Navigating care for a medically complex child
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Managing the health care of a child with complex medical issues is challenging, even for the most organized parent.

Tommy's journey
Tommy Boyce is a typical toddler—curious, active and loves learning about the world around him. But due to a respiratory birth defect, his daily routine couldn’t be more different.

Managing your special child’s medical records
Chicago neurodevelopmental pediatrician Dr. Alan Rosenblatt sees a number of children with complex medical histories

How we do it
Being the parent of a special needs child forces you to ride the special parent see-saw.

'Who am I to tell my child you can't?'
At just 3 months old, Cristian Richardson taught his mom her first lesson as a parent of a child with special needs.

Failure to take a break hurts your health, relationships, even your parenting
In the months following her daughter Amy’s diagnosis of a rare muscle disorder, Roberta Hansen didn’t allow herself to mourn the news. In fact, she didn’t allow herself to take a break at all.

Some disabilities can be mistaken for misbehavior
Mary Kay Betz knows all too well of the stares, the shaking heads and the insults that can occur when a parent and a child with autism are in public.

From the Editors | No limits needed
From the moment the pregnancy test reads positive, our dreams and planning begin.

Mom advocates, educates others about her son's diabetes
For Patty Ramos, managing her son Armani's type 1 diabetes feels like driving at night without any lights on.

Create a sensory day of play that's full of fun and learning
Here’s a schedule for a fun-filled day of play that encourages the special child in your life to explore all of their senses:

My Life | A different view
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Six words changed my entire life: "Down syndrome is your best case scenario."

Summer camp - day or overnight - is a rite of passage
Kids across Chicago are finding summer places where they can savor success instead of spending the long sunny days being yelled at because of their differences.

Summer camp strategies
How to ease your child's anxiety about summer camp.

Study: Keep kids with special needs active
Staying in shape is a good idea for all kids (and parents, too) but may have a particularly beneficial effect on children

Ticklebug Baby Changing Kit
A local mom and daughter created a fashionable changing pad large enough for an older child with special needs.

For grandparents, when to help, when to step back can be its own challenge
How to be at hand to help without sticking their mugs in to meddle is one of the toughest calls special grandparents.

Date set for Disability Resource Day
Every parent wants to protect their child’s rights, get them the best education and help them become independent.

Olympic trainer's karate dojo a boon for kids with special needs
Karate and other martial arts can be especially effective training tools for children with disabilities.

Inspirations | Courage to follow her dreams
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In spite of being born with cerebral palsy and three movement disorders, Hannah, who needs assistance to speak and walk, thinks life is great fun and wants to let others know.

The right thing to do
In the midst of the ongoing drama that is Illinois politics, it is truly remarkable that monumental legislative acts affecting the lives of thousands of families of children with special needs in our state can be passed.

Treating cold, flu symptoms for kids with autism, ADD/ADHD
The average child will have six to 10 colds per year. Evaluating treatment options is especially important in people

Sensory input right at home
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Josh Mallan’s a-ha moment came while staring at the ceiling waiting for his son, Miles, who has Asperger’s syndrome, to fall asleep.

Discovering your child’s dream
As your child approaches adulthood, it is time to begin looking for her dream as an independent adult.