Innovation in Pediatric Allied Health : How Clinicians Transform Communities Through Listening and Research
In the ever-evolving landscape of pediatric healthcare, the most impactful innovation often stems from understanding the unique needs and voices of the community. Clinicians who actively engage in community listening and research are not only transforming their practices. They are also creating groundbreaking healthcare solutions that resonate deeply with those they serve.
This blog post brings together a collection of inspiring stories from healthcare professionals who have harnessed the power of community feedback and rigorous research to develop innovative offerings that address real-world challenges and improve lives.
Healthcare innovation thrives at the intersection of research and community engagement
Across the globe, clinicians are pioneering new approaches.. By listening to the needs of their communities, clinicians are translating these insights into meaningful, impactful healthcare solutions.
From developing tailored wellness programs to introducing novel therapies that address local health disparities, these stories highlight the transformative potential of community-focused research. These healthcare professionals are enhancing their quality of care. They are placing community voices at the heart of their practice. They are, subsequently, fostering a sense of trust and collaboration within the communities they serve. Join us as we explore some inspiring narratives of clinicians who are redefining healthcare through the power of listening and innovation.
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Kidable – Roanoke, Virginia
Dr. Lauren Vistarakula on her local initiative, Kidable:
“Our innovative play groups are designed for the whole family and the entire community. Kidable‘s groups are not considered group therapy. Your child does not need to have a diagnosis or receive any therapy services to benefit from skill-enhancing play. Each play group always includes opportunities for group, partner, and individual play. Sensory Play Saturdays (SPS) launched for children aged 5-11 years. Other inclusive play opportunities include the occasional pop-up play groups in community settings, such as a yoga studio or gym, for families that live further from our Kidable Clubhouse. Additionally, Kidable also led a ‘Mommy & Me’ series, with Lauren and an SLP, for toddlers and their caregivers. In 2023, Kidable hosted a summer camp which ultimately ended up having a waitlist! Kidable has been able to support at least 100 children and their families by providing a sensory-friendly environment to build skills and friendships.”
Explore Engage Enjoy – Oregon, USA
Rebecca Moyar is an occupational therapist and now the executive director of a non-profit therapy clinic, Explore Engage Enjoy, focused on access to care, research, therapy student education, and improving quality of services in rural areas.
“Explore Engage Enjoy is focused on improving access and quality of care through research and listening to our community. We are therapists who want to serve our clients. However, we have found through experience and research that the traditional 1:1 individual approach is not the most natural or beneficial. To increase play and social skills, our kids need to be with peers in order to practice what they are learning.
More importantly, it is the goal of each family that their child have friends and be able to play with others, not just adults. As a result, the play program focuses on children of similar ages or developmental levels. They come together once a week for practicing these skills and playing with peers. The implicit goal is that the kids are consequently able to implement what we’ve been coaching in therapy. They undoubtedly have fun being and playing with others. At the same time, the chance to play in a safe, supportive environment.
As a result, we have seen more engagement with play within these groups and improved social modeling as well as enjoyment of just being together with peers. We all have so much fun!”
Talk Blossom – Meridian, Idaho
Talk Blossom believes that children learn best when they are having fun! All speech therapy sessions are tailored to meet the needs of each individual child and their family. At Talk Blossom, Heather has designed and implemented social groups that run for six weeks, meeting one time per week for 45 minutes, with a maximum of four children per group. The group is open to all, although primarily the children who attend have language disorders.
“My youngest class has parents present and we implement parent coaching strategies. For each class, I also put together a take-home resource which includes vocabulary used that week, our dance party song, an activity for the family to do together, and a community activity or resource.”
Preschool Classroom Program
Elizabeth Harris shares her preschool classroom play program, visiting 11 (!) classrooms in the community each month to encourage play and gross motor activities.
“I work in the preschool setting of a public school and started ‘Fun on the Rug’ in that setting. It is a monthly, Tier 1 intervention where I come in and lead the class in a gross motor activity. Sometimes we play a group game, work on ball skills with partners, do a scooter obstacle course, or play a digital game on the Smartboard. It’s a great way to incorporate movement into their day in a fun way. I get to lay eyes on all the kids in the preschool on a regular basis. If or when issues arise during class or ‘Fun on the Rug’ it’s easy for us to stay ahead of it, or recommend evaluation to the family sooner. The program is a great way to model how to break down motor tasks that teachers can carry over during other gross motor activities. It’s been a hit with kids and teachers alike.”
Musica en Familia – Cuenca, Ecuador
“My name is Erika Maza, I have a degree in Music Education from the University of Cuenca, Ecuador and am currently studying for an MA in Music Therapy. My program is called “Musica en Familia” which is a program designed for 0-3 years age group, for audiation development through the Music Learning Theory, developed by Edwin Gordon. Every Saturday, families come to Aserrín Aserrán, the name of our space, where we provide these sessions divided by age, each 35 minutes long.
We use objects as shakers, scarfs, parachutes and stretchy bands and we explore music through play and movement! The program is not only about music or learning music, but really for the family and strengthening bonds between parents and children.”
Sachetataa Foundation, PhonoEasy for Kids – Lucknow, India
“I am an SLP by profession and an awareness evangelist by passion! Creating awareness regarding communication disorders and subsequent related difficulties is the focus of my work. Currently, through the activities of Sachetataa Foundation, I have been working towards promoting play-based therapy that includes creating awareness, training parents and orienting professionals. We create programs for professionals. These include presentations at a national level conference organized by the Indian Speech Language and Hearing Association. On our YouTube channel, we aim to create awareness, among parents, of communication disorders.”
Playgroups for children with Autism – Greece
“At our center in Greece, I organize playgroups in order to strengthen communication skills, problem solve and better understand social norms. The groups are made up of 2-3 children who have been diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum. When they enter playgroup area, I gently direct them in choosing both structured and unstructured play. My eventual goal is that the children need the therapist less as a coordinator in their play, as time goes on. I mainly try to choose kids for each team that have similar skills. I am interested in how they take initiative. The purpose is to motivate each other in the game, to climb and swing together! The therapy space allows them to physically function just as they would in a playground. At the end of each group game session, the children discuss among themselves if they had a good time.”
Lilian Newman – Brooklyn, NY
“I am a pediatric speech-language pathologist (SLP) specializing in preschool ages and early intervention, so the core of my work has been play based and literacy based therapy for over fifteen years. The play based and literacy speech language therapy program happens in my sacred work space at Communicate Better located in downtown Brooklyn, NY.
I have been advocating for play based therapy wherever I go! I have developed individualized treatment plans for treating receptive and expressive language disorders, including social-pragmatics, autism spectrum disorders, speech disorders and other communication disorders in one, two or three languages (English, Portuguese, Spanish) within the context of play.
This advocacy for play-based therapy which includes education of the community – family, parents/caregivers, general ed. teachers, special ed. teachers, and graduate students – has been increasing everyone’s knowledge about the topic. It has been years since I’ve heard comments like “the child is JUST playing.” I know that most of my parents now understand the power of play-based therapy and the great impact that these contexts have on their children’s learning to communicate better and interact better with peers and everyone else in their world.”
Connect and Play – Raratan, New Jersey
‘Connect and Play’ is an immersive, neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic program, meticulously crafted by Farwa Husain, an accomplished bilingual speech-language pathologist, and Dr. Joni Redlich, a renowned author and physical therapist.
Catering to children aged 4-10, this program offers a holistic approach, integrating speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy to foster accelerated development and unleash their full potential within a nurturing and supportive setting.
Their services encompass speech, occupational, and physical therapy, strategically designed to foster connections and enhance communication skills through child-led play based activities. Complementing these core therapies are enriching sessions in art, music, yoga, and drumming circles tailored to the diverse learning styles of neurodivergent children.
*Note: The individuals and playgroup stories featured in this blog post were taken from applications to the Play Promoter Prize 2024: https://precisioncpd.com/award/
