> Medical Issues

+Diagnosis Index (397) Medical News (78) Books on Medical Issues (19) Special Occasions (4) Hot Topics (31)

How to Pick a Pediatrician
There's more to picking a pediatrician for a child with special needs than finding the finest physician. You'll also want to think about things like how far you'll drive, how long you'll wait, and how well you'll be listened to. Learn more about the five factors you should consider before choosing your child's doctor.

What Parents Want from Doctors and Hospitals
Cases of parents battling hospitals for the continued care of their children have been turning up in the media lately. But parents have been feeling disrespected and misunderstood by the medical profession for a lot longer than that. Here are eight things medical professionals could do to improve relationships with parents, and care for their children.

Make a Care Notebook
Keeping track of records, reports, hospitalizations, doctor's names, prescriptions, and all the other details of a special-needs child's medical care can be a daunting task. Putting everything together in a notebook -- with the help of downloadable forms -- can help you feel more organized and in control.

Share Your Story Online
The internet is a great place to get information to help your family, but it can also be a place to share information about your family -- to inspire or inform others, to gain support, to facilitate communication, to make dreams come true.

Sites of the Day: Medical Issues
Listing of sites on medical special needs that have been featured as a About Parenting Special Needs Site of the Day.

Teach Your Child Healthy Eating
Whether your child has a serious weight problem or you want to make sure he or she never does, healthy eating habits are a wonderful lesson for you to teach. Use the book "Get a Healthy Weight for Your Child" to provide nutritional instruction in a fun and fruitful way.

Enterprising Parents: Apparel and Accessories Index
Looking for specialized apparel and accessories for a child with special needs? Consider these online stores run by parents just like you. They've taken what worked for them and marketed it to help other parents; maybe their discoveries will work for you, too.

The National Center of Medical Home Initiatives
From the American Academy of Pediatrics, information on a family-centered approach to medical care for children with special needs. Includes information on local resources and forms for making a Care Notebook.

Family Voices
Family-based health-care advocacy for children with medical special needs.

Brave Kids
Help for children with chronic, life-threatening illnesses or disabilities. Includes searchable resource directory and message boards for both parents and kids.

Resources for Children with Special Needs
From the Seattle Children's Hospital, tools and tip sheets on parenting a child with special health-care needs, plus information on specific diagnoses.

Hearts of Courage
Information and support for parents whose children are medically fragile, chronically ill with multiple medical conditions, or are fighting life-threatening illness.