Parents of 'medically fragile' kids likely to lose Sacramento County help
Published: Sunday, May. 30, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 1B
Gracie Lynn Johnson was born with devastating medical problems, to an overburdened mother with psychological issues.
It all added up to tragedy.
Gracie is dead and her mother is in the Sacramento County jail, charged with felony child endangerment.
The scenario is all too common to authorities who investigate and document child deaths in Sacramento County. "Medically fragile" children like Gracie, they said, are highly vulnerable.
Of the 67 youngsters who died of abuse and neglect between 2004 and 2008, 16 were known to be medically fragile, with chronic conditions or special health needs, according to the county's Child Death Review Team.
"These children are 100 percent dependent on their parents" for survival, said Angela Rosas, a Sutter Health pediatrician and member of the death review team. "Because of their conditions, parents can get stressed and frustrated. Probably for that reason, these children most definitely are at greater risk of being neglected and abused."
Yet a crucial lifeline for medically fragile
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/05/30/2786581/parents-of-medically-fragile-kids.html#ixzz0pQHW8RmV