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Most parents put the health and happiness of their children before anything else. However, that is not always easy, and they can be influenced by people from outside the family that you have no control over.

From their point of view, growing up can be an anxious and painful time and some of them suffer from low self-esteem and emotional problems that can manifest themselves as bad behavior. Teaching them coping mechanisms can be useful for them and can help you in your quest for making sure your child is happy.

Could Child Therapy Help?

Every child is different and what works with one of your children could be the worst thing for another. As a parent, you do what you think is best, but sometimes you need help, and that is when you should consider child therapy.

Helping children with difficulties to develop social skills, emotional regulation and increasing their self-esteem takes knowledge and experience.  That is why parents who are experiencing problems often turn to the professionals. At ELEOS child psychology is a specialty and they understand issues from both the parents’ and child’s point of view. [Read more…]

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and Mon Health Medical Center in Morgantown, W.Va., have announced a partnership to deliver enhanced newborn and pediatric medicine services for families in West Virginia.

Through the partnership beginning in spring 2018, Children’s Hospital will provide pediatric services at Mon Health Medical Center’s newborn nursery, and eventually coverage for the emergency department and inpatient unit.

The Mon Health Birth Center delivers 1,200 babies a year. They will receive care from a team led by Children’s neonatologists and nurse practitioners. Children’s will collaborate alongside Mon Health physicians and nurses to provide each infant with specialized care necessary for hospitalized newborns.

“Mon Health Medical Center is committed to enhancing the quality of health care for families in our area,” said Darryl Duncan, president and chief executive officer, Mon Health Medical Center. “Bringing Children’s Hospital’s world-class neonatology expertise into our hospital will provide a continuity of care for our families seeking treatment for the most complex diseases.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to align with Mon Health Medical Center to provide the highest quality of newborn care to families of this region,” said Christopher Gessner, president, Children’s Hospital. “We look forward to partnering with them in other areas to improve access to pediatric subspecialty care for children, teenagers and young adults from throughout West Virginia.” [Read more…]

An Undersea Adventure Awaits

There aren’t many people who say they enjoy going to the dentist.  But, one dentist wanted to change that perception for her young patients.  Dr. Beatriz De La Roche wanted to make a difference to the children who enter the doors of her pediatric dental practice by providing a positive atmosphere.   Her vision was to create a place where kids could come, play and have fun at the dentist.

Child-friendly diversions like 3D murals and the latest video games help kids look forward to dental visits. Even the dental rooms provide a different atmosphere such as being in a rain forest, on an African safari, or being among pandas and dinosaurs.  This sparks imagination and helps the staff create a conversation to engage children.

We see many of the same experiences at Children’s Hospital.  If you specialize in pediatrics or have a significant pediatric population, are you building your facility to attract your patients and make a comfortable setting for their parents? When children enjoy a medical experience, it removes anxiety from both the children, as well as their parents. 

You may wonder what this has to do with construction.  A customized project such as this is about understanding who your audience is and creating an environment and place where they can feel comfortable, in this case both children and parents. [Read more…]

Funds support community needs for children with special needs and their families

The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh, an independent, nonprofit  leader in pediatric rehabilitative services, announced that it has successfully achieved its goal of raising $12 million through the Make an Amazing Difference Campaign.  Publicly launched in 2014, the Campaign supports a series of strategic initiatives that are improving the health and quality of life for larger numbers of children and youth with special needs and their families.

“Through the Campaign, we’ve been able to make strategic investments in innovative programs and services that respond to real community needs,” said Michael and Judy Hannon, Chairs of the Make an Amazing Difference Campaign.

“We have made an amazing difference for our kids and their families, specifically in the areas of pediatric behavioral health, care coordination and our transition program in The Day School, as well as via facility upgrades on our main campus,” noted the Hannons. [Read more…]

As Physical Therapists for teli (The Early Learning Institute), Physical Therapists, Mary Welage and Jeannine Moyer, have seen hundreds of infants and toddlers with special needs.  Jeannine has worked for teli for 14 years.  Mary Welage, PT, has worked for teli for over 6 years.

Mary has worked in Early Intervention for 12 years, school age children for 12 and out patient therapy services for three.  Through Early Intervention, children are referred due to a variety of conditions including prematurity, Torticollis, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida (Myelomeningocele), Autism, limb deformities, Hypotonicity, and genetic disorders, among others.

Early Intervention services for children from birth to 3 years of age are provided in the child’s natural environment, most often consisting of their home, daycare, or grandparent’s home.  Seeing how the children function in their most comfortable surroundings gives therapists an accurate picture of how children use their skills in their day to day life.  These observations are used to develop a program that caregivers can more easily adapt into their daily routines.

To understand the specific needs of each individual child, physical therapists often assess strength, range of motion, posture, motor ability, and preferences of movement.  Typically, the family or caregivers are the most important source of information.  Parents and other caregivers share their concerns regarding the child’s movements, often giving the therapist clues as to what may be causing a delay.  At times the environment of the home is considered as well.  Other information to consider is the child’s medical history, cognitive function, behaviors, and possible sensory issues.
[Read more…]

Children’s Community Pediatrics (CCP) is expanding its pediatric network in Erie, Pa. Through a partnership with UPMC Hamot, CCP will manage the hospital’s two outpatient pediatric primary care practices, Your Pediatric Connection and Your Pediatric Connection West. The groups now will be known as CCP – Hamot Pediatrics and CCP – Hamot Pediatrics West.

CCP – Hamot Pediatrics, located at 300 State Street, is a three-pediatrician practice that cares for more 18,325 patients annually and CCP – Hamot Pediatrics West, located at 4022 Zuck Road, is a two-pediatrician practice that cares for more than 10,000 patients annually.

Both groups provide comprehensive medical care for infants, children, adolescents and young adults ages birth through 21 years and follow the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics for routine check-ups, immunizations, diagnostic screening and age-appropriate counseling. Both have a long-standing tradition of providing quality pediatric care to children from the greater Erie area.
[Read more…]