The Grottoes International Humanitarian Foundation is a nonprofit organization that helps cover the cost of dental treatment and anesthesia costs, whether done in a hospital setting or dental office, for children with special needs. The program does not cover the hospital costs.

The Dental Care for Children with Special Needs Program is for children under 21 with one or more of the following conditions:

• Cerebral palsy
• Muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular disorders
• Intellectual disabilities, including Down Syndrome
• Dental care for organ transplant recipients (pre- and post-transplant)

Learn more on the program’s eligibility and application page. For more information, fill out the program’s Contact Us form, email hf@hfgrotto.org or call (614) 933-0711.

Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) Family Support Group is a non-profit, mostly volunteer-run organization serving families and professionals worldwide. It provides:

• Support for families affected by MSUD
• Education about the condition and management
• Research
• Advocacy

For questions, please fill out the online form on MSUD Family Support Group’s website.

The National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM) at Utah State University supports Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs throughout the United States. NCHAM helps EHDI programs ensure that children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) are identified through newborn, infant and early childhood hearing screening and receive the diagnostic and early intervention services they need.

NCHAM provides:

• Technical assistance
• Training, video tutorials and podcasts
• Communication options and resources
• Access to information about evidence-based practices
• Partnership opportunities with national EHDI systems of care organizations and other key stakeholders, including those that represent and/ or serve families with children who are DHH.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) provides oral, dental and craniofacial health and disease research, training and health information to advance prevention, early detection and treatment strategies that improve overall health for all individuals and communities across the lifespan.

For information, contact the National Oral Health Information Center at 1 (866) 232-4528 or nidcrinfo@mail.nih.gov.

The Catalyst Center works with a broad range of partners to improve health care insurance coverage and address complex health care financing for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN).

The PKU Organization of Illinois provides resources and support to teens, adults and families with PKU and 16 allied disorders.

Their website includes information about understanding and managing phenylketonuria (PKU), diet, local resources, events, what to expect at different life stages and a PKU binder toolkit.

For questions, please email the PKU Organization of Illinois at pkuillinois@gmail.com.

The National Phenylketonuria (PKU) Alliance (NPKUA) provides help with understanding and managing PKU from diagnosis to adulthood. NPKUA resources include a New Parent Support Kit, a Kindergarten Kit for children entering kindergarten, a downloadable PKU Binder Toolkit, guides for educators and information on the latest treatments, insurance coverage and terms, a mentor program, cooking and food, research grants and more.

NPKUA hosts “Community Call.” These monthly peer support groups offer a place for sharing and connecting with others who understand the unique challenges of living with PKU. Please see the events calendar on NPKUA’s website for meeting times and other details for each of the following groups:

• Caregivers of children ages 0 to 3
• Caregivers of children ages 3 to 12
• Caregivers of teens ages 13 to 17
• Adults with PKU ages 18+
• Adults with PKU ages 40+

The Service Provider Identification & Exploration Resource (SPIDER) is an online directory that can be used to locate providers serving Illinois children. Search options include specialty, services, language, age, and the city or county where you wish to obtain care.

The National Center on Deafblindness (NCDB) is a national technical assistance center that works with state deafblind projects and other partners to improve educational outcomes and quality of life for children ages 0 -21 who are deafblind and their families. NCDB focuses on national initiatives and provides resources in key areas, including:

• Identification and referral
• Family engagement
• Transition to adulthood
• Factsheets, websites, articles, videos and other resources
• Increasing availability of qualified early intervention (EI) providers, teachers and service professionals
• State Deafblind projects

If you have any questions or need help, please fill out the online form on NCDB’s website.

All types of camps are listed in this camp directory.  The directory includes special needs camps, residential camps, day camps and more.