Tiny superheroes have big Halloween fun at University Health’s Fall Fest
On Thursday, hundreds of little ghosts, witches and vampires who started life with a few obstacles felt like superheroes at University Health’s annual Fall Fest, organized by the Child Life team. Morgan’s Wonderland, an accessible theme park for people of all abilities, was the Halloween party destination for children who have faced developmental challenges after being born prematurely or with special needs.
Dr. Leslie-Anne Dietrich, a neonatologist and director of the PREMIEre program for children born prematurely, said the services offered to them in their first years of life help them catch up on skills delayed by their early birth.
“Skills these children need to work on in their first years are things like learning how to sit, learning how to reach for objects, crawling and walking,” said Dr. Dietrich. “Their language development is, in particular, very important as well as their problem-solving skills.”
At Fall Fest, the children seemed unaware of any obstacles they’ve faced. They were just having fun.
Decked out in their costumes they soared above the park on a colorful Ferris wheel, took a spin on the merry-go-round, slid down slides and – of course – trick-or-treated.
Unique programs help children born with special needs
The masked creatures haunting this Fall Fest have participated in at least one of three University Health programs that support premature infants and children with medical and developmental needs:
- Comprehensive Care Clinic: maximizes the quality of life for children with complex chronic conditions and their families
- NICU Graduate Program: provides medical, developmental and nutritional help for preemies during their first two years of life
- PREMIEre program: includes speech, nutrition and other services that assist preemies with development and learning during their first five years of life
Services provided from birth make a difference
Two-year-old Regina de la Rosa, a princess dressed in purple, was born with a deformed trachea. Her mother says the speech, feeding and physical therapies she’s received are helping her progress.
“The help we are receiving is why she looks like that,” said Karla de la Rosa pointing to her smiling daughter. “It’s very important for all the babies with special needs.”
Kristal Castro, whose 7-year-old daughter Jessie Rose spent 45 days in the neonatal intensive care unit, the NICU, said the services for neonatal babies have enabled her entire family to adjust.
“Those services are extremely important, not just for the children. They made sure my husband and me and my boys, we were also included in her care,” she said.
Dr. Glen Medellin, a palliative pediatrician dressed as the lovable green character Shrek, said Fall Fest is also rewarding for medical teams. It’s rewarding to see how far their special patients have progressed.
“It’s beautiful to see these children out here, not sick and with their families,” he said. “It makes them feel normal.”
