Special Needs

Articles

...Transition Happens. Most pediatric CF centers transition patients between ages 18 and 21. Some transition as early as 16 for patients who are developmentally ready. Others extend pediatric care to 21 if the adult clinic has capacity constraints. Your teen's CF center should initiate transition planning...

...Reputable checklists, resources, and practical information, some of which are included in this article, will help you evaluate your child. Developmentally, as an infant, it is important that a child gazes at his parents' face and as the child gets older, smiles. The smile should not be random or primarily...

...et al.) Researchers may recommend that the formal transition process start in the preteen years but child development experts recommend that a developmentally-based transition process ideally starts much younger. Preschoolers can learn to label medical equipment, body parts and medications. They can...

...gross, fine, and visual motor skills. They typically use play rather than exercises to involve children in activities that are motivating and developmentally appropriate. Children may experience motor delays for a variety of reasons, although common findings are difficulty with motor planning (dyspraxia),...

...isn't theoretical. Research from UC Davis showed that after completing the Relationships Decoded curriculum, participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities improved their understanding of healthy relationships by 22%. That matters because people with IDD face disproportionate rates of sexual...

...then, you're behind. Body autonomy, appropriate touch, private versus public behavior: these concepts take longer to internalize for kids with developmental disabilities, and they need repetition across contexts before they stick. If you start teaching consent when your 15-year-old expresses interest...

...identify most chromosome disorders. CMA is the test that finds conditions like 22q11.2 deletion syndrome or Angelman syndrome when a child has autism, developmental delays, or unexplained intellectual disability. Whole exome sequencing (WES) reads the protein-coding portions of your child's genome, about 1-2%...

...autism, Down syndrome, or intellectual disabilities grew up seeing pediatric specialists who understood their baseline. Those doctors knew what developmental milestones looked like in context, what medication side effects mattered for this population, and how to adjust care plans for cognitive or communication...

...changing. More hospitals and geneticists now order WGS as a first-line test rather than a last resort, particularly when a child presents with developmental delays, congenital anomalies, or neurological symptoms that don't fit a recognizable pattern. What Whole Genome Sequencing Tests. WGS sequences...

...budget on March 13 cutting $126 million from the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) in fiscal...outcome. What the DDA Is and Who It Serves. The Developmental Disabilities Administration runs Maryland's...waiver programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In fiscal 2025, 19,100 Marylanders...

...in fiscal year 2027. Residential habilitation includes group homes, supported living arrangements, and day programs for adults and children with developmental disabilities. The math is straightforward. A provider receives a set reimbursement rate for each hour of service delivered. If that rate doesn't...

...something just feels off, but you can't name it. Developmental milestones aren't strict deadlines, but they...The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends developmental screenings at 9, 18, and 30 months - but you...from birth through 36 months across all five developmental areas: physical development, cognitive skills,...