Family caregiving is a challenging commitment in itself and, despite how you may be feeling, you are not alone.

According to the National Alliance for Caregiving, 14 percent of family caregivers care for a special needs child with an estimated 16.8 million caring for special needs children under the age of 18. Fifty-five percent of these caregivers are caring for their own children; furthermore, according to recent studies, one in four adults act as a caregiver to a child or parent with a disability, disease or special need.

And, while the need is great, so, too, are the resources available for family caregivers taking care of a loved one with special needs. Here’s a look at 10 resources that can make a caregiver’s experience more manageable:

1. CareTogether.com, a free, private Website that family caregivers can use to manage the care of their loved one using a shared calendar, update functionality and more www.caretogether.com
2. Care.com, a place where you can find local special needs caregivers, http://www.care.com/special-needs
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, caregiving tips for families with special needs www.cdc.gov/family/specialneeds
4. Friends’ Health Connection, links persons with illness or disability and their family caregivers with others experiencing the same challenges www.48friend.org
5. Family Voices, Inc., offers information on healthcare policies relevant to special needs children in every state www.familyvoices.org
6. National Family Caregivers Association, national nonprofit which empowers family caregivers to act on behalf of themselves and their loved ones www.thefamilycaregiver.org
7. BrightStar Care, home care services offering companion, personal and skilled care services for people with special needs, www.brightstarcare.com, 866-618-7827
8. Caring.com, advice from experts on caregiving
9. Easter Seals Inc., services and information about disabilities affecting young children and older adults www.easterseals.com, 800-221-6827 , Chicago, IL
10. Caring From a Distance, offers information and tools to help caregivers whose family members live far away www.cfad.org