Accidents happen, especially when children are involved. Children are not always aware of the consequences of their actions and therefore are more likely to be accidentally injured than adults are. Children with special needs are especially prone to accidental injury as they are often in less control of their bodies than typically developing children are. When it comes to keeping children safe from injury or illness, their caregivers, teachers, coaches, and other adults are responsible for their well being. For children with special needs, the importance of having clear advocates for their physical health, when they are unable to do it themselves, becomes even more pronounced.

Children with Special Needs

Children with special needs fall onto a spectrum of required care, from those children who need very little assistance to those who need much more support. Children with special needs like Autism, Down syndrome, and ADHD, face several significant challenges in operating in a typical day, let alone when they are in an emergency medical situation. For these children, communication, self-regulation, and basic care can be challenging on any given day, and when extenuating circumstances arise, it’s all too easy for their physical health to suffer and their unique needs to fall between the cracks.

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