Care of the child with special needs

About 18% of all children in the United States have complex medical diseases, require technologic support, and/or have developmental or intellectual disability. These children require routine or maintenance care through the medical-home model. However, due to a lack of physicians, time, and financial constraints it is difficult for many of those children to obtain this care. Pediatricians often lack the training (or comfort level) to care for these children in the office setting. Having an understanding of what outpatient care entails to better serve this population will help the pediatrician provide a medical-home setting for children with special needs and their families.