St. Clair Resources
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry Pediatric Special Needs Dentistry
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Dentistry Pediatric Dental Care provides comprehensive dental care for children including individuals with complex oral health needs and special developmental and behavioral care needs. Pediatric Dentistry clinics provide care for children from infancy through adolescence (under age 17), including:
- Comprehensive oral health examinations, teeth cleaning, fluoride treatments, sealants, restorative procedures (fillings, crowns, etc.)
- Extractions and minor surgical procedures
- Urgent care (trauma, infection, etc.) and more
These services can be completed using inhalation sedation (Nitrous oxide), moderate sedation and general anesthesia. Read more about pediatric services.
Social stories are also available to help children with autism or sensory issues get ready for a dental visit:
St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center in Chicago
St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center in Chicago provides dental care for children and adults with special needs. The Dental Center provides:
- Two operating rooms specifically for oral rehabilitation
- Dentists and surgeons trained to provide complex care, including careful and various levels of sedation
- Services from routine exams and cleanings to advanced orthodontics, crowns, urgent root canals and more
- Help with insurance and payment options
Contact St. Bernard’s Dental Center at Dental@stbh.org or call (773) 962-3976 for more information.
Disability Vote IL provides voting resources and information for the disability community. The site offers updated nonpartisan videos, webinars and information on elections, how to register to vote, and promoting accessibility of voting technology and polling places. The website also includes information about:
- The Be My Eyes app that helps people who are blind or have vision impairments with voting
- Transportation to the polls
- In-person, nursing home and hospital voting
- Important dates
Assistive Technology Devices and Services for Children With Disabilities Under the IDEA
The U.S. Department of Education’s Assistive Technology (AT) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) resource page can help guide parents and professionals who support children with disabilities who need AT devices and services for meaningful access and engagement in education. Information is available in English and Spanish.
The page also includes “Myths and Facts Surrounding Assistive Devices and Services.” This publication aims to increase understanding of the AT requirements under IDEA. It also aims to:
- Dispel common misconceptions about AT
- Provide examples of the use of AT devices and services for children with disabilities
- Highlight the different requirements under Part C and Part B of IDEA
You can also review “Myths and Facts Surrounding Assistive Devices and Services” in Spanish.
G-Tube Notebook Videos from Children’s Wisconsin
Children’s Wisconsin’s G-tube Notebook videos offer information and step-by-step help for taking care of a child’s feeding tube. The videos include an introduction to understanding feeding tubes as well as videos specific to caring for and changing tubes. A G-tube refresher class is also available in English and Spanish.
Children’s Wisconsin’s PEG tube video provides information and demonstrations on what to expect after the tube is placed, including:
- Care after surgery and helping the site heal
- Types of PEG tubes
- Tips for caring for and stabilizing the tube
- Primary tube change
- Common problems
The Oley Foundation is a non-profit home nutrition therapy community and advocacy group working to enrich the lives of people living with home IV nutrition or tube feeding. The Oley Foundation provides a wide range of resources covering education, community, awareness and innovation.
Caring for a Child with a Gastrostomy Video from St. Louis Children’s Hospital
The “Caring for My Child with a Gastrostomy” video from St. Louis Children’s Hospital provides information on understanding your child’s gastrostomy appliance and how to care for it at home.
This educational video focuses on the gastrostomy tube (g-tube), the gastrostomy button appliance and answering a variety of frequently asked questions.
“Caring for My Child with a Gastrostomy” is broken into segments and available in full. Be sure to select the appropriate video based on whether you want to learn about the gastrostomy tube (g-tube) or the gastrostomy button appliance.
Gastrostomy Tube and Feeding Information from Lurie Children’s Hospital
Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago provides resources for understanding and caring for a child’s gastrostomy tube. This webpage also includes an easy-to-download parent guide, “Supporting Nutrition: Understanding Tube Feeding.” The reference guide includes personal stories and information on:
- Administering feedings through the feeding tube
- Changing the dressings and cleaning around the tube
- Problems that may occur with the gastrostomy tube or the insertion site
Please note this information is not a substitute for the medical care and advice of your physician. There may be individual circumstances of your child’s healthcare that cause a variation in treatment.
Homework Tip Sheets for Families and School Staff
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has created a useful tip sheet with strategies to support parents and guardians who help children complete homework. The “Homework Help Strategies for Caregivers” tip sheet includes a link to a database of helpful homework support websites. It can be found under “Family and Community Resources” on ISBE’s Family and Community Engagement webpage.
School and district professionals as well as school board members can also find tip sheets on how they may help with best practice regarding homework.
Inclusion Brochure from the Illinois State Board of Education
The Illinois State Board of Education’s Inclusion Brochure provides an overview of early childhood inclusion, the benefits of high-quality inclusive programs, teaching models that support inclusion, and more. It can also help families and professionals to better explain least restrictive environment (LRE) and inclusion.
The brochure is also available in these languages: Arabic Inclusion Brochure, Cantonese Inclusion Brochure, French Inclusion Brochure, Japanese Inclusion Brochure, Mandarin Inclusion Brochure, Polish Inclusion Brochure and Spanish Inclusion Brochure.