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Who’s Who on Your Child’s Care Team?
Keeping track of each person you meet during a hospital stay can be overwhelming. Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS), Alyssa Friedberg shares a list of common medical and other professionals who may be on your child's care team, along with tips and resources to help your child become familiar and comfortable with the people they meet during their hospital stay.
Traveling with Children who have Special Needs and Medical Challenges
Children with disabilities and medical challenges often require carefully coordinated, specialized care. This can make traveling away from home complicated, but not impossible with proper planning and resources. In this guide you’ll find resources that may help make traveling less challenging if your child has special needs or a medical condition to consider. This guide and the resources listed are not meant to replace consultation with medical professionals, or to diagnose a medical condition. Please reach out to a professional for advice and assistance.
Finding Support and Information When Your Child Receives a Rare Disease Diagnosis
When your child receives a new medical diagnosis it can be helpful to seek support from other parents and caregivers who have been in your shoes. But if your child is diagnosed with a rare disease or condition it can be difficult to find information or a community of other families who share your experience. In this guide you’ll find resources that may help you as you begin to navigate life as the caregiver for a child with a rare medical condition.
Bullying Prevention Through Inclusion
One out of every five school-aged children reports being the target of a bully during their youth. While anyone can be a victim of bullying, children with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be bullied than their typically-developing peers. Bullying can present in varying ways including physical bullying, verbal bullying, and cyberbullying, and all forms can have a devastating impact on the victim. Breaking the bullying cycle begins with creating an inclusive environment where all children understand what it means to be different from your peers. The resources in this guide can help you start or further the conversation with the children in your life about inclusion and acceptance.
Halloween Guide for Parents of Children with Disabilities
Halloween is a fun and exciting holiday for children and their families. With costumes, candy, and spooky delights, it is no wonder October 31 is so popular with kids, and kids at heart. Parenting a child with a disability or medical challenge can make full participation in Halloween and other bits of fall fun more complicated, as the idea of going apple picking or trick-or-treating might be more scary, rather than fun. In this guide you will find resources to make planning for Halloween a little bit easier.
Seizure Safety Resources
If your child has a condition that makes them more likely to experience seizures, it is important to be prepared in the event that a seizure occurs. Witnessing a seizure, especially in a child, can be a frightening event. Your reaction and response can help keep the child safe and comfortable until the seizure has ended, or is controlled by medical intervention. In this guide you will find resources designed to help keep a child in your care safe during a seizure.
Caring for Children with Severe Food Allergies
Managing the needs of a child with a food allergy can be a complicated task. Since some allergic reactions can be severe and even life-threatening, it’s important to be prepared and proactive as a caregiver for a child with a food allergy. In this guide you’ll find resources related to the identification, prevention, and treatment of allergic reactions to food. The resources in this guide are not a replacement for medical consultation or care. Please consult your child’s pediatrician if you have concerns about food allergies and how to treat an allergic reaction.
Creating a Social Story
If your child has difficulty navigating new experiences, preparing in advance with a social story may help to alleviate some of their stress and anxiety. Social stories are brief, visual explanations that detail what you might expect to happen during an upcoming life event. They can be helpful when your child needs a little extra preparation for a new activity or a known change to their regular routine. In addition to reviewing individual parts of the upcoming experience, social stories list appropriate behaviors so that a child knows not only what to expect, but what is expected of them!
Back to School - Eye Health
The 2021 school year may once again include more screen time and distance learning than years prior, which means that many children will be using computers, tablets and other devices with greater frequency than they have in the past. Since eye care is an important part of your child’s overall health, now is a great time to schedule a check up and prepare for the potential impact that distance learning may have on your child’s vision.
Dental Care for Children With Sensory Processing Issues
Helping to manage your child’s dental hygiene can be an especially difficult task if they struggle with sensory processing issues. In this guide you will find general information and helpful tips on establishing good dental care practices with your children, as well as specific dental care resources and suggestions for assisting children with sensory processing challenges as they develop positive oral hygiene habits.
Wish-Granting Experiences & Gifts
Wish-granting foundations help families lighten their load, granting wishes ranging from a trip to Disneyland to a new computer to a chance to throw the first pitch at a major league game. If your child has a serious illness, disability or medical condition they may be eligible to receive a gift or have a wish granted through one of the organizations listed in this resource guide.