Texas County Memorial Hospital officials say the facility has expanded services offered in its physical therapy department by hiring an occupational therapist.
Kaitlyn Ehlers, occupational therapist, officially joined the physical therapy department March 26 on a part-time basis. She is registered and licensed.
Texas County is not a foreign territory for Ehlers. She grew up in Mountain Grove and relocated back to the area last year.
“Being back home and getting to be around the people that I care about is so rewarding,” Ehlers said. “Starting a new program at TCMH and providing care in the community that I grew up in is very exciting.”
Ehlers will be working closely with Dr. William Wright, family medicine physician at the Texas County Memorial Hospital Medical Complex in Houston. He specializes in diagnosis and treatment of children with autism.
Willis mentioned that there is an underserved population in our area for children with autism and other sensory processing disorders.
“Having Kaitlyn here will allow us to treat a totally different patient population with the children who have been diagnosed with autism,” said Ellen Willis, TCMH physical therapy director. “Autism brings about a whole other range of disabilities that our traditional physical therapy does not treat, and it is something that occupational therapists excel at.”
According to Wright, the earlier a child is diagnosed with autism, the quicker the child and the family can begin properly addressing the issues related to diagnosis. In 2015, The University of Missouri Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders began an ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) autism project through their facility. The project uses telehealth technology to train and then to support community primary care providers to increase access to diagnoses and care for autistic children.
Wright became a STAT provider last summer after training with the Thompson Center for over a year. The intensive training covers the identification of autism spectrum disorder and the management of common medical and psychiatric concerns in children with autism spectrum disorder.
The MU autism program is called “ECHO Autism STAT Program,” and it was created to help children and their families find a community-based STAT provider that can examine and diagnose the child without a long wait. Studies have shown that children receiving treatment from a specially trained primary care provider in their own community have the same or better outcomes as children receiving care at academic medical centers where the programs are based.
Ehlers is able to begin working with autistic children as soon as they have a referral from their primary care provider.
“Facilitating independence in every life” is the motto that Ehlers believes in and works toward with each and every patient encounter. Ehlers’ mission is to help kids develop more independence through working in conjunction with their providers and families.
Ehlers uses a variety of methods to help her autistic patients improve. Whether they have sensory needs or have feeding difficulties, Ehlers will have many tools available to offer her patients to meet their individual needs.
Rice and sand bins, weighted blankets and vests, as well as a variety of sensory stimulating toys will be available in the TCMH physical therapy department.
“My goal is to build a stationary swing for kids in our department,” Ehlers said. “We have some things to work through to make that vision a reality, but it is something we are definitely working toward.”
Ehlers said typically sessions for autistic children last around one hour. She usually likes to see the child about two times per week. The needs can change depending on each child.
In addition to providing therapy for autistic children, Ehlers will also be able to provide therapy for patients recovering from a stroke or other injuries where they need to regain important skills to maintain their daily lives.
“I have always loved working with people and encouraging them to become more independent. Seeing even the slightest bit of change and growth in them is what drives me every day to do what I do,” Ehlers said.
Joining Ehlers in the TCMH physical therapy department is Kara Runge, physical therapy assistant. Runge will work in the physical therapy department part-time and will assist with the new occupational therapy program.
April is Autism Awareness Month, and Ehlers hopes the timing of her beginning a new service at TCMH in April is no coincidence.
“I hope that this was meant to be,” she said.
Ehlers received her degree in occupational therapy from University of Missouri. She comes to TCMH with three years of prior occupational therapy experience, which began at the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center in Sikeston.
Ehlers is continuing her work with many area schools providing in-house occupational therapy for children and continues to provide occupational therapy for area nursing homes. She enjoys coaching and playing volleyball in her spare time as well as gardening, sewing and caring for animals. She grew up around horses and has a shih tzu, Pee Wee, she adopted a little over a year ago.
For more information or to make an appointment with Ehlers, call the TCMH Physical Therapy Department at 417-967-3311.
For more information about the ECHO Autism STAT screening and healthcare services available through Wright, call the TCMH Medical Complex at 417-967-5639.