• MassMutual (specialneedshawaii.com/files/11714): Financial Planning Tips for Your Grandchildren with Special Needs: This document may be of use to grandparents who are financially able to give monetary gifts to their grandchildren. It offers advice on how to do this without interfering with government benefits, which is an issue with certain types of trusts.

RESOURCES FOR GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

While some grandparents of children with disabilities play a helping role, others become their grandchildren's primary caretakers, either temporarily or permanently. There are a few resources that may be of use to grandparents who are raising their special needs grandchildren:

• Caring for Grandchildren with Learning or Attention Issues: (understood.org/articles/en/when-grandparents-are-caregivers-or-guardians-of- kids-who-learn-and-think-differently) Advice for grandparents who are caregivers or guardians of children with learning and attention issues.
• AARP Guide for grandfamilies (aarp.org/relationships/friends- family/info-08-2011/grandfamilies-guide-getting-started.html): The American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) offers a useful guide to caring for grandchildren. It includes practical advice on necessary documentation and safety plans, as well as support and service groups.
• Helpguide (helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/grandparents-raising- grandchildren.htm): This offers some general information and advice about "The Rewards and Challenges of Parenting the Second Time Around." It is focused on emotions and mental health.
• ABC Law Centers (abclawcenters.com/about-the-firm): ABC Law Centers was established to focus exclusively on birth injury cases. A "birth injury" is any type of harm to a baby that occurs just before, during, or after birth. 6

IN SUMMARY

As to the care of their grandchildren with disabilities, grandparents of today have become the special super men and women of our generation; replacing the Superman of past comic books and movies who was: Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!•

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

H. Barry Waldman, DDS, MPH, PhD is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department of General Dentistry, Stony Brook University, NY. E-mail: h.waldman@stonybrook.edu. Steven P. Perlman, DDS, MScD, DHL (Hon) is the Global Clinical Director and founder, Special Olympics, Special Smiles; and Clinical Professor of Pediatric Dentistry, The Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine.

References

1. Brown S. J. Special grandparenting for a grandchild with special needs. Available from: focusonthefamily.ca/content/special-grandparenting-for-a-grandchild-with-special-needs. Accessed February 12, 2020.
2. The editors. The Surprising facts about grandparents. Available from: considerable.com/life/family/surprising-facts-about-grandparents Accessed February 13, 2020.
3. Waldman H.B., Perlman S.P.: Grandparents are really "great" grandparents. Exceptional Parent Magazine, 42:18-19, August 2012.
4. Adcox S. Parenting special needs children. Available from: http//grandparentsabout.com/od/grand-parentingroles/a/SpecialNeeds.htm Accessed February1, 2012.
5. Parenting squad. Be the best grandparent to a child with special needs. Available from: parent- ingsquad.com/be-the-best-grandparent-to-a-child-with-special-needs. Accessed February 2, 2012.
6. ABC Law Centers. Support groups for grandparents of children with disabilities. Available from: abclawcenters.com/blog/2018/01/11/grandparenting-a-child-with-a-disability Accessed February 13, 2020.

Children ages 5 and up are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccines. The New Jersey Department of Health strongly recommends talking with your pediatrician or fifinding an appointment near you at covid19.nj.gov.