Patient History
- 1-year-old male
- Born with DiGeorge syndrome
- Hypocalcemia anemia
- s/p VSD and PDA repair
- Patient home with family in NY state
- Admitted to hospital at 9 months following acute respiratory failure due to virus; bronchiolitis complicated by severe subglottic stenosis
Reasons for Admission to Bridge to Home Program
- Family moved to another state and unable to go back and forth for training
- Streamline medical care prior to discharge to home
- Coordination with local medical specialists and hospital
- Establishing relationships between community services and resources
- Family training for tracheostomy and G tube dependency
- Intense inpatient rehabilitation
- Facilitation of DME equipment and supplies for discharge
Condition Upon Admission
- NPO-all nutrition through G tube
- Language delay; does not respond to name; no pointing or gestures
- Rolls left to prone only; needs assist to maintain sitting position; left torticollis with no rotation to left side
- No weight-bearing through legs
- Right-hand dominant; requires cues for bilateral hand play
Condition Upon Discharge
- Parents both trained and competent on all medical care
- Accepting PO trials without any signs or symptoms of aspiration or aversion
- Consistently responds to name, making independent communication attempts via gestures, and shows an improved understanding of language
- Rolls independently in all positions and into quadruped.
- Independent pull-to-stand transition; crawling independently for short distance
- Independent toy play, emerging pincer grasps
- Independent standing at surface to play
- Independently taking steps in gait trainer and on treadmill
Alternative Without Bridge to Home Program
- Continued care in a pediatric long-term care facility with little therapy
- Decreased interaction/bonding with family
- Ongoing costs of long-term care facility
For additional information on Good Shepherd Pediatrics’ Bridge to Home Program, contact Brenda Early, RN, BSN, at 484-788-5492 or [email protected].