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Autism On The Go
Traveling with a loved one on the Autism Spectrum often requires a bit of extra planning. With practical strategies, tips for sensory-friendly accommodations, and a readiness to meet special dietary, medical, or mobility needs, you can create memorable adventures—near or far—together.
The Colorful World of Baby Poop: What’s Normal and What’s Not?
After a normal pregnancy and the birth of a seemingly healthy baby girl, Tricia and Brian never expected to be on a journey across the world to save their daughter's life. Learn how a baby poop chart helped lead these parents to the treatment and care their baby needed.
Little Gifts with Big Impact: Supporting Children through Cancer
A pediatric cancer diagnosis is the start of a huge battle for a child and their family. During tough times, simple acts of kindness can provide much-needed comfort. If you are looking for ways to bring a smile to a kid who is fighting cancer, the organizations in this guide can be a great place to start.
Medical Identification Accessories
A medical identification or medical alert accessory can be a life saver in an emergency. If you or a loved one has a severe allergy, medical condition, disability or special need, adding a medical identification accessory to your daily outfit can alert emergency or medical professionals before they provide care.
Medical Housing: Resources & Support
If your child is undergoing treatment for a serious medical condition, you and other members of your family may be eligible to stay close to the hospital or facility where your child is receiving care. The resources in this guide are a great place to start if you are preparing for a hospital stay, a long course of treatment, or if your child has an emergent medical need far from home.
Dental Care and Your Child’s Special Needs
Dr. Erin Madar, DMD, offers tips and resources to help children with special needs improve their tooth care technique, gain independence, and feel empowered to take charge of their own dental care needs.
Medical Caregiving: Finding Support & Balance
When a child receives a new medical diagnosis the parenting role can change dramatically. The balancing act of meal prep, soccer games and dentist appointments becomes even more challenging when ongoing medical needs are introduced. Going from parent to primary medical caregiver can be daunting. Thankfully, there are resources available to support you so that you can focus on your family.
Pediatric Brain Tumors: Care, Support and Family Resources
Approximately 4,000 children in the United States will be diagnosed with a primary brain tumor this year leaving their parents, caregivers, loved ones and themselves with many questions about what comes next. In this guide you will find a variety of resources to help your family as you begin to navigate life with a pediatric brain tumor diagnosis.
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.
Food Labels and Your Child’s Health
Since 1994, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required that all packaged foods sold in the United States include a Nutrition Facts label. The label includes a lot of information, but that information is only helpful if you understand what it means and how it applies to your personal nutrition needs, and the need of your child.
Tiny Humans, Big Emotions: Building an Emotional Toolkit
Everyone experiences big emotions, including children. As caregivers, we can assist children in identifying their emotions, understanding them, and building healthy coping skills. The resources in this guide can be a great start to help a child build an emotional toolkit for dealing with even the most challenging circumstances.
Pediatric Hospice: Empowering Children & Families
Deciding when and how to engage with pediatric hospice services can be overwhelming. This guide, written by a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) and grief counselor, includes resources that you may find helpful if your child’s medical team has mentioned hospice as a possible next step in your child’s care.
Healthy Handwashing: Tips from a Nurse
Handwashing is so essential to preventing the spread of infection that it is one of the first skills taught and tested in nursing school. If your child is hospitalized, then you are a vital member of their healthcare team. One important role you can play is keeping the germs at bay through frequent and proper handwashing, using the tips and techniques in this guide.
Parenting a Child with Special Needs: Diagnosis & Infancy
Caring for an infant is challenging enough without the added obstacles brought on by a diagnosis like spina bifida. Hillary Heaton shares her tips as a mom providing daily care to a child with special needs during her first year of life.
Candy, Sweets and Halloween Treats: Common Side Effects of Pediatric Cancer
Cancer treatment often comes with many unfortunate side effects. On special days like Halloween, where candy and treats take center stage, food-related side effects can make a child who is battling cancer feel left out at an already challenging time. With a little forethought, and some simple modifications and tricks you can help make sure that Halloween is a treat for all!
Attending School with Cancer
For school-aged children, cancer treatment can mean time away from the classroom and missing out on vital educational and social experiences. Thankfully, there are many organizations and tools available to help your child stay connected and engaged in academics during their cancer fight.
Parenting in the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit)
Kelli Argento never thought she would be a “PICU Parent,” but when her son Ryder was unexpectedly born with a congenital heart defect, that’s exactly what she became. During his young life Ryder has had multiple heart surgeries that have required him to spend more than 100 days recovering in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Kelli shares her wisdom, tips, and resources for parents who may be facing a long hospital stay with a critically ill child.
Representation Matters: Inclusive Play Resources for Children with Special Needs
“Positive representation matters. To see yourself reflected by huge toy brands like Playmobil and Lego is about more than just a toy. It’s about these brands sending out a powerful message that everyone should be included and celebrated, not just able-bodied people. If we leave disability out of the toy box what does that teach kids in real life? That it’s OK to exclude?” - ToyLikeMe
This resource feature highlights the importance of disability representation during play, and offers suggestions to help make your child’s toy box more inclusive.
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.