Table 2.
Prevalence of Health-Related Characteristics Among Children With Special Health Care Needsa
| Characteristic | % of Children With Special Health Care Needs |
|---|---|
| Consequences of special health care needs | |
| Child's use of or need for prescription medication | 78.4 |
| Elevated service use (medical care, mental health, education) | 38.5 |
| Emotional, behavioral, or developmental problem | 28.4 |
| Limitation in activities, compared with peers | 21.3 |
| Child's use of or need for special therapy (physical, occupational, speech) | 17.5 |
| Functional difficulties, by type | |
| Difficulty with any bodily function (eating, dressing) | 57.4 |
| Difficulty with participation in any activity (walking, running) | 49.3 |
| Emotional or behavioral difficulty | 41.9 |
| Selected conditions | |
| Allergies | 53.0 |
| Asthma | 38.8 |
| Attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder | 29.8 |
| Depression/anxiety/other emotional problem | 21.1 |
| Mental retardation | 11.4 |
| Autism or autism spectrum disorders | 5.4 |
| Seizure disorders | 3.5 |
a
Source: Health Resources and Services Administration (1). "Special health care needs" defined as the presence of a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and the need for health and related services that differ from those required by children generally in type and in intensity (7).