Parents of children who have special needs are busy. You might not have time to read over the Special Needs Blog every day, to see what is new. Instead, you can check out the Special Needs Blog Week in Review and quickly discover what you might be missing.
The Special Needs Podcast Roundup went up on January 30, 2012. Some highlights include: CNN’s Dr. Gupta explaining the mystery illness in Texas, and The Coffee Klatch episode with Dr. Allen Frances discussing the changes in the DSM-V.
What is Trisomy 18?
Rick Santorum’s youngest daughter has Trisomy 18. She recently ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. This led Santorum to leave the campaign trail in order to care for her. I go over a brief description of what Trisomy 18 is.
FDA Approves Kalydeco to Treat Cystic Fibrosis
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug called Kalydeco to treat cystic fibrosis. It is designed for people who have CF due to a specific gene mutation called G551D. The drug is to be taken twice a day, and will cost around $249,000 for a one month supply.
Kidney Transplant Now a Possibility for Mia
A mother named Chrissy Rivera has a daughter named Amelia “Mia” Rivera. Mia has Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, and needs a kidney transplant. Chrissy Rivera claims that the doctor who was involved said that Mia could not have a transplant because she was “mentally retarded”. This spread across the internet. Now, it looks like the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is willing to consider the transplant for Mia, after all.
California Closes the Loopholes in Autism Therapy Coverage
Blue Shield of California has reached a settlement with the insurance regulators of California. It is in response to an enforcement action that was filed against the insurer by California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones.
Now, Blue Shield of California will no longer deny ABA therapy as a “non-covered service”. It will stop forcing parents to get approval from an independent medical reviewer before covering ABA treatment for a child. The insurer will no longer challenge whether or not ABA treatment is “medically necessary.”
Finding Ways to Make Valentine’s Day Allergy – Friendly
Valentine’s Day is a difficult holiday for kids with food allergies. Their classroom will be filled with sweets, treats, and candies that are unsafe for them to eat. Here are a few ideas about how to make the Valentine’s Day school party a bit safer for kids who have food allergies.
Image by Joe Lanman on Flickr
