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Examples of Children and Adults Receiving Services at the Arlandria Health Center Ivonne is a 2 year-old child African American girl who came to the clinic with a history of multiple hospitalizations for illness (fever and pneumonia) and poor growth. At age 2, her weight was appropriate for a child half her age. Although she had never had any wheezing, her history of chronic cough and recurrent pneumonia suggested she might have asthma as an underlying factor. Our pediatrician started her on an aggressive program of inhaled asthma medications as well as a nutrition program. A pulmonary doctor was also consulted who agreed with our clinic's management. Our nursing staff provided guidance and support to the family. Six months into this regimen, she is now at a normal weight for her age, and has had no further hospitalizations or pneumonias. Sandra is a 6 month-old Hispanic girl who presented to the clinic with a history of fever and increased crying. As part of the fever evaluation, staff checked a urine specimen, which showed infection. She was started on antibiotics and additional tests were ordered. One of the tests diagnosed genito-urinary reflux, a condition that may lead to kidney scarring and ultimately renal failure if left untreated. She is now doing well on preventative antibiotics. Isabel, a 27 year-old mother of four, Hispanic, came to us because her three year-old daughter, Raquel, had a limited vocabulary, was extremely shy, and had difficulty in making contact with others. Isabel was seriously concerned about her daughter's behavior, but did not understand it or knew what to do about it. Through parenting skills training, group support from other mothers, and counseling with our Child /Family Therapist, Isabel has learned new skills for positive reinforcement, consistency, mimicking, and different ways to stimulate her child's vocabulary and development. Through daily home projects assigned to mother and child, Raquel's vocabulary increased and a positive attachment between mother and daughter was observed. Isabel has expressed that she feels empowered now by her ability to use every day scenarios to promote her child's development. The Ortega family came in a mid-cold-morning, requesting services they reported they were unsuccessful in finding elsewhere. They were homeless. The parents and their 3 children had spent the night at a Grey Hound station in Washington, DC. The children reported they had not eaten since the previous day. The family is originally from Nicaragua; they moved to El Salvador and later to Miami, in search of a better life. However, because the parents were unable to find employment in Miami, they came to our area, at a friend's invitation. When they arrived in Alexandria, they learned that their friend was deported prior to their arrival. Services to this family have included: Provision of supportive counseling and calls to various agencies, such as shelters and the Department of Social Services. Despite numerous telephone calls and effort, we were unable to find needed resources from existing agencies for this family on that particular day. By the evening, ANHSI'S staff were able to develop a plan of action, to mobilize the agency's limited financial resources to provide financial assistance for the family to stay at a local hotel on that particular night. Transportation assistance, food and clothes, including coats were provided for each family member. ANHSI'S Case Manager advocated for and made arrangements to work in collaboration with the Department of Social Services to help find employment for the parents, affordable housing for the family, and schools for the children. Elisa, a young, single mother, came to us feeling very depressed and overwhelmed. When she is upset she detaches from her young four year-old son ignoring him and his behavior, and then experiences guilt and frustration. Our child/family therapist is working with the mother and the child through counseling and play therapy. She is helping Elisa learn new parenting skills, such as positive reinforcement, communicating appropriately with her child, appropriate limit-setting, and ways to manage her own anger and stress. Our goals are to give her tools to interrupt the cycle of abuse, protect the child's healthy development, and increase her self worth personally and as a parent. Maria, a 4 week-old baby with repeated vomiting and failure to thrive, who had been seen at the Emergency room and had multiple x-rays without a diagnosis being found. She was treated for milk allergy (by prescribing a special hypoallergenic formula), and her mothers was counseled and supported. The child's vomiting resolved, and she has gained weight consistently. She continues to thrive. |
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