User:Aksgpp3131/Children with Special Healthcare Needs in the United States

Bold: edited text

Population[edit]
In 2019-2020, 19.4% of all children in the United States had a special health care need. This totals up to around 14.1 million children requiring special assistance. (HRSA)

Epidemiology[edit]
The prevalence of children with special healthcare needs in the population depends on several factors, including gender, age, socioeconomic level and family household education. In the National Survey of Children's Health Data in 2007, gender is the strongest predictor of special health care needs—about 60% of children with special health care needs are boys and 30% are girls. A study by Newacheck et al. found that age is also a strong predictor, as school-age children are found to be twice as likely as toddlers to require special needs care, and this prevalence continues to increase as children grow older. Families with income below the federal poverty level are 1/3 more likely to have children with special health care needs, and families with 12 or fewer years of education have increased prevalence of a child with SHCN as well. Family structure also correlates with this prevalence—for single-mother families are 40% more likely to have a CSHCN than two-parent households. These trends underline the ongoing need for targeted support and resources for families of CSHCN.

Support Systems and Resources

Children in need of special healthcare often required an additional support system that extends beyond medical care. There are various support systems such as health services and resources that may be beneficial to provide further support for a child.

Educational support may be helpful for children with special healthcare needs to ensure they receive appropriate educational opportunities. This may include individualized education plans (IEPs), learning disabilities program and any other accommodations that cater to a child's individual learning requirements(If You Are a Parent). There are also numerous online resources for those seeking support. Several online platforms offer educational materials and forums for sharing experiences and advices which may be useful for children with special needs healthcare. A strong support system for a children with special healthcare needs may be beneficial and improve the livelihood of the child.