Parents of kids with special needs have so many decisions — just in the medical arena alone. Most likely your child will see medical specialists. You may have inherited some from your baby's experience in the NICU. You also may be looking for one because of a newly diagnosed condition.

Your child might see one or more specialists to meet his unique needs. For example, a child with ADHD might see one of several professionals. According to the National Institute of Mental Health website, some common specialists for children with ADHD include:

• Child psychiatrist

• Psychologist

• Developmental/behavioral pediatrician

• Behavioral neurologist

• Clinical social worker

Although all of these professionals are familiar with ADHD, the psychologist and the clinical social worker cannot diagnose it or prescribe medication.

When looking for a specialist, consider the suggestions for finding a pediatrician. In a specialist, you are looking for experience, although a new physician may have had wonderful internship experience. The experience should be centered on the special need and in children. For example, a physician who treats adults for arthritis may not be the best choice to treat a child with juvenile arthritis.

Think about whether or not the specialists are on the same hospital staff. If one recommends the other, they are likely a team, accustomed to working together on decisions and procedures that require the expertise of both fields. While being on the same staff is not always necessary, it often eases the coordination of services and access of records.

Ask lots of questions. You are looking to be on the team that serves your child. It is important to have a good working relationship with all of your child's doctors from the beginning.

Therapy Is Prescribed by Specialists

Therapy goes hand in hand with medical treatment. Most children with special needs will see some kind of therapist more often than they see a doctor. For some children, it might only be a speech therapist at school. For others, the therapist list is long and may include school personnel as well as professionals in the community.

If you are looking for a therapist in the community, begin by consulting your child's specialists. Very often, they will have particular therapists who handle their referrals. Sometimes they are even housed in the same suite of offices. If you are pleased with the specialist, you will most likely be pleased with his referral. Here is a summary of benefits to using this referral system:

• Location

• Communication between offices (reports, consultations)

• Understanding of the other professional's manner of work

• Some ease in your own paperwork

• Possible insurance paperwork convenience

Find more information about specific kinds of therapy (physical, occupational, vision, speech and language). The basic information about therapies and the required doctor prescriptions apply to any age.