Find a Pediatrician Tool

The HealthyChildren.org website provides a tool to search for an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) member pediatrician, pediatric sub-specialist or pediatric surgical specialist. Click on the “Find a Pediatrician or Pediatric Specialist Tool” to start looking.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

The U.S. Department of Education’s IDEA website has information for parents, students, educators, service providers and more on resources for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. The site includes the IDEA Parents and Families Resource page.

Special Camps Overnight Camps for Children, Youth and Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Special Camps provide opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities to experience overnight camp. Special Camps are volunteer-run and offer trained staff and 24-hour nursing for children and adults with disabilities who could not otherwise attend a similar camp due to physical, medical or developmental needs. Financial scholarships are available to campers in need.

Campers can make friends, increase independence and try new activities. Special Camps take place each year at Camp Red Leaf in Ingleside.

Camp registration typically opens in early February. For questions, please contact Colleen McDonald at (630) 690-0944 or colleen.scamps@icloud.com.

Dean Ritter Foundation Scholarship for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The Dean Ritter Foundation Scholarship for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing awards scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 annually to graduating high school seniors throughout Illinois who have severe to profound hearing impairments. Individuals with financial needs will receive special consideration, but the program does not make scholarship decisions solely on a financial basis. Application deadlines and the number and amount of scholarships vary each year.

Students must be continuing their education at an accredited university or technical school to receive tuition scholarships. They must also:

  • Be an Illinois resident
  • Be a senior in high school in good standing
  • Have significant (severe to profound) hearing loss in one or both ears

The Center for Courageous Kids Summer Camps and Family Retreats

The Center for Courageous Kids (CKC) offers free family retreat weekends and overnight summer camp sessions for youth ages 5 to 17 with complex medical conditions and disabilities. CKC welcomes children with a wide range of conditions, including heart/cardiovascular disease, blood disorders, sickle cell disease, spina bifida, and more. The camp provides 24-hour medical coverage, an on-site medical center, and program and medical staff with training and experience in all aspects of medical camping.

The Center for Courageous Kids is open to youth ages 5 to 17 diagnosed with one of the illnesses/conditions it serves and immediate family members. To learn more about the camp, you can also:

Flying Horse Farms Camp for Families and Children with Serious Illnesses

Flying Horse Farms (FHF) is a free medical specialty camp for children and young adults ages 7 to 21 with complex medical conditions and their families. Located in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, FHF offers fun, transformative overnight and family camping experiences to campers across the United States. Camps are available for children and young adults with diagnoses and conditions that include:

  • Heart and lung conditions
  • Rheumatologic diagnoses
  • Craniofacial diagnoses
  • Blood disorders
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Spinal cord diagnoses
  • Mental health conditions

There is no cost to attend camp sessions. Lodging and meals are also provided.

Miracle League of Joliet

The Miracle League of Joliet is a non-profit baseball league for children and young adults (ages 4 to 19) with disabilities. The rules emphasize participation, with every player getting a turn to bat in each inning.  A volunteer “Buddy” assists each player at bat and on the field.

League games take place on a custom-designed field featuring a rubberized turf, free from obstacles to ensure players can round the bases and play baseball safely. Visit the Miracle League of Joliet website for more details.

Miracle League of Central Illinois

The Miracle League of Central Illinois is a league for children and adults with disabilities that enables them to play baseball on a specially designed adaptive field. The Miracle League of Central Illinois and the town of Normal, Ill., partner to provide this program to a wide range of participants. Scholarships are available to help youth of all abilities participate.

Visit the Miracle League of Central Illinois website to learn more.

The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University

The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University is a federally funded center providing elementary and secondary education programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The Clerc Center Online Community provides best-practice videos, research, toolkits and resources for families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and the professionals who work with them.

Clerc Center resources include:

  • The Language First Parent Guide, a step-by-step roadmap for parents with children who are deaf and hard of hearing
  • Family-focused activities such as American Sign Language (ASL) classes, bilingual storybooks and more

Peoria Friendship House/La Familia

The Peoria Friendship House offers wraparound services to empower families and meet changing community needs. Its services include a program supporting the Latino community, citizenship classes, a food pantry, health support services and youth programs. The Peoria Friendship House also provides: