Children with Special Healthcare Needs (CSHCN) are defined by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau as:
“Those who have one or more chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional conditions and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally.”
There are a wide variety of physical, mental, and psychological health conditions considered to be special healthcare needs in the United States. They range from relatively mild to chronic and severe. The functional impairments of CSHCN include problems with one or more of the following criteria: breathing, swallowing/digestion/metabolism, blood circulation, chronic pain, hearing even with corrective devices, seeing even with corrective devices, taking care of self, coordination/moving around, learning/understanding/paying attention, speaking/communicating, making/keeping friends, and behavior.
The list below states health conditions considered to be special healthcare needs.
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Depression
Anxiety problems
Behavioral problems
Autism
Asperger’s
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Diabetes
Developmental delay
Intellectual Disability (ID)
Epilepsy
Migraines
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Heart problems
Blood problems
Cystic fibrosis
Cerebral palsy
Muscular dystrophy
Down syndrome
Arthritis
Joint problems
Allergies
Further reading –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_with_Special_Healthcare_Needs_in_the_United_States