The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children/Youth With Special Health Care Needs: A School Nurse's Perspective

School nurses repeatedly have been stretched to the limits over the past few years with the COVID-19 pandemic—managing not only routine daily care of students but also juggling those unique needs of children and youth with special health care needs, especially for those who also lost a parent/caregiver from COVID-19. This article provides background demographic information on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected these children, along with a specific case report of a middle school student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who also experienced the loss of a parent from COVID-19. Specific practical suggestions are discussed on how school nurses proactively and collaboratively can assist these students whose lives were permanently changed by the life-changing event of losing a parent/caregiver from COVID-19.