THE EDITOR IN CHIEF'S DESK FAYE SIMON

To Your Health

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 1/5 of all kids in the U.S. have a special health care need.1

Our focus in the February issue of EP Magazine is healthcare, and particularly as it pertains to individuals with special health care needs. For individuals with disabilities and special health care needs, these needs may be medically-complex, meaning many areas of life are impacted, possibly over the individual's lifetime, or, they may have a single diagnosis that temporarily impacts the individual and the family.

As Cindy Weber and Tara Szymanek point out in our cover story, “the more people with disabilities in a home, the more support they will require. This means that supporting the needs of multiple children with disabilities can require additional support for both the children and caregivers throughout their lifetime.” Their article is an excellent summary of how parents can locate and utilize specialized support systems on the local, state and federal level, as well as create a support network of family and friends.

The issue also contains articles on various other challenges families face while caring for people with physical, developmental or intellectual disabilities, such as: obtaining adequate oral care; navigating medical bills; and encouraging physical fitness. Other highlights include an informative overview on newborn screening, and an especially poignant piece by Kim McCafferty on the tradition of her yearly family vacation.

Lorene Reagan, MS, RN addresses the question "Why Are People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Left Out of Clinical Research Trials?" and Lauren Agoratus, M.A. offers "How People with Disabilities and Their Families Can Be Involved In, Lead, and Change Systems of Care."

We would like to remind our readers that comments, suggestions and questions are appreciated at fsimon@epmagazine.comor epmagazinevp@gmail.com. Your feedback helps us in our goal to constantly provide relevant and helpful information to as many families and professionals as possible, on a wide variety of topics. We also request that you share our magazine with friends, family, coworkers and colleagues who might benefit from our substantial content, and let them know that they can sign up for EP for Free at www.epmagazine.com to read both the digital magazine and newsletter for free. Be sure to join our community by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/exceptionalparentmag, on Instagram @epmzine and on wwww.twitter.com/epmzineand share our posts

Faye Simon

"The needs of children with disabilities can require additional support for both the children and caregivers throughout their lifetime."

  1. cdc.gov/childrenindisasters/children-with-special-health- care-needs.html

Faye Simon

Faye Simon

Editor In Chief

THE EDITOR IN CHIEF'S DESK

Faye Simon is a certified pre-K—8 teacher with a wide range of educational experience. She has worked in deaf/blind and infant stimulation programs, taught K—2 in public schools, and was a Head Teacher and Parent Coordinator for Head Start. She is Founder and President of the volunteer-run IES Brain Research Foundation. As EP's Editor In Chief, Faye sources and edits articles, creates partnerships with businesses and not-for-profit organizations, and develops relationships with EP's writers, corporate partners, readers and staff.

Information and Support for the Special Needs Community

VOLUME 54 ISSUE 2 ESTABLISHED 1971

Publisher Len Harac lharac@epmagazine.com

Editor In Chief Faye Simon fsimon@epmagazine.com

Art Direction & Design Leverett Cooper lev@foxprintdesign.com

EXCEPTIONAL PARENT MEDIA

Exceptional Parent (ISSN 0046-9157) is published monthly 12 times per year including the special January EP Guide - Navigating Special Needs Resources by Exceptional Parent Magazine, 1360 Clifton Avenue, Ste. 327, Clifton, NJ 07012 Internet address: epmagazine.com. All rights reserved. Copyright ©2024 by Exceptional Parent Magazine,. Exceptional Parent™ is a registered trademark of Exceptional Parent Magazine. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Exceptional Parent,1360 Clifton Avenue, Ste. 327, Clifton, NJ 07012. Any applicable periodical postage paid at Clifton, NJ and additional mailing offices (USPS 557-810). Basic annual subscription for EP Digital is free. Limited edition print subscription $199.00. Subscriber Service: Direct all inquiries & address changes to: Exceptional Parent, 1360 Clifton Avenue, Ste. 327, Clifton, NJ 07012 08758. Customer Service/New Orders: E-mail: fsimon@epmagazine.com or call (973) 726-6218. Back issues incur a charge of $17 each with shipping, (January issue $20 when requested) and depend upon availability. Call (973) 726-6218. Agreement #1420542