I had the wonderful opportunity of working with 3 students (Nahum, Joel, and Patricia) from Loma Linda/UNAH University for their level 1 pediatric rotation and training a Haitian "Laura" to possibly be my new therapy assistant when Nicholson heads to therapy school in the spring.
In preparation for them coming I spent time creating a resource binder and training manuel that we would work our way through. I am huge believer in providing resources that they can refer back to and use in their own practice down the road. Each of the students received their own binder. The binder addressed both OT and PT in pediatrics (massage, stretching, therapy brushing, oral-motor/feeding, Fine Motor/Dexterity, Handwriting, Cutting, normal development, bilateral coordination, therapy ball training, evaluation forms, etc.) At the same time I made the educational folders for the outreach families for the training we would be doing with them during the students time at the mission. I also updated all the children's folders and picked the top 4-5 OT, PT, ST goals we would be working on for the next 6 months to bring greater focus to the children's treatment session. It was really good to re-evaluate each of the kids progress over the last 7-8 months and make plans for the next 6-8 months.
One morning I did a training with the students & a review with the Preschool Momma's on how to do massage, stretching, & therapy brushing with the kids. It was a fun morning. I loved seeing the students and staff interacting, learning, and working together while loving on the kids.
Another day We watched a 60 minutes therapy ball training video from Boeheme Workshops and then the students spent the afternoon practicing what they learned & brainstorming on treatment ideas for a variety of children ranging from low tone to high tone to sensory seeking. They did a great job brainstorming and working together to problems solve treatments for each child.
Another day the students were educated & got hands on practice casting and making hand
splints....
A few days they just practiced what they had been learning and got some fun hands on therapy practice with the kids. Of course the kids loved the time with the students!
We spent a morning learning all about sensory processing and sensory integration going through each sensory system, how to identify sensory problems and treatment ideas to address each.
The students also had a chance to work their way through both a high functioning evaluation, a functional FM based evaluation, and a severe/profound evaluation over the course of 2 weeks learning about each section as we went.
Handwriting and cutting section
Functional FM/Dexterity Section of Evaluation
Assistive Technology
They had a chance to participate in 2 BIG outreach trainings and get togethers.
1. Chair Making- we had 15 families come to help custom make chairs for their children. (I will write an entire blog on this day click Here to read that blog ). The students had a chance to learn to make the chairs and to help the families make their chairs.
Another day we held a training for the newer outreach families and the families on the outreach waiting list. We had 23 families show up and participate in the training. They received training on massage, stretching, therapy brushing, therapy ball, and oral-motor. (I will write a blog dedicated just to this day CLICK HERE to read that blog). The students were a great help facilitating making this day a great day!
The last week they had the opportunity of each spending 2-3 days at Phoenix Rising Haiti learning from a variety of Physical Therapists, Orthotists, Prosthetics. We rotated so we didn't overwhelm them and anyone who was not at phoenix rising did therapy with the kids at the Miriam Center and helped with the outreach program. (I will write a blog dedicated just to the week with Phoenix Rising CLICK HERE to read that blog). I know I always learn a ton from them and the students said they did as well.
You could say it was a very...very buys 3 weeks...full of hands on learning :-) I think we all learned alot and grew in our therapy knowledge and skills!
Patricia fell in love with the kids and it was a mutual feeling between the kids. We were so blessed to have her at the Miriam Center!
It was wonderful to have Nahum back and for him to complete a 3 week clinical at the Miriam Center where he fell in love with therapy. I loved seeing his passion for his calling and new acquired knowledge. I loved the excited of the kids and the staff to see him. We have all missed him at the Miriam Center but are so glad he is growing in his knowledge and skills for therapy. I know he is going to have a BIG impact of special needs care in Haiti when he graduates. We always miss his goofy, light-hearted spirit when he is away....
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| Found this picture on my phone...I think he was trying to send me a message ;-) gotta love Nahum! |
We had a powerful therapy team for these 3 weeks Carlos joined back up with us the last week and has joined the MC therapy team full-time. He accepted a job as our first Haitian Therapist working at the MC. We are so blessed to have him!
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