Posted by: Emily Decker, MD on Jan 13, 2026


Raising a child with special needs comes with extra joys—and extra challenges that go far beyond medical care. Learn how to find mentors, connect with support groups, explore adaptive sports and recreation, access respite care, and advocate for your child, plus how CAP4Kids can help you quickly find local resources with just a few clicks.

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Pediatric News You Can Use From America’s Largest Pediatric Hospital and Research Center

700 Children’s® features the most current pediatric health care information and research from our pediatric experts – physicians and specialists who have seen it all. Many of them are parents and bring a special understanding to what our patients and families experience. If you have a child – or care for a child – 700 Children’s was created especially for you.

Latest Posts

Early Motor Milestones: What to Expect in Your Child 0-6 Months

May 17, 2016

Do you understand how important movement is and when, or how, your baby should start moving? Here’s some insight from a parent — and pediatric physical therapist. Read More

girl with face on hand

Stress and Physical Symptoms: When It's Not Just in Your Head

Apr 14, 2016

Most people know that when we have an illness, how we feel physically affects how we feel mentally. So, it should come as no surprise that mental feelings can have the opposite effect and change our physical state. Read More

Child with hearing aids in.

Helping Your Child Adjust To Hearing Aids

Mar 24, 2016

Each year, thousands of school-aged children and newborn babies are diagnosed with some degree of hearing loss. For many of these kids, hearing aids will become the gateway to the world of sounds around them. Read More

Is Strength Training Safe for Kids?

Mar 01, 2016

The safety and effectiveness of children participating in strength training has previously been a source of great debate. However, despite previous misconceptions there is now evidence supporting strength training by pre-adolescent and adolescent children and its acceptance by medical and fitness Read More

thoughtful looking girl

Eating Disorders: Awareness is the First Step

Feb 23, 2016

As the medical director of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Eating Disorders Program, I am a passionate advocate, but I must be honest – I was skeptical when asked to write about National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Read More

Cholesterol Screening for Kids - When Should Your Child be Tested?

Feb 03, 2016

You probably know that you need to get your blood lipids, or cholesterol, checked regularly as a way to understand your risk for cardiovascular disease. But you might wonder why your 10 year old needs to have her cholesterol checked. Read More

Early Sports Specialization: Does Benefit Outweigh Risk?

Jan 05, 2016

Early sports specialization is when a young athlete chooses a single sport to practice and play exclusively. This usually occurs prior to elementary or middle school, is nearly year-round, and is an attempt to gain early skills. Read More

Our Top 10 Posts of 2015

Dec 31, 2015

As we wrap up 2015, we want to take a moment to put a bow on the top ten 700 Children’s posts from the past year. This site is a wealth of information from our clinicians, researchers and staff and we thank them, and our readers, for sharing this space with us. Read More