(WSIL) -- Local moms living in rural areas are showing us some of the challenges they've had with tele-health therapy for their children during the pandemic.<\/p>\n
One of those moms is Rachel Rogers who lives in Eldorado. Her son Killian just turned two years old and like most toddlers his age, he's active. <\/p>\n
Rogers says Killian is diagnosed with a duplication of the 22nd chromosome, \"It's caused severe growth disorders and muscle mass is almost non-existent.\" <\/p>\n
While, Danielle Richards of McLeansboro has a daughter with Microcephaly. <\/p>\n
\"Her brain is immature,\" Richards explains. \"She has water on her brain. It's like pot holes filled with water.\" <\/p>\n
Most have probably never heard of the disorder, but it causes many health conditions such as Epilepsy, a feeding tube, and hearing and sight loss. <\/p>\n
Both moms enrolled their children into the the Early Intervention program provided by the state that's for children until they reach 3.<\/p>\n
Parents pay a montly fee based off their income and it helps to fill the gap on medical expenses that insurance doesn't cover like little Landri's hearing aids.<\/p>\n
The main thing is in-home therapy sessions that work around the parent's schedule, and Killian and Landri have a lot. <\/p>\n
Those include physical, developmental, occupational and speech therapies for one hour at home each week and vision bi-weekly.<\/p>\n
Rogers says the program has been vital to her son making progress. <\/p>\n
\"If it hadn't been for the Early Intervention therapy program, we wouldn't be where we are today,\" she says. <\/p>\n
While Richards agrees, \"she would still be like a newborn, and she's like at least a 4, 5 or 6 month old right now.\" <\/p>\n
Both moms even praise the program for moving so quickly to tele-health when the pandemic first hit, but there's been some issues like not being able to get Killian into the same positions for muscle building as his physical therapist.<\/p>\n
\"It looks easy but then they show us what to do and then we're like how do you get him to do that I can't,\" Rogers explains. <\/p>\n
Another challenge is trying to get a toddler to pay attention to a laptop or phone screen. <\/p>\n
\"I can't get him to stay in a screen, to get him to do the exercises that they want,\" Rogers adds. <\/p>\n
Richards has the same issues and often feels like she's in a tug of war after work trying to spend time with her other children and get Landri the therapy she needs. <\/p>\n
\"I rush home; I have to hurry up and get the laptop going,\" she says. \"Praying that the laptop doesn't freeze or the internet is going to work.\" <\/p>\n
Richards adds that some therapies are not even available for tele-health or the therapist is not making an effort.<\/p>\n
\"Say we start back up in August, she will have missed out on 80 therapy sessions in home and that makes a huge difference,\" Richards explains. \"These past few months are like years in her life.\" <\/p>\n
The moms say now that the state has lifted some restrictions it's time for in-home therapy to start back up.<\/p>\n
\"We need a plan on how to get them back on track because she can't go a year without having actual physical contact because she will regress, she wont progress,\" Richards says. <\/p>\n
Rogers feels the same way about her son Killian since Early Intervention helped her Collin, who is also diagnosed with a duplication of the 22nd chromosome. <\/p>\n
\"My 9 year old, if it wasn't for the 0-3 program, he wouldn't be where he is today,\" she explains. \"I want to make sure that he (Killian) gets all that while he can.\" <\/p>\n
The moms add they will do whatever it takes to get in-home therapy again. Whether that means wearing a face mask at all times, cleaning requirements for their home or temperature checks at the door.<\/p>\n
News 3 also spoke to Dana Gilbert, who is the physical therapist for both Rogers and Richards. <\/p>\n
Gilbert believes the state was quick to get tele-health up and running for the families who wanted it saying it only took about a week. <\/p>\n
The physical therapist, who has been a part of the program for 20 years, says tele-health has been a good way to stay in touch with families and that she's making the best out of it. <\/p>\n
However, it has been difficult to instruct parents on how to move their children properly for the therapy sessions since it takes training and being able to feel what is happening.<\/p>\n
\"I can tell you all kinds of stuff to do with that child to help them but to feel a child move or feel an adult to move through a motor plane,\" she explains. \"That is touch that is something that you learn through the years.\"<\/p>\n
Gilbert adds the most important thing is to keep everyone healthy, but hopes that there can be a plan in place for her to go back into the home if the parents feel comfortable and continue tele-health for others. <\/p>\n
The last weekly update by state leaders on the program was on July 2nd saying that tele-health had been funded through july 27th.<\/p>\n
The update also says a plan to resume in-person services has been submitted for review by infectious disease experts and is awaiting approval.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
See the original post:<\/p>\n
Moms fear no progress if in-home therapy doesn't start back soon - WSIL TV<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (WSIL) -- Local moms living in rural areas are showing us some of the challenges they've had with tele-health therapy for their children during the pandemic. One of those moms is Rachel Rogers who lives in Eldorado Continue reading