Developmental Disabilities and Chronic Illness in Young Children

This book examines ideas for promoting positive experiences and adaptations for children with disabilities and chronic illnesses in key contexts or life settings. It discusses critical ideas for fostering involvement, inclusion, and growth for children in the preschool through early elementary school years (ages three to eight), focusing on the importance of resilience and fostering development and well-being for children with either disabilities or medical conditions (or chronic illnesses). The book also describes systems of care and outlines tips for navigating services across the community. It addresses evidence-based research in best practices for inclusivity at school for children with special needs, emphasizing excellence and equity to behavioral, social, and emotional functioning. The book explores the most promising, evidence-based practices for promotion of integration and positive development and growth to enhance the well-being of children with developmental disabilities or chronic illnesses.

Key areas of coverage include:

• Promoting inclusion of children with developmental disabilities and medical conditions in religious settings.
• Inclusivity in school settings as well as playground design and activities for children with developmental disabilities and chronic illnesses.
• The role of families – parents and siblings – in promoting success for children with developmental disabilities and health conditions.
• Peer support for young children with developmental disabilities and chronic physical illnesses.
• Encouraging resilience in hospitalized children with developmental disabilities and illness.

Developmental Disabilities and Chronic Illness in Young Children is a must-have resource for clinicians, therapists, and other practitioners and professionals as well as researchers, professors and graduate students in developmental psychology, child and adolescent psychiatry, family and systems therapy, school and clinical child psychology, social work and counseling, pediatrics and school nursing, and all interrelated disciplines.