Inside Pediatrics Summer 2019

E very time a patient experiences a “first,” something he or she has not been able to do since a diagnosis or injury, it fosters a sense of accomplishment and pride in both the patient and those who see to their care. Nineteen-year-old Janey Carter of Jasper, Alabama, was involved a near- fatal car accident in 2017 that left her paralyzed from the neck down. Six weeks post-surgery, Janey was transferred to Children’s of Alabama, where she began physical therapy and eventually was deemed an ideal candidate for Children’s new Robotics and Mobility Program, also known as RAMP. Made possible through community and philanthropic support, RAMP uses technology-assisted therapies to rehabilitate children and adolescents with physical impairment. With assistance from the Ekso Robotic Exoskeleton, Janey can stand and walk – milestones that are not lost on her or her family, or our staff. Children’s of Alabama is only the second pediatric program in the Southeast to offer the exoskeleton and other advanced technologies for rehabilitation use, and we are fortunate to help move the needle in Janey’s recovery, as well as the recovery of other RAMP patients featured in these pages.

It is our mission at Children’s of Alabama to provide the finest pediatric health services to all children in an environment

that fosters excellence in research and medical

education. In addition to the advanced technology of RAMP, we are home to the world’s most advanced pediatric patient simulator used to train both our staff and community hospital staffs throughout Alabama. Our Community Health Care Simulation Program, or COACHES Program, provides free, scenario-based simulation training to community hospital emergency departments and inpatient pediatric units that are oftentimes the first care providers for pediatric patients. Through partnerships and education, we are committed to providing top- quality patient care and seeing that every child achieves the milestones of living a healthy life.

Enjoy,

On the Cover: Alex Cook, 20, of Mt. Olive, completes an exercise on the Bioness Vector System with assistance from Children’s of Alabama Physical Therapist Casey Blackwelder. The Vector is part of Children’s new Robotics and Mobility Program (RAMP), which uses technology-assisted therapies to allow patients to practice movements that they may otherwise be unable to perform. Read more about RAMP on page 10.

Children’s of Alabama 1600 7th Avenue South Birmingham, Alabama 35233

(205) 638-9100 childrensal.org

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