Medical/Health and Wellness Resources
Package of Hope for NICU Families
Lily’s Hope Foundation offers free customized care packages to families with premature babies either in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or when they are being discharged.
Its Package of Hope program provides packages customized to a family’s specific needs. Packages also include a sibling care package and an emergency needs package.
Packages are shipped throughout the United States based on availability. One Package of Hope per family.
Pain Care Rights is a patient advocacy organization that helps people with chronic pain and their caregivers navigate the healthcare system, document their symptoms and advocate for better treatment. It provides practical tools, resources and guidance to empower patients.
The Pain Care Rights’ State Information search tool provides information on state agencies, forms, deadlines and responsibilities. Resources also include tools and information to help you:
- Learn about health conditions
- Prepare for medical visits
- Document care barriers
- Review records
- Write clear questions, messages or requests to address concerns or get information
Parent Guide to Special Education
“A Parent’s Guide – Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois” is a guide for parents, teachers, administrators and others to learn about the educational rights of children who receive special education and related services due to disabilities that affect their ability to achieve academically.
Special education laws and procedures are complicated and can be difficult to understand. This guide from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) will clarify some of the procedures of special education. It contains information about many of the most common topics related to the broad special education landscape, from identification and evaluation to transition planning and complaint procedures.
Review individual topics and chapters or download a complete copy of “A Parent’s Guide – Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois” on ISBE’s website.
Parents Helping Parents (PHP) is a nonprofit organization providing training, individual assistance, information, and resources for raising a child of any age with any disability or special needs diagnosis.
Parents of Extraordinary Children
Parents of Extraordinary Children (PEXC) is a nonprofit that aims to inform, empower, support, and advocate for families of children and young adults with disabilities on the southeast side of Chicago.
With the help of volunteers and representatives from citywide organizations, PEXC hosts an annual resource fair and provides opportunities for Individualized Education Program (IEP) training, learning to navigate the special education process, understanding terminology, initiating the evaluation process, the transition to adulthood and more.
For more information, call (312) 600-5479 or email admin@pexc10thward.com.
PatientsLikeMe uses the power of community and digital platforms to improve the lived experience of patients managing complex health conditions. PatientsLikeMe offers people navigating a wide variety of health journeys a central hub for peer support, personalized health insights, tailored digital health services and patient-friendly clinical education.
PatientsLikeMe digital platforms cover five key areas where you can dive into discussions, ask questions and gain insights from others like you:
- Community – 70 communities that cover 2,800 conditions where you can make helpful connections and be part of a safe community
- My Health – An easy-to-navigate place for tracking symptoms, treatments, labs and vitals
- Conditions- Learn how to manage your condition better and share your experiences with others
- Treatments – Learn from others and find the treatment that is right for you
- PatientsLikeMe Community Voice Blog
For more information and a list of frequently asked questions, visit the PatientsLikeMe Help Center.
Still have a question? Please fill out and submit the form on the PatientsLikeMe Contact Us page.
Pediatric First Aid and Safety Training for Teachers and Caregivers
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ “Pediatric First Aid and Safety Training for Teachers and Caregivers” online course is for anyone who works with or cares for infants and children. The six-unit training provides caregivers with an understanding of first aid and safety procedures, recognizing everyday medical emergencies and providing care for an injury or illness until professional help arrives.
Each unit takes about an hour to complete. You can complete the course at your own pace. The course costs $25 and is available through March 30, 2028. It covers:
- Administering mental health first aid
- Effectively communicating with emergency responders
- Disaster planning
- Identifying and managing common pediatric medical emergencies
- Using first aid equipment and child-specific procedures for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Pediatric Tracheostomy Tube Emergency Management Video
In this video, nurses from Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago describe and demonstrate emergency management for pediatric patients with tracheostomy (trach) tubes. The video covers:
- Prevention and assessment of emergency situations
- How to manage a mucous plug
- How to replace a trach tube that has become dislodged
- What to do if the trach tube is difficult to replace
- When to provide manual ventilation using bag to trach tube, bag and mask to mouth, and mouth to mouth
Pediatrician Guidance on Telehealth
Telehealth is a tool that can help connect your child to many different types of healthcare services using various types of technology, such as live, interactive audio and video and special diagnostic tools. Healthychildren.org provides tips for talking to your pediatrician and using telehealth effectively. The information is available in several languages.
People’s Resource Center (PRC) serves DuPage County residents. It offers a food pantry, computer access, financial assistance, an art program, a clothes closet and more. Residents need to register to receive services.
Download the PRC flyer for a list of locations, services and times for:
- The food pantry
- The clothes closet
- Empowerment services
- Social services