Legal and Medical Resources to Empower Cerebral Palsy Families
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Letters of medical necessity are critical to getting reimbursed for any equipment or service. These are letters from your doctor or therapist. Such a letter must include certain, specific information or it will automatically be denied. Many doctors and therapists are familiar with what needs to be in a letter of medical necessity. But if [...]
By Dana DeRuvo, R.N. When the time came to find daycare for my oldest child, Rachel, I researched, interviewed and lamented over the perfect choice. When the time came to do the same for my special needs toddler, Nicholas, the process was much more difficult. Just thinking about it was overwhelming, making it hard for me to move [...]
By Lee Vander Loop Among the challenges of parents of children with special needs is planning for the future. How will my child’s medical and financial needs be met? Who will be responsible for my child’s care when I die or become debilitated? What rights can my child assume as an adult, and who will decide? That [...]
By Lisa Viele I’ll say this up front: I am a homebody and would rather be home than anywhere else, mainly because so much work is involved in taking a trip. My husband tells me I don’t have an adventurous bone in my body. That said, I made several trips this summer with our three children, [...]
By Howard Janet and Giles Manley, MD The following checklist is based on obstetrical “best practices.” Parents can use the checklist to help make sure basic care standards are being followed, and to help prevent medical mistakes during the labor and delivery process. I have someone with me willing to advocate for me with medical [...]
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In October, I wrote several articles titled “Diary of a Crisis” about a medical emergency we experienced with our daughter, Danielle. Danielle has suffered from severe spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy since birth. The past 18 months have been a constant struggle with medical professionals to get answers about our daughter's deteriorating health.
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Birthing classes and many books about pregnancy help parents-to-be prepare for the birth experience and some of their choices, especially when it comes to managing pain. However, few deal with potential complications, preferring to leave that scary ”what if” in the hands of doctors. However, my experience as a practicing obstetrician for more than 20 years is that it’s vitally important for parents to know what standards of care are and how to advocate for themselves and their child if these standards are not being met.
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