Books on medical issues and other more general books in the Harried Parent's Book Club have information for parents of children with special health needs. Read the excerpts from the books below to find what they have to offer, and for excerpts on other topics, go to the full index.
1. Book: Epilepsy
Cover image courtesy of Demos Medical Publishing
Author: Orrin Devinsky, MD
Excerpt Title: "Video Games and Epilepsy"
Quote: "Media reports have heightened public awareness that playing video games can rarely trigger seizures, but video games do not cause epilepsy. Playing video games is a common and prolonged activity for many kids. Because epilepsy is a common disorder, some seizures while playing video games are coincidental." ... Go to full excerpt
Excerpt Title: "Video Games and Epilepsy"
Quote: "Media reports have heightened public awareness that playing video games can rarely trigger seizures, but video games do not cause epilepsy. Playing video games is a common and prolonged activity for many kids. Because epilepsy is a common disorder, some seizures while playing video games are coincidental." ... Go to full excerpt
2. Book: Get a Healthy Weight for Your Child
Cover image courtesy of Firefly Books
Authors: Dr. Brian W. McCrindle and James G. Wengle
Excerpt Title: "Get a Healthy Weight for Your Child"
Quote: "Criticizing your child about their poor eating choices or their lack of activity will often backfire and could lead them to resent healthier eating and physical activity. Instead, praise and applaud them when they make healthier food choices and when they get involved in any physical activity. Always offer healthy options to less healthy food choices and periods of inactivity, but never criticize." ... Go to full excerpt
Excerpt Title: "Get a Healthy Weight for Your Child"
Quote: "Criticizing your child about their poor eating choices or their lack of activity will often backfire and could lead them to resent healthier eating and physical activity. Instead, praise and applaud them when they make healthier food choices and when they get involved in any physical activity. Always offer healthy options to less healthy food choices and periods of inactivity, but never criticize." ... Go to full excerpt
3. Book: How to Manage Your Child's Life-Threatening Food Allergies
Cover image courtesy of Plumtree Press
Author: Linda Marienhoff Coss
Excerpt Title: "Getting Food Allergy Information From Manufacturers"
Quote: "If you have any doubts or questions whatsoever as to whether or not a particular product is safe for your child, contact the manufacturer to discuss the product's ingredients and the possibility of cross-contamination with other products. Do this before you feed the item to your child." ... Go to full excerpt
Excerpt Title: "Getting Food Allergy Information From Manufacturers"
Quote: "If you have any doubts or questions whatsoever as to whether or not a particular product is safe for your child, contact the manufacturer to discuss the product's ingredients and the possibility of cross-contamination with other products. Do this before you feed the item to your child." ... Go to full excerpt
4. Book: More Than a Mom
Cover image courtesy of Amy Baskin and Heather Fawcett
Authors: Amy Baskin and Heather Fawcett
Excerpt Title: "Request a Work Schedule Change With a Flexibility Proposal Memo"
Quote: "Karen would like to work flextime, so that she can be home with her daughters after school. That would allow her to schedule more therapy appointments for Helen, as well as help the girls with their homework. It would also save the family significant babysitting costs. She will request a 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. workday." ... Go to full excerpt
Excerpt Title: "Request a Work Schedule Change With a Flexibility Proposal Memo"
Quote: "Karen would like to work flextime, so that she can be home with her daughters after school. That would allow her to schedule more therapy appointments for Helen, as well as help the girls with their homework. It would also save the family significant babysitting costs. She will request a 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. workday." ... Go to full excerpt
5. Book: More Than a Mom
Cover image courtesy of Amy Baskin and Heather Fawcett
Author: Amy Baskin and Heather Fawcett
Excerpt Title: "Writing a Letter of Intent"
Quote: "If you were to suddenly die or become incapacitated, that alone would be traumatic for your child. The last thing he would need would be for his own medical needs, routines, and daily life to be thrown into upheaval as well. You can guard against that by writing a Letter of Intent, providing your child's guardians with practical informaton to guide them in making decisions and interacting with your child." ... Go to full excerpt
Excerpt Title: "Writing a Letter of Intent"
Quote: "If you were to suddenly die or become incapacitated, that alone would be traumatic for your child. The last thing he would need would be for his own medical needs, routines, and daily life to be thrown into upheaval as well. You can guard against that by writing a Letter of Intent, providing your child's guardians with practical informaton to guide them in making decisions and interacting with your child." ... Go to full excerpt
6. Book: A Parent's Guide to Special Education
Cover image courtesy of AMACOM
Authors: Linda Wilmshurst and Alan W. Brue
Excerpt Title: "Accommodations for Specific Disabilities"
Quote: "The accommodations required for a child vary based on the child's needs as well as strengths and weaknesses. In general, there is a common set of accommodations for children who have a particular disability. We will address some disabilities and include accommodations that may be helpful. ... Go to full excerpt
Excerpt Title: "Accommodations for Specific Disabilities"
Quote: "The accommodations required for a child vary based on the child's needs as well as strengths and weaknesses. In general, there is a common set of accommodations for children who have a particular disability. We will address some disabilities and include accommodations that may be helpful. ... Go to full excerpt
7. Book: Sibshops
Cover image courtesy of Brookes Publishing Company
Authors: Don Meyer and Patricia Vadasy
Excerpt Title: "What Siblings Would Like Parents and Service Providers to Know"
Quote: "Throughout their lives, brothers and sisters may play many different roles in the lives of their siblings with special needs. Regardless of the contributions they may make, the basic right of siblings to their own lives must always be remembered. Parents and service providers should not make assumptions about responsibilities that typically developing siblings may assume without a frank and open discussion." ... Go to full excerpt
Excerpt Title: "What Siblings Would Like Parents and Service Providers to Know"
Quote: "Throughout their lives, brothers and sisters may play many different roles in the lives of their siblings with special needs. Regardless of the contributions they may make, the basic right of siblings to their own lives must always be remembered. Parents and service providers should not make assumptions about responsibilities that typically developing siblings may assume without a frank and open discussion." ... Go to full excerpt
8. Book: Supportive Parenting
Cover image courtesy of Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Author: Jan Starr Campito
Excerpt Title: "Understanding Your Child's Diagnosis"
Quote: "Can you describe the defining characteristics of the diagnosis, in terms that are accurate and that other people can easily understand? Do you understand how your child's disability is similar to and different from other related or easily confused conditions? Can you apply the diagnosis to your own child, seeing which characteristics are currently present and to what extent?" ... Go to full excerpt
Excerpt Title: "Understanding Your Child's Diagnosis"
Quote: "Can you describe the defining characteristics of the diagnosis, in terms that are accurate and that other people can easily understand? Do you understand how your child's disability is similar to and different from other related or easily confused conditions? Can you apply the diagnosis to your own child, seeing which characteristics are currently present and to what extent?" ... Go to full excerpt
9. Book: To the Left of Inspiration
Cover image courtesy of Katherine Schneider
Author: Katherine Schneider
Excerpt Title: "But I Didn't Sign Up for This: Parenting a Child with a Disability"
Quote: "Realize that your family will no longer be anonymous like "normal" families. The equipment you have to carry, the visibility of the disability, etc. make quick trips to the mall or last-minute getaways with your spouse with a babysitter holding down the fort things of the past. Your organizational and planning skills, as well as your public speaking and advocating skills, will grow by leaps and bounds." ... Go to full excerpt
Excerpt Title: "But I Didn't Sign Up for This: Parenting a Child with a Disability"
Quote: "Realize that your family will no longer be anonymous like "normal" families. The equipment you have to carry, the visibility of the disability, etc. make quick trips to the mall or last-minute getaways with your spouse with a babysitter holding down the fort things of the past. Your organizational and planning skills, as well as your public speaking and advocating skills, will grow by leaps and bounds." ... Go to full excerpt
