuals with significant disabilities and their families. In a nutshell, Medicaid Waivers prevent institutionalization by providing the support individuals with significant disabilities need to live in the communities of their choice. These supports include Personal Care services and…

This is the first article in a year long 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. Doris, the fictitious nurse who took care of baby Anjali in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), has had ten years of experience working in…

The article on health care options for children with disabilities includes a review of the changes in hospital and doctor coverage and newer types of health insurance, including Health Maintenance Organizations and Independent Practice Associations. Suggestions for parents of disabled children are offered. (CL)

Today's school nurses have significant responsibilities. Despite research proving their importance, very few schools have certified school nurses, relying instead on school personnel. A wish list for school nurses might include sufficient numbers and funding, school-based health centers, and confidential records. Parents can help ensure students'…

The increasing importance of assistive technologies to persons with disabilities is discussed and the activities of the Center for Special Education Technology, as well as the roles of teachers, physical and occupational therapists, speech/language clinicians, hospitals, physicians, public health agencies, and the public schools in implementing…

Offers questions for parents to ask when determining whether their child's school health program is sufficient. Issues to examine include time allotted for health education, types of school services provided to help teachers with the subject, instructional methods, outside health services, and additional staff (e.g., nurses and counselors). (SM)

Behavior change interventions focusing on birth preparedness for pregnant women, their husbands, and adults in the community are common components of community-oriented Safe Motherhood programs in developing countries. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of these interventions, and existing studies are flawed due to study and sample…

Offers suggestions for parents whose children attend school with someone having AIDS or HIV. Suggestions include learn the facts; talk to children about AIDS; determine whether the school offers AIDS education; examine school district policies for handling infected staff and students; and note school procedures for handling minor emergencies. (SM)

The first four volumes of the "Coalition Quarterly" journal are compiled in this document designed as a management resource for consumer organizations (especially parent coalitions) that operate centers for families of handicapped persons. The introductory issue describes the intent of the publication, proposed topics for future issues,…

The Cincinnati School Health Demonstration Project was a 3-year collaboration that evaluated school-linked health services in 6 urban elementary (kindergarten to eighth grade) schools. Partners from the Cincinnati Health Department, Cincinnati Public Schools, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and The Health Foundation of Greater…