Epilogue: Advancing health outcomes and social participation for CSHCN

Abstract

Children with special health care needs (CSHCN), including children with disabilities, represent a large percentage of children in every human society. CSHCN represent just another aspect of human variation or diversity, with focal conditions arising from a multitude of genetic and/or environmental causes, many of which are incompletely understood at present. As outlined in the chapters of this book, considerable medical, public health, and educational research is being conducted worldwide to better understand the etiology of numerous conditions, to identify effective treatments that improve health outcomes and quality of life for CSHCN, and to provide safe, healthy environments where children with and without disabilities can positively interact socially so that CSHCN can grow and develop into independent and productive adult lives wherever possible.