Food for thought- Children's Hospital

Children’s Hospital

Service Learning Project

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” Ralph Waldo Emerson. In my Gen 300 class we were asked to either write a book report or to do a service learning project. I wanted to try a path I have never taken before, but have longed for ever since High School. I have felt compelled to work in a Children’s Hospital. The reason being, my Aunt spent many months in the Children’s Hospital due to Polio. I was too young to remember my aunt, but when she passed away she left many fond memories within my family. It is these fond memories drive me to want to work with children who are very ill. Many of the memories contain my aunt teaching family members. My aunt learned from the hospital and was able to teach others. I want the children, today to have the same opportunities to learn just like other children receive. I can learn a lot from these children and they can learn from me, together we can travel down the unknown path of knowledge.

My very first day at the Children’s Hospital I received the full tour of the facilities. The woman who introduced me to the Hospital was Kali Gerlich. Kali helps plan activities for the children. Also, she taught me that the Hospital is both a medical facility as well as a school facility. The mission is to help every child develop and heal both mentally and physically. The Hospital is divided into four wards and treat’s patients from infants up to the age of fifteen.

The first ward is for children who are physically disabled and who just had surgery. The second ward is children with behavioral problems. The third ward is children with minor behavior problems and physical disabilities. Last but not least is the physically impaired/autistic ward.

One thing that still sticks out in my mind is being introduced to a young autistic child. I was told this child very rarely verbalizes. The lady knelt down next to the boy and told him my name. The boy said my name out loud. Both the lady and I were shocked and pleased with his response. These types of achievements are what we strive for in the Hospital.

As we walked around the facilities Kali lead me into a stimulation room. Lights in the room can be dimmed and there is a fiber optic wall within the room to help calm down the patients. Also, there is a swing in the middle of the room for autistic children to help relax the children. Finally, there contains many various musical equipment, which are spread throughout the room. Music helps autistic children; there are still many studies out as to why. Supposedly, the children like the consistent beat and the vibrations that music produces.

My second, third, and fourth trip I spent working in the various wards with several children. Each time I went to the Hospital I learned more and more about the Children and about the Hospital. I learned more about the children and their needs. I learned where various toys and manipulative are throughout the building.

One child I worked with is physically impaired and verbally impaired. This student verbalizes with her eyes. When she looks up this means “yes” and when she looks down this means “no”. I held up the videos and she told with her eyes what video she wanted to watch. She kept telling me “no”. Finally, she agreed to watch a Mickey Mouse video.

Also, we worked on self-esteem. I opened a beauty parlor and I did her nails. She thinks she is ugly due to her physical impairments. However, I am teaching her that the beauty within is far greater than physical beauty.

Another child I worked with is physically seven years old, but is mentally an infant. Also, she is partially blind so she feels people’s faces to in order to get to know people. She loved getting hugs and she spent most of the time petting my hair and face. It truly tore me to have to leave, because when I left she started screaming. The nurses had to go in and calm her down.

Another child I worked with, we worked on manners and patience. This young man often becomes very angry and irritated with people. This young man is paralyzed and struggles with being paralyzed. One way we worked on patience was I controlled the Nintendo and he told me where to move and what keys to press. On another day this same young man was very upset with his nurse. He has a poor gag reflex due to his paralysis and when the nurse brushes his teeth it hurts. I stayed with him and helped calm him down. I think he was still mad at his nurse, but I informed him he is in very good hands at the Hospital.

On Friday (4/18/2008) was “Arms around Autism” day. This is a National day to help support autistic people. Over half of our patients in the hospital are autistic. The goal for this day is to show support for autistic people. There were a lot of supporters, since autism is a growing disease.

All the volunteers and workers stood around the whole school and linked arms to show the children with autism that we support them. It was such a motivating day for: the volunteers, workers, and children. The children appreciated the support even though they cannot show it.

After Friday, I feel even more motivated to work on my experiment to see if we can use beat/vibrations to help communicate with the autistic children. There are different rates of vibrations and if we can use a code to make an alphabet, we might be able to communicate feelings to autistic people.

I spent about 12 hours working in the Hospital and I loved every minute of it. I will continue volunteering at the Hospital. This has been the most rewarding experience. I plan on becoming a Child Life Specialist when I graduate. A Child Life Specialist teaches the children and instructs them about their illness.

These children long for people to come and spend time with them. They want to be loved and cared for just like everyone wants to be loved and cared for. Most of the children at the Hospital are wards of the state. These children have no family to come and spend time with them. I have spent hours encouraging other people to start volunteering at the Hospital. Also, I encourage people to journey down this new path to help leave a trail for these children.

This path that God lead me down has allowed me to leave a trail with these children. The trail I left is a trail of love. I feel God is leading me to share my experience with others, to show others a different point of view. What people need to realize we cannot take the pain away for these children! You cannot make them walk or see, but you can show them that you care by being there for them. Be the child’s hands or eyes. People do the hands and eye sight for the children and God will do the rest.