Building the Reality

The initial PEDS program had two full-time Occupational Therapy (OT) interns who often worked with up to eight children in the activities room upstairs. They worked largely from a psycho-social model while Suzanne continued work on a model for curriculum that would ultimately become more clinical. Jammie Herendeen, one of those first interns, describes the program's focus as centered on both the child and parent education. "We even did home evaluations after some of our children left the Center with their families." She readily admits that it was a lot of work, and entailed more than simply putting their model of education to work. "We cleaned out the room, ordered equipment…got the snacks…" She characterized her work with the program then as challenging and self-directed, and she stresses the importance of not assuming what it is families should and shouldn't be able to do-"not to judge, but to educate." She recalls the novelty of working with children for whom the simple motion of a swing is new phenomena, or even kids who have had such limited opportunity to move around on the floor in a safe environment that their motor skills were delayed. "I realized the impact of poverty and environment on growth and dynamics in the family," she says. "…Even though [the program] wasn't quite as organized as it could have been yet, I wouldn't change my experience for the world."

In January 1999, Memorial began placing its OT student interns at the CFH in conjunction with the new curriculum developed by Suzanne. The curriculum's design currently follows a sensory integration model; interventions are culturally competent and family centered. This clinical internship for occupational therapy students from all over the country is a unique pediatric experience that provides developmentally at-risk children with a healthy beginning. The student's experience uses a collaborative model to promote clinical and leadership abilities in a non-traditional setting. Students assess re-evaluate children using the Denver II, Peabody Motor Scales Assessment and the Hawaii Early Learning Profile to document progress. Students develop and implement individualized intervention plans and monitor the progress of each child weekly. Students also attend weekly interdisciplinary case management meetings with Center staff and partner agencies. Educational opportunities include in-service and community site visits. Family education is provided on an individual basis as well as in group interactions through parent open house events and parent night activities. Population risk factors include the following: developmental delays, drug/alcohol exposure, feeding disorders, exposure to impoverished environments, prematurity, exposure to violence/abuse, sensory processing disorders, and exposure to neglect.

PEDS Mission:	To nurture the God-given potential of every child we serve.
PEDS Purpose:	To provide developmentally at-risk children, ages 0-3, with a healthy beginning and to prevent developmental delay.
To fulfill this mission, the PEDS program is designed to:	Provide developmental screening and assessment to determine a baseline for monitoring age-specific developmental growth and achievement. Establish individual program goals based upon developmental status and needs. Provide a safe and structured learning environment to facilitate play and exploration. Provide children with nurturing relationships and opportunities for developing trust, positive self-awareness, and encouragement to develop self-mastery skills. Teach self-help skills such as feeding, bathing, hand-washing, brushing teeth, grooming and dressing. Promote an increase in parents' sense of confidence and competence when caring for their children by providing encouragement, family support, and education. Provide home assessments upon referral from case managers. Refer families to St. Joseph County First Steps for access to early intervention services.