Looking for some Information?

Here, you'll find some great resources, such as books and websites, for people with chronic health care conditions and disabilities.

Easy for You to Say: Q&A's for Teens Living with Chronic Illness or Disability

I recently read a book called “Easy for You to Say: Q&A's for Teens Living with Chronic Illness or Disability” by Mariam Kaufman, M.D. (Key Porter Books, 1995) The book is about teens who have questions about their chronic health conditions, and certain situations where problems arise because of them (problems with friends, parents, etc...). The book is written in a “question-and-answer” format, with the teens or young adults asking the questions, then the writer giving their expert opinion on what the individual should do in that particular situation.

The book has a lot of different topics discussed in it, ranging from Family Relationships, to doctors and medical issues, to drug & alcohol issues. `Easy for You to Say' also has one quality in it that I, at least, don't see in very many books. It shows both sides of a question equally. For example, in the Family Relationships section, it shows both the parents' point of view, and the teen's point of view as well, giving reasons for what both may be thinking and saying.

I, being a person with a disability (Spina Bifida), recommend this book to others with any type of disability or chronic health care need, or if you are looking to learn more about people with disabilities, and some of the concerns they may have.

The Teenager's Guide to the Real World

The Teenager's Guide to the Real World, by Marshall Brain (BYG Publishing, 1997), is a very good book for teenagers in general, not specifically just ones with special health care needs. It covers all logical angles of most things, such as living in your own, saving money, keeping track of finances, being successful in employment, and several others; 45 chapters worth, in fact! The book is written from an expert's point of view, putting all issues of a certain problem on the table, and going through each one and how it could effect a person's life. One thing I find unique about The Teenager's guide is that it does give ALL the options. I recommend this particular book to any teen who is looking to become a successful, thriving adult.

Links Galore!

Ability Online: Ability Online is a great service, out of Ontario, Canada. They have a message board, which is broken up into 'conferences' for different things (teens, hospitalizations, tech-talk, kids chat, transportation services, etc...). To be able to post to Ability Online's message board, you have to sign up with the service, for free, and they mail you a keyword to enter in. You can, however, scroll through the available conferences and read messages without signing up.

Everyday Warriors: Everyday Warriors, in concept, is similar to Band-Aides & Blackboards. Everyday Warriors has specific sections for kids, teens, adults, and seniors. Everyday Warriors also has sections for parents, caregivers, and an odds-and-ends section, for the guestbook, e-mail the webmaster, and things like that.

TeensHealth: TeensHealth has some great information on body basics, sexual health, food & fitness, a good question-and-answer section, a section specifically designed for health problems, as well as a few others. Once you click on one of the categories, just click on the article of information you would like to read about.

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability NCPAD is operated by the University of Illinois at Chicago, and its main purpose is to promote physical activity in all people, mostly people with disabilities. Physical activity can be sports, working out, exercising, or any combination thereof.

Do you have any websites you really like to use? Send an e-mail and let us know!

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If you have questions about this website, please contact CCIDS' webmanager ~ Updated: 10/10/2007