During the first years of life, children progress through a number of developmental stages related to feeding. By the age of five, a child typically has the skills, behaviors and habits that will be used throughout their lives. However, data indicates that 60 to 70% of children with disabilities have one or more feeding difficulties. Importantly,…

Medical professionals who use hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) say that recent studies, as well as anecdotal evidence, indicate that this treatment significantly improves the lives of many children with cerebral palsy and other types of chronic brain injury. So why do many children with these diagnoses not have access to this treatment? Simply…

More and more research is showing that excessive sugars, dyes, preservatives, and possibly even milk and wheat products can affect activity level, attention, interactions, confidence, and sense of well being, all factors that impact a child's ability to learn. A child cannot be asked to make healthy food choices while the rest of the family makes…

This article presents the conclusion made by the consensus group regarding infantile spasms. The consensus group concluded that "infantile spasms are a major form of severe epileptic encephalopathy of early childhood that results in neurodevelopmental regression and imposes a significant health burden." The entire group agrees that the best…

This article features The HALI Project and shares experiences that led to the first part of the project--Empowered Parents. This program taught parents how to first come to grips with the reality of their situation, then dream new, appropriate dreams for their children. From there it addressed understanding the ongoing emotional journey and how it…

Golf has become a popular sport for kids throughout the world; however, many do not realize that it is also a sport that offers benefits to children with physical challenges. Golf can be used for recreational purposes and as a motivational tool for rehabilitation. These two principles serve as the foundation upon which Texas Scottish Rite Hospital…

There is much discussion among families about the relationship between nutrition and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are claims of diets that will "cure" ASD: gluten-free, casein-free, specific carbohydrate diet (SCD). There are claims of benefits by adding nutrients to the diet, such as vitamin B-6 and magnesium, vitamin B-12, or essential…

This is a Pittsburgh story. It is about a boy named Michael Charles Metil--a boy that transformed many lives, including the author's. While visiting grandparents over the Christmas holiday in Latrobe, Pennsylvania in 1993, Michael became sick. He was lethargic, vomiting, and had some diarrhea. Little did his parents realize how very sick he was,…

Vacations for exceptional families require flexibility, persistence, a sense of humor, and a view of the world as the glass being half full. In this article, the author shares her family's summer vacation experience. If "getting there is half the fun," the author's family has had more than their share of fun times. She has learned the…

In this 12 installment Medical Home series, "Exceptional Parent" presents a case study about the American Academy of Pediatrics' Medical Home Initiative. A "Medical Home" is not a building but an approach to providing healthcare services to children with special healthcare needs. This sixth part of the Medical Home series describes the experiences…

In the last few decades, there has been an alarming and disturbing increase in infant and childhood behavioral and physiologic disorders. These include, but are not limited to, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and Down syndrome to name just a few. The society has…

This article presents a story of a little girl's courage, a mother's determination, and the healing power of oxygen. Grace was born on March 6, 1999 at full term, and Shannon says her pregnancy and delivery were uncomplicated. Within days of arriving home, however, Grace's condition took a serious turn. At an ophthalmologist visit when Grace was…

Five years ago, the editor of "Exceptional Parent" Magazine requested the author to provide an account of a day in the life of the National Children's Study, an ambitious study by the federal government that aims to find out how the environment affects child health and development. Planning and implementation of the National Children's Study has…

Nationwide, more than 13.5 million children have special healthcare needs and with increases in the prevalence and diagnosis of development disabilities, this number can be expected to increase in the coming years. For any child with special needs, it is very important that they have a medical home from which all services can be coordinated. The…

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) as a cause of an infant or child's refusal to eat is becoming better recognized. However, the many more subtle influences that reflux can have on feeding are less often recognized. Although vomiting after meals is the classic presentation, infants and children may present with a variety of more subtle symptoms less…