Unmet needs of children with special health care needs in a specialized day school setting

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Healthcare Communication
• Family Support Services

Background:

• Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN) often have complex medical issues requiring school-based care.
• Effective communication among families, healthcare providers, and schools is crucial but often limited.
• Parental concerns and satisfaction with inter-agency communication for CSHCN are under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the concerns of parents with CSHCN families.
• To assess satisfaction with communication between medical providers and schools.
• To explore needs for enhanced school health services.

Main Methods:

• A survey adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was administered to parents of CSHCN.
• Data analysis focused on parental concerns, service access, and communication satisfaction.
• The study examined utilization of primary care and identified unmet needs.

Main Results:

• CSHCN families reported high primary care utilization but persistent difficulties in accessing services.
• Key unmet needs included respite and palliative care.
• Parents expressed a strong interest in improved health information exchange between schools and healthcare providers.

Conclusions:

• Families of CSHCN experience significant barriers to accessing essential support services.
• Enhanced communication and care coordination between schools and medical providers are critical for CSHCN.
• Augmenting school health services is a priority for families to better manage children's complex health needs.