We are preparing to expand our physical space, and we all know we desperately need this in order to provide specialized PT services to children; past, present and future. We also plan to add OT and SLP services so that we can offer a comprehensive team approach to helping children reach their therapy goals. As I patiently wait for the expansion process to unfold, I am taking my thoughts and dreams beyond my walls. As we physically expand our walls, let us also figuratively expand our thoughts beyond our clinic and out to the community.
There is no possible way that any professional, (or any human for that matter), can have all the answers. Similarly, there are no two children with special needs who are exactly alike, or families that have the exact same path that they are navigating. However, there are a lot of similarities in the journey. Wouldn’t it be helpful if we could create an interactive resource that could help families locate what it is they need at this particular time in the life of your child? Who can help me with an IEP meeting? Where do I find a specialist who has seen my child’s diagnosis before? The questions may be slightly different between families, and individual needs and wants change significantly over time…from the time of diagnosis, to transitions from early intervention to school system, and honestly through every transition up to, and including, adulthood.
While I certainly don’t have the answers to all the questions, one thing I have loved over the years is making connections between families an in the community. Everyone is on their own journey, but they certainly are not alone. It often feels alone, but the more connections that can be created, the happier and less stressed we all feel.
I want to create a resource center to help make connections, and to make life just a little bit easier for families of children with special needs. I am just at the early stages of this process and am open to suggestions. My vision includes a Social Worker and possibly a recreation specialist. I envision a website and a way for parents to ask questions and to easily be steered in the right direction. I also envision us being a resource for providers, to help them help families. We are all in this together, with the whole child’s needs and best interest at the forefront of decisions.
This is the seed that has been planted in me this spring. With the help of the community, we can sow and grow together.
“The purpose in life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Cindy Richards is a pediatric physical therapist with 17 years of experience, and currently Clinical Rehab Manager for Bon Secours Richmond Hope Therapy Center. She can be reached via email at [email protected].