title: Making the invisible, visible.
abstract: Special needs children experience all the difficulties experienced by any child admitted to hospital although these are hugely magnified. Parents continue to carry the burden of care, even after hospital admission, when their child has complex needs. Nurses need to remember that these children have all the needs of any child in addition to needs specific to their disability. Nurses should focus what the child can do, rather than what they cannot do.
authors.affiliation: Early Intervention Unit, East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, The Mary Sheridan Centre, Canterbury.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Warner
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D017281:Cost of Illness; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010989:Play Therapy; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D006113:United Kingdom