Special Needs

Articles

...build a care team that works together instead of in silos. Understanding the Most Common Respiratory Conditions. Asthma. Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory condition in children. For kids with disabilities, it often shows up differently than it does in typically developing children. A child...

...challenges. Some common conditions include asthma, chronic lung disease, and muscular disorders that affect...Some common conditions include asthma, chronic lung disease, and muscular disorders that affect breathing....common conditions include asthma, chronic lung disease, and muscular disorders that affect breathing....

Cystic fibrosis is a chronic disease in which the protein product of a defective... Cystic fibrosis is a chronic disease in which the protein product of a defective gene...gain Difficulty with bowel movements Frequent lung infections due to the buildup of thick mucous...

...accommodations for students with documented disabilities. This includes learning disabilities, ADHD, physical disabilities, mental health conditions, chronic health conditions, and sensory impairments. Common accommodations include: Extended time on exams (time-and-a-half or double time) Separate testing...

...2:00 AM you're awake yourself, exhausted and wondering what you're doing wrong. You're not doing anything wrong. Two-thirds of autistic children have chronic sleep problems, according to multiple studies tracking sleep patterns in children on the spectrum. The struggle you're in isn't a parenting failure....

...most states, though some refer to it as the TEFRA option or Medicaid for the Medically Needy. Here's how it works: if your child has a disability or chronic condition that would require institutional care without home-based support, they may qualify for Medicaid based on their own income and assets, not...

...are what matter. Traditional Workplaces Weren't Built for Flexibility. Most jobs still operate on a 9-to-5, in-office model. For someone managing a chronic condition, medical appointments, or energy fluctuations, that rigidity is often incompatible with staying employed. Requesting accommodations is legally...

...coaching, and respite care. Unlike other Medicaid programs, waivers are not entitlements. States control enrollment and funding. Maryland has faced chronic waitlists, with thousands of people waiting years for services. The new cuts will reduce what's available to those already enrolled. What the Senate...

...Others are disabling and lifelong. A 2020 St. Jude study tracking childhood cancer survivors into adulthood found that 95% experienced at least one chronic health condition by age 45, and 80% had conditions classified as severe or life-threatening. Not every survivor develops serious late effects, but...

...support. IDEA's 13 disability categories include "Other Health Impairment," which covers conditions that limit strength, vitality, or alertness due to chronic or acute health problems. This category exists specifically for conditions that don't fit neatly into other buckets. Rare disorders with educational...

...the cognitive load of anxiety. Sleep disruption, common in ADHD, worsens both attention and emotional regulation. The other direction matters too. Chronic frustration from untreated ADHD can lead to secondary anxiety. A child who repeatedly fails at reading because of undiagnosed dyslexia may develop...

...peer support groups, whether online or in-person, produce measurable improvements in mental health outcomes for caregivers and parents navigating chronic illness and disability. The difference isn't whether they work. It's how they work. In-person groups consistently show higher rates of emotional engagement...