KidStreet Staff Makes a Difference In Children's Lives Every Day

from The Children's Hospital (TCH) News, October 2005

The 14 members of The Children’s Hospital’s KidStreet
progam (10 of whom are pictured here) all play a vital role in
contributing to the long-term success of the kids in the
program.

The kids at The Children’s Hospital’s KidStreet aren’t ordinary kids.

They’re extraordinary.

KidStreet, designed for families on Medicaid, is an alternative program to hospitalization or homebound services. The program provides the opportunity for medically complex children to spend five days a week in a therapeutic setting that enhances physical, psychosocial and cognitive development.

“The unique environment of caring for the children every day, combined with the interaction the children get with one another, really makes a difference, contributing to long-term success for the child,” said Colet Scott-Bisping, speech and language pathologist at KidStreet.

The KidStreet program provides the opportunity for children with complex medical needs to transition out of the hospital setting.

“We not only try to transition these children into their district schools when they are old enough to attend, but back into their communities,” said Janice Spikes, clinical manager at KidStreet. “Being involved in their communities is beneficial for the children as well as their parents. We work closely with the community to stop medical helplessness. These kids are like other normal kids, they just have different styles of learning and communicating.”

The children need to meet medical qualifications to be admitted to the program; most are dependent on medical technology that requires special nursing and rehabilitative care. The children admitted are not necessarily Children’s patients, but are recommended by community doctors and community agencies.

The problems diagnosed and treated in the program include acute or chronic renal failure, cardiac disease, congenital abnormalities, cystic fibrosis, gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic disorders, neuromuscular disease, cancers, prematurity disorders and tracheostomies.

The facilities are located at the Children’s Pavilion, across Ogden Street from the main hospital. It is an open space, separated into the “Sweet Pea” side and the “String Bean” side. Sweet Pea is designated for the younger participants, and String Bean is for the older, more advanced children.

“This is more than a safe haven for medically complex children, it provides the environment that these children need to be exposed to a learning process,” Spikes said. Children learn through a variety of activities throughout the day, including circle time, where children sing and learn to recognize colors, shapes and objects.

Other activities include short walks, trips to McDonald’s, play time at local parks and day trips to Six Flags and the Denver Zoo. A simple trip to Safeway teaches the children to feel textures and distinguish the smells of different foods.

At nap time, the “Sweet Peas” sleep in their own cribs, and the “String Beans” sleep on mattresses. Soft, relaxing music and a loud fan, which creates white noise, proven to help the children sleep, is played to create a therapeutic setting.

The children also participate in therapeutic activities, such as special visits from a music therapist and Cooper the friendly dog. The music therapy helps the children’s auditory attention, language development and interaction with instruments. Cooper, part of Children’s volunteer Prescription Pet Program, gives children the opportunity to interact with an animal and observe different behaviors.

Families with children who graduated, current families and the staff come together once a year for a picnic reunion.

“It’s wonderful to see the progress that our previous children display and the hope of the families who are still in the process,” Spikes said.

The staff spend time communicating their needs and concerns with each other, working toward combined goals and incorporating them into daily activities. The 14 members of the staff stay educated by consulting doctors regularly and meeting with nutritionists to learn about important nutrients and appropriate food intake for the children.

KidStreet is staffed with RNs, LPNs, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, social workers and therapy aides. The department is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. The staff currently provide care for 19 children who range between 6 weeks to 6 years of age.

KidStreet can care for 20 children at time, but many more are on the wait list. Staff members would like to expand KidStreet, but due to the high cost of the program and cuts in Medicaid, expansion would be difficult, Spikes said.

Volunteers play a large role in the program’s success by spending quality time with the children and donating adaptive equipment and toys. They also raise money for the program, scheduling golf tournaments throughout the year.

“I know we are making a difference in these children’s lives,” Scott Bisping said. “Each day they make small steps, but when they graduate, I can see the enormous improvement – some begin to become mobile, sit up and even speak.”