Promoting Family-Centered Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs

There are approximately 10.2 million children in the United States with special health care needs, which translates into one out of every five households (MCHB 2007). Like other children and youth, those with special health care needs deserve a happy, healthy childhood and youth – attending school, enjoying community events, living with their families – as well as the opportunity to become productive adults. However, unlike other children and youth, children with special health care needs also have challenging health conditions – physical, mental, or emotional – that can make their lives and their families’ lives more complicated.