ABSTRACT
The prevalence of chronic health conditions among children and youth is high. Definitions of chronic health conditions vary greatly. A conservative definition, which is employed by the National Health Interview Survey, requires that a condition be persistent and result in a substantial and major impairment in a child’s daily activities. Using this definition, it is estimated that about 7% of U.S. children have a chronic health condition (National Center for Health Statistics, 2006). If the definition is broadened to include children with at least a mild impairment in educational, family, and social functioning, the prevalence is much higher.
