Pediatric Outpatient Rehabilitation Expands OT, PT and ST Services

Stephanie Ramirez, MA, CCC-SLP, CDCS, uses a variety of speech-therapy techniques, including flash cards, to engage children.

NKCH expanded its pediatric outpatient rehabilitation services to give the community greater access to much-needed outpatient pediatric therapy. Now, rehabilitation needs for pediatric patients can be managed by pediatric-trained occupational, physical and speech-language pathology therapists at NKCH.

Pediatricians at Meritas Health Pediatrics, including Eve Krahn, MD, and Mallory Krahn, MD, are grateful for the expansion.

Early Intervention

Dr. Eve Krahn, who is board certified in pediatrics, pointed to the need to identify and respond to delays in communication and language development in children.

“These delays are the first signs of developmental problems in young children,” Dr. Eve Krahn said. “When we identify them, we encourage families to seek intervention with speech therapy as soon as possible.”

Occupational therapy helps children who have a physical, sensory or cognitive disability. For example, it helps them do everyday tasks like eating, putting on shoes and socks, focusing on learning, writing, and playing with toys or other kids. Early treatment can help prevent potential problems with behavior, promote future success in school, improve social interaction and increase the chances of improvement overall.

The expansion will help meet the demand for early interventions for patients and their families.

Dr. Mallory Krahn, who is board certified in pediatrics, noted the new service will “help children catch up and meet their full potentials faster. Many of my patients have commented on the convenience of having NKCH therapies in their community because they are better able to engage in a meaningful way.”

Advanced Training

Physicians know children at all ages need different care because they are different at every developmental stage.

“Pediatric therapists are trained to relate to children at all ages and stages,” Dr. Eve Krahn said. “Thus, it imperative to have a dedicated pediatric focus, which NKCH has implemented. There’s truly an art and talent to working with children. A therapist who enjoys pediatrics has the needed innate playfulness combined with the ability to manage sessions to the needs of patients.”

Pediatric therapy also is based in training the caregivers in follow through. Parents and guardians are present, so they can be taught what to do at home to make a lasting change for development and progress.

“Unlike adults, children can’t always express what is wrong, what they feel, or why they do or don’t do certain activities,” Dr. Eve Krahn said. “Pediatric therapists must observe, listen to the parents or guardians in what they notice, and put all these pieces together with standardized testing to discern where children are at in their development compared to ‘norms.’ Our NKCH pediatric therapists have advanced training in pediatrics that they attained in their education with clinicals, as well as through previous or current jobs.”

Pediatric therapy services, which require a physician’s referral, are available at NKCH and the North Oak Medical Park.

Therapy Services

Occupational

• Developmental delay
• Feeding disorders
• Fine motor coordination/handwriting
• Mild sensory integration, including autism spectrum
• Orthopedic injuries
• Post-concussion visual assessment and treatment
• Traumatic hand injuries, including tendon repairs and amputations

Physical

• Developmental delay
• Orthopedic rehab
• Post-concussion vestibular evaluation and treatment
• Torticollis

Speech-Language Pathology

• Articulation
• Auditory processing
• Developmental delay
• Feeding difficulties
• Fluency
• Language
• Post-concussion cognitive evaluation and treatment
• Voice

Eve Krahn, MD

Dr. Eve Krahn earned her medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Texas, Southwestern.

Mallory Krahn, MD

Dr. Mallory Krahn earned her medical degree from the University of Kansas and completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Iowa.