One in five families has a child with special health care needs-but medical and human service professionals often don't get the training they need to provide long-term, integrated care for these children. Filling a critical gap in professional education, this groundbreaking textbook and training tool presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary framework for delivering effective health care to children with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Going far beyond the traditional model of treating and reducing symptoms, renowned pediatrician Heidi Feldman gives professionals a big-picture blueprint for improving the lives of children with disabilities and helping them participate fully in family and community life.

PREPARE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO

• Focus on three key priorities that improve children's lives-inclusion in community life, contribution to society, and health and well-being
• Understand and resolve the challenges of delivering health care to children with disabilities
• Collaborate on comprehensive, integrated care plans with parents and other professionals
• Implement family- and person-centered care at the clinical, organizational, and policy levels
• Address system fragmentation and work toward coordinated care
• Engage in system and policy reform to ensure better clinical and functional outcomes for children

WITH SPECIAL COMMENTARIES IN EVERY CHAPTER: To illustrate key points, Dr. Feldman relates powerful stories from her 30+ years of experience working with children with disabilities and their families. Readers will get invaluable insights on successful programs, best practices, family concerns and experiences, professional preparation, and more.

Heidi M. Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., is Ballinger-Swindells Professor of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Stanford University and Medical Director for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric Programs at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, in Palo Alto, California.

Nathan J. Blum, M.D., Co-director, Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic, Medical Director, Center for Complex Medical Management, and Attending Physician, The Children's Seashore House of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Division of Child Development, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Blum received his medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed a residency in pediatrics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in developmental-behavioral pediatrics at The Children's Seashore House of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He is Co-director of the Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic for management of common behavior problems in children at Children's Hospital. In addition to publishing in peer-reviewed journals, Dr. Blum is a co-editor of a textbook of pediatric primary care and is one of the authors of the Ask the Experts feature in Contemporary Pediatrics. His academic interests encompass common behavior problems in children, self-injurious behavior in children with developmental disabilities, and the coordinated management of behavioral, medical, and psychological problems in children with chronic illnesses.

Alexis Hansen, M.D., is currently a family practice resident with a strong interest in the care of individuals with disabilities. As a medical student, she conducted research focused on evaluating a noninvasive manual therapy for children with cerebral palsy and served as teaching assistant in an undergraduate course on developmental disabilities. As a family physician, she plans to work to improve the experience of these populations in the health care system.