Helping Schoolchildren with Chronic Health Conditions

“A concise, practical book that addresses many common issues that parents and professionals might face....In two particularly helpful chapters, Clay discusses the task of reintegrating a student with a disability or illness into the school system and the process of coping that inevitably occurs with such a shift on the students and the educators....An invaluable resource in itself, the book teems with extra text and Internet resources for parents, educators, and health professionals to turn to for each topic discussed in the book....This book provides the tools to those who care for and work with these children to improve the quality of learning and life impaired by their health conditions.”

—Intervention in School and Clinic


“This thoughtful and up-to-date book is an excellent resource for professionals who work with children. Especially helpful are the many checklists, handouts, and intervention strategies that are provided in a format readily available for distribution to teachers and parents. The text clearly explains IEP and 504 service provision options for children with chronic health-related issues. I heartily recommend this book for school-based mental health and special education practitioners. It could be used as a supplementary text for graduate courses in school counseling, school psychology, and special education.”

—LeAdelle Phelps, PhD, Department of Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York


“Clay has created an important, practical, easy-to-read guide for school personnel. His book should help enable children with significant health issues—including those who have recently been hospitalized—to succeed emotionally and academically in school. Because the book contains diverse information in a single source, it will help teachers, school nurses, counselors, school psychologists, special education administrators, and principals. It also may serve as a text in courses that address the educational needs of children with severe or chronic illness.”

—David L. Wodrich, PhD, ABPP, Division of Psychology in Education, College of Education, Arizona State University


“This book is a gift to all of us who care for children with special health needs. Dr. Clay provides a complete resource for addressing school transitions and involving teachers, parents, and counselors as full partners in providing care. As a practicing pediatric psychologist, I will use the worksheets and resources in this book every week. The book is filled with practical information and applications for professionals, and should be required reading for every teacher and pediatric psychologist in training.”

—Sharon Berry, PhD, Children's Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, Minnesota


“Having spent 50 years in academic pediatrics working with children with chronic illness and 15 years involved with special education in the public schools, I feel confident that there isn't a teacher, school counselor, school nurse, or principal who won't find this volume to be a great benefit in their roles. The volume is not only comprehensive but is also remarkably practical, with multiple figures, tables, worksheets, and pertinent examples and case histories. The author has also included access to a wide variety of additional resources and materials for educators, parents, and children themselves. I recommend this book as a text for students in education and school and child psychology and physicians in pediatric and family practice residencies.”

—William B. Weil, MD, Department of Pediatrics and Human Development (Emeritus), Michigan State University