Occupational therapy helps children with motor, cognitive, physical, and speech delays develop their skills. It also works to improve the function and independence of children and adolescents with disabilities, injuries or illnesses. A PPEC center is ideal to help them
For most kids, summer means freedom: a chance to take a break from the structured school day and, well, let the good times roll. But for my 7-year-old son Charlie, who just finished kindergarten (a feat we weren’t sure he could accomplish in a regular classroom), the start of summer vacation this month has been a bit heartbreaking.
Due to Charlie’s cerebral palsy, he relies on a wheelchair to get around and a speech device to talk. For these reasons alone, he feared introducing him to public school. I had heard horror stories from other special needs parents: about children who couldn’t use the bathroom and who came home with diapers that had never been changed, children ignored by teachers and peers and left to their own (extremely limited) resources. I was worried that Charlie wouldn’t be able to connect with his kindergarten teacher or his classroom assistants. I knew that my son’s receptive language skills (what he understands and absorbs) are above average. But since Charlie was still learning how to use his talking device at the beginning of the school year, I was worried that his intelligence would go unnoticed because no one would care enough to bring it up.
Last August, on Charlie’s first day of kindergarten, I waited with him in our driveway for the school bus to arrive. He was in his chair while I knelt next to him, a position that comforted us both. I told Charlie what I knew about his daily schedule, reminded him of the name of his new special education teacher, and promised him again and again that he would see me again that afternoon. When the bus arrived, I waved him off, doing my best to hide my sense of fear for him.
To my surprise and relief, Charlie came home that afternoon exhausted, but happy. His bag was filled with the crayon self-portraits his classmates had made to introduce themselves. Charlie had found a welcoming community that was eager to interact with him and support him.
But now summer arrives and it’s the most difficult time of year for many families of children with special needs, a huge three-month gap in the support network that is so crucial to our children’s well-being. I had spent months worrying about how Charlie would do in public school. But, once he started kindergarten and I saw how much he benefited from daily interactions with his peers, I began to worry about how he would do once school closed for the summer. Although there are summer camp-style programs across the country that serve children with special needs, the cost of those camps is a burden for many parents.
Fortunately, we learned that there were extended care centers for children with these problems, called PPEC or Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care, which is what they are called, where they offer nursing care and attention for 12 hours and develop an activity plan during the Summer. That has been our salvation as parents, not only for the well-being of our child, but also for ourselves who must work and face the obligations of daily life.
I am discouraged, says a mother, by the displays of pity and concern for her son’s paralysis. Javier was partially paralyzed in a sports accident when he was a teenager. Three years later he lives as full a life as possible, with friends, studies, plus music and following all the sports that he loves. Still, she says, “when we socialize, everyone looks at us, looks sad, touches us gently and tells us how brave we are. I know they want to support me, but that makes me feel uncomfortable. And when I respond that her paralysis is not as problematic as she thinks, she goes on and on about how inspiring I am.
Of course, Javier is much more than his legs, so how could his mother handle this?
I think there may be two problems here: compassion that is well-intentioned but seems to have turned into pity. That would make a lot of us angry. Pity carries a smell of superiority. And I support her objection to her friend’s (implicit) judgment that his son is somehow inferior because he is paralyzed.
Sometimes not, sometimes friends and families get scared and mention it incessantly because they can’t imagine how they would do if they were in their parents’ situation.
So, and in these cases, as psychologists suggest, it is best to be direct and kind. Warn them that you, as his parents, have had time to process the accident and are enjoying Javier’s current accomplishments. And that’s why it’s best to focus on the current moment and enjoy Javier and his smile despite his disability.
I am the only person in charge of my son who has a medical condition that requires constant monitoring, he has chronic diabetes and needs some help to move around and go to the bathroom. I had been working from home since the pandemic, but now my boss needs me in the office. First, I was able to have a home nurse through insurance, but only for a few hours, and I must work 8 hours a day plus 2 for transportation.
Finding a place where they take care of my son’s health and at the same time help him in his teaching life has been very difficult, not all states allow Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPEC), fortunately in Florida it does. So, I was able to talk to my boss and move to a bank branch in Florida so I could work and not lose my seniority.
It has been a very difficult stage, not only for me, but especially for Lucas, who has had to change his environment, friends and others. And because of the health insurance, it has been like starting over.
Fortunately, we are now calm, we have already been able to relocate and the PPEC staff helped us a lot throughout the process of accepting medical insurance.
That is why parents of children with special medical needs need a lot of help and, above all, understanding from all labor and public health institutions.
Claire’s birth and the series of medical and developmental issues that accompany her syndrome thrust us into a world I knew nothing about and never wanted to be a part of. The family and friends who supported and surrounded us also got a glimpse into the world of special needs and often struggled with how to help and support us. They often didn’t know what to do, what to say, or how to act around us, which made for awkward moments. Even nearly nine years later, some don’t quite know how to react to preteens who can’t talk or feed themselves, wear diapers, bite and pull hair, and use a wheelchair.
If someone you love, know, or even casually meet has a child with special needs, there are some things you can do to better support your friend.
1. Ask specific questions. I love when people ask about my children; all parents do it. When people ask how Claire’s siblings are doing, it’s easy to talk about how the baby is about to roll over or how my first grader has recently tackled reading chapter books. It’s even easy to talk about how my 4-year-old is going through a streak of being wildly independent and ask him for advice. But there’s always a lot going on with Claire, some good and some bad, and most of which no one without a special needs child can easily relate to. Asking specific questions makes it easier for me to know where to start. If you ask me how her physical therapy is going or if she’s learned any new cues, I’m more likely to say more than “good” since you’ve let me know what you’re interested in hearing and given me a starting point. .
2. Be inclusive. Although a child with a disability may have limitations in what he can do, there are probably still many things he can enjoy. Claire likes playgrounds and movies, but not all playgrounds and movies are appropriate for her. Asking us if we would like to meet at a playground that has adaptive equipment or watch a sensory screening of the latest children’s movie sends the message that she wants to include our entire family in outings. While I certainly don’t expect every activity to be planned around my daughter’s needs, putting a little more thought into how you can include her is a huge help.
3. Be respectful of parents’ needs. As much as I appreciate being asked about Claire and any attempts to include her, sometimes I need a break. Other times I need to vent. There are many times when things don’t go well: when she’s not reaching another milestone, when she’s facing another surgery, or when I’m facing another battle with insurance. During these times, she may be consumed with caring for her, and she may just need a break or she may need to talk for half an hour straight about a current struggle. If it seems like I don’t want to talk about Claire, I respect that I don’t want to think about special needs at that moment and would rather talk about what show I’m currently watching. Or, if I need to rant for half an hour about how Claire’s insurance denied coverage for her hearing aid, wheelchair, or ABA therapy, just play along. I’ll feel a lot better when I’m done.
4. Offer to help. Life can be overwhelming for everyone at times, but these moments tend to occur more frequently when you add a child with special needs and the stress that comes with caring for her into the mix. Offer to accompany a pediatric therapy session with a mom or dad who is still learning how to navigate the world of special needs,
Our licensed nurses work alongside your child’s primary physician to develop a personalized care plan. Our pediatric nursing care ensures your child’s medical needs are met while they’re under our care, and we periodically evaluate your child’s progress.
The main objective of our pediatric occupational therapy is to achieve the greatest functional independence possible for your child through daily activities that strengthen motor skills and physical capabilities. We do this by promoting self-care, participation in games, and interactions with other children.
Significantly improve your child’s motor skills with pediatric physical therapy. This therapy can help strengthen and straighten muscles and increase balance and coordination.
Our speech/language therapy helps your child develop speech, as well as other communication methods, so they can effectively communicate with you. This therapy includes improving memory skills and problem-solving abilities for better communication.
Chromosomal abnormalities are genetic conditions that occur due to a problem with one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes.
There are several different genetic syndromes caused by missing or extra chromosomes, including Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, trisomy 18 and trisomy 13.
Chromosome abnormalities, depending on their size or location, can cause a variety of birth defects and dysmorphic facial features and growth and developmental delay.
In many cases, there is no treatment or cure for chromosomal abnormalities. However, genetic counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy and medicines may be recommended.
The foundation of our program is our experienced nursing staff. Each RN on staff has pediatric experience and is certified. Our nurses are not only experienced and well trained, but they all go through a rigorous interview process to ensure the highest moral integrity and personal character. We believe that the importance of having good role models cannot be underestimated.
Address: 4180 SW 74th Ct STE 210, Miami, FL 33155
Phone: 305-456-3632