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Bronx mom Melissa Fernandez worried how her special-needs son would handle things when coronavirus suddenly closed his preschool.
The answer, for both her and the folks in charge at the Mount Pleasant Blythedale Union Free School District: Surprisingly well.
Little Oliver, age 4, is among the dozens of students and patients now thriving through distance learning and telehealth consultation via the Blythedale Children’s Hospital, home to outpatient and specialized feeding programs and its one-of-a-kind onsite school for medically complex kids.
“I’ve felt the support of teachers, the administration, the nurses and the therapists,” said Fernandez, whose son struggles with an eating disorder. “I feel like I’m asking too many questions, but they are always willing to help with any question or problem.”
The Valhalla, Westchester County-based Blythedale is one of just 14 pediatric specialty hospitals in the country, and the only one in New York State. The hospital operates with an 86-bed inpatient unit, a 24-bed long-term care pavilion and a day hospital program.
But the physical plant meant little when Gov. Cuomo shut down schools and ambulatory care programs in March, leaving officials at the hospital and its school pondering their next move. The people in charge were working without a road map as the strange new reality took hold — but they quickly found their bearings.
“I think when hospitals are really pressed into an emergency situation, that’s when the adrenaline starts pumping and everyone springs into action,” said Blythedale President/CEO Larry Levine. “The question became, ‘What’s in the best interest of the children?’ “
Every one of the 150 families with children in the day hospital and the school district were contacted about the distance learning plan going forward, with the school providing tablets for those who needed them.
Fernandez said she received one in the mail. Plans for telehealth sessions were vital because Blythedale serves patients with an assortment of medical conditions: Respiratory illness, cancer rehab, genetic/neuromuscular disorders and more.
While both parents and the staff feared a loss of the so-important human touch in dealing with children, things seemed to fall into place.
“Despite being physically distant, the emotional, human connection we’ve made has been greater than ever,” said Emily Hersh, superintendent of the school system. “Because of our technology, the distance between us hasn’t been so far. We’re allowed to see each other, to see the changes and the growth.
“No one is just a voice.”
Eulalia Chicaiza’s 9-year-old son, Jaccob, is recovering from a traumatic brain injury and typically commutes from Queens to the Westchester County school. He’s staying at home, where he relies on seven apps to access classes from math and science to speech therapy and physical therapy.
“Yes, I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out,” said Chicaiza. “I was a little scared, but it’s been going OK.”