Parents and grandparents, just like everyone else, are ready to extol (maybe even exaggerate) the attributes and accomplishments of their offspring. The need to respond to accomplishments is essential for the sake of the special child and his/her parents. In their zeal to reassure and encourage one's own special child, it is easy to deny the magnitude of the continuing personal problems. In so doing, they may also lose sight of the need to maintain a continuing vigil that assures the larger community's awareness and support for the almost 9.4 million children with special health care needs, of whom: (1) 23 percent are usually or always affected in activities by their condition; (2) 12 percent were uninsured at some time during the past year; (3) 33 percent live in families with insurance that is inadequate to meet their needs; and (4) 30 percent live in families where parents have to cut back on work or stop work in order to care for their children. In this article, the authors discuss how to advocate successfully for the needs of youngsters with special health needs. (Contains 2 tables.)