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Developmental Disabilities |
What resources are available for people
with developmental disabilities and their families?
CDC does not study education or treatment programs for
people with developmental disabilities, nor does it provide direct
services to people with developmental disabilities or to their families.
However, CDC offers the following suggestions on where to find resources
for people affected by developmental disabilities.
The links below are not on the CDC Web site.
These links are included for information only. CDC has no control
over the information at these sites. The views and opinions of these
organizations are not necessarily those of CDC, the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS), or the U.S. Public Health Service
(PHS). |
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First, talk with your child's doctor or teacher if you
are concerned about your child's development.
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The National Dissemination Center for Children with
Disabilities (NICHCY) has resource sheets that list key programs in
each state for children with developmental problems and for their
families. The lists include state agencies serving children and youth
with disabilities, state chapters of disability organizations and parent
groups, and parent training and information projects. [View
the NICHCY Resource Sheet for your state]
You can also call NICHCY at 800-695-0285 (voice or
TTY) to talk with a staff person about your questions or concerns or
e-mail them at nichcy@aed.org.
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Every state provides education services for children
who have developmental problems. These programs can start right after a
baby is born and last until he or she turns 22. You can find out more
about these programs from the following resources:
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Financial help may be available for health care.
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Children's Health Insurance Program
Each state has a Children's Health Insurance Program that provides free or
low-cost health insurance for eligible children. The Insure Kids Now!
Web site has basic facts about these programs. It also has links to
every state's insurance program for children, where you can learn who is
eligible for the program, how to apply, and what services are covered.
Information is available in English and Spanish.
[In English: Insure Kids Now!
| Your State's Program]
[En Español:
¡Asegure a sus Hijos Ahora! |
El Programa de
su Estado]
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Medicaid
People of all ages who have disabilities may be eligible for health care
coverage through Medicaid. Each state runs its own Medicaid program. The
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Web site has general
information about Medicaid, including who is eligible and what services
are provided. It also has the Web address for each state's program. [Go
to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Web site] [Find
the Web site for your state's Medicaid program]
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People with developmental disabilities may be helped
by using assistive technology (AT). AT is any item that helps a person
do things in his or her daily life. Examples of AT devices include
wheelchairs, a keyguard that helps children find the right keys on a
computer keyboard, a simpler remote control for a TV or stereo, an
adapted mouse that makes computer navigation easier, switches that help
children play with toys, and talking books.
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The National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
NIDRR funds state projects that help people of all ages with disabilities
get access to AT devices and services. [Find
the NIDRR assistive technology project in your state and visit the
project's Web site]
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National Library Service for the Blind & Physically
Handicapped (NLS)
NLS provides a free library service for people who cannot read regular
books and magazines because of vision impairment or physical disability.
NLS offers books and magazines in both Braille and audio formats. NLS
libraries are located throughout the country. [Read
more about NLS] [Find
the NLS library closest to you]
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MEDLINEplus: Assistive Devices
MEDLINEplus is an online service of the National Library of Medicine. It
links users to information about specific health topics, including
assistive devices. The site includes general information about assistive
devices, plus links to information about funding, research, specific
conditions, dictionaries, organizations, statistics, and children,
teenagers, and seniors. MEDLINEplus brings together information from
many sources and is updated daily. Some information is available in
Spanish.
[In English:
MEDLINEplus Health Information: Assistive Devices]
[En Español:
MEDLINEplus Información de Salud: Aparatos de asistencia]
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Possible new treatments for people with disabilities
are studied through clinical trials. ClinicalTrials.gov is a Web site
run by the National Library of Medicine that has information about
studies funded by the National Institutes of Health, other federal
agencies, and companies that make drugs. You can find out about studies
involving people who have certain disabilities, including who is doing
the study, what the purpose of the study is, who can be in the study,
where the study is being done, and how to get more information about the
study. When you go to the ClinicalTrials.gov site, you can enter the
name of the disability you are interested in, such as “cerebral palsy”
or “blindness.” Then click on the Search button and you will see a list
of related studies. [Find
studies on ClinicalTrials.gov site]
[Return to top]
Date: October 29, 2004
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
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