"Other Health Impairment" is one of the 14 categories of disability listed in the nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Under IDEA, a child who has an "other health impairment" is likely to be eligible for special services to help the child address his or her educational,…

Important facts about asthma and the environment include: (1) Asthma has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, affecting about 25 million people of all ages and races, including about 7 million children; (2) Nearly one in 10 school-aged children has asthma, and the percentage of children with asthma is rising more rapidly in…

This study examines the difficulties encountered by parents caring for pre-adolescent children who have severe multiple health problems. Working within the frameworks of narrative psychotherapy (Spence, 1982; Viederman & Perry, 1980; Vitz, 1992; Benjamin, 1998), the researcher examined parents' discourses and identified the strategies they…

Pediatric asthma is often undiagnosed, and therefore untreated. It negatively impacts children's functioning, including school attendance and performance, as well as quality of life. Schoolwide screening for asthma is becoming increasingly common, making identification of possible asthma particularly relevant for school nurses. Nurses may need to…

The arrival of summer signals a season of endless days of swimming, fishing, summer camps, and other outdoor activities. For children with chronic or terminal illnesses, it can be difficult to participate in many of these activities as well as challenging for parents to find summer camps that not only engage their children, but also offer the…

Every year, under the federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), millions of children with disabilities receive special services designed to meet their unique needs. Early intervention services are provided through the state to infants and toddlers with disabilities under three years of age and their families. For…

Asthma will be a significant public health problem until economic and social progress catches up with medical progress. The article explains asthma and discusses how to handle childhood asthma. Parents, politicians, and health care professionals must unite to assure adequate medical care and healthful living conditions for all children. (SM)

The mother of a young child with a life-threatening respiratory disorder recounts her personal growth in learning lessons of acceptance, the value of each moment, the courage to change, and love. (DB)

Six fact sheets on issues relevant to children's emotional well being are presented in this document. The first fact sheet, "Children and Divorce" provides information for parents to consider when getting a divorce. Parents are encouraged to be aware of the stress that the events surrounding a divorce cause for the child. The second fact sheet,…

This bibliography covers a wide range of issues related to the needs of adolescents and young adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities and their families. For each item in the bibliography, information provided includes author, title, source, date, and abstract. Price information is given when available. Materials include books, audiotapes,…

Developmental disabilities and chronic illness can impact the oral health of children in the preeruptive and primary dentition stages. The article covers prevention and management of dental caries; gingival changes; trauma to the primary dentition; sucking, swallowing, and mastication; extraorally fed patients; and factitial injuries. Home-care…

This document presents an annotated bibliography of print, video, and audio materials for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) education and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention. It was developed to inform those who interact with young people of the most accurate and useful resources available. The bibliography describes a range of…

This manual aims to help communities develop a plan to improve services to children from birth to 3 years of age who are chronically ill or disabled, and their families. Section I provides background information needed to begin a Community Approach to an Integrated Service System (CAISS) committee in a community. It addresses the issue that…

The challenges that families face in caring for a child with a disability or a chronic illness are reviewed in this report on respite care. A parent's narrative describes the difficulties in providing around-the-clock care to a child with a chronic illness. The benefits of respite care are outlined as follows: gives the family peace of mind,…

This booklet contains guidelines to help families coordinate health care of a child with diabetes. The first section provides general information covering what diabetes mellitus-Type I is, the symptoms of diabetes, causes of Type I diabetes, and effects of diabetes. A section on health care focuses on the membership and functions of the Family…