BUFFALO, N.Y. — John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital has received a grant to support services for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
On Tuesday, the Children’s Guild Foundation awarded the hospital a $630,000 multiyear grant, which will go towards services for children with autism spectrum disorders, OCD, ADHD, spina bifida, Down syndrome, epilepsy, learning and intellectual challenges, conduct disorders, cerebral palsy and impairments in vision and hearing.
These services will be provided at the Robert Warner Rehabilitation Center and The Children’s Guild Foundation Autism Spectrum Disorder Center at Oishei Children's Hospital (OCH).
“Many of the 1 out of 44 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the U.S. today have significant behavioral challenges that can be extremely distressing for the child, family and caregivers. Most parents and caregivers do not feel equipped with the skills or ability to manage these challenging behaviors," said Michelle Hartley-McAndrew, MD, FAAP, medical director of The Children’s Guild Foundation Autism Spectrum Disorder Center.
"In many cases, the children are unable to communicate their needs and it can be frustrating for caregivers to not know how to help their child. This grant will be tremendously important in increasing access to behavioral therapy and services to children with autism spectrum disorders who would not have otherwise been able to benefit from them. We believe these services will have a dramatic impact on the child’s behavior and communication skills along with quality of life for the family.”
The center provides rehabilitation services including therapeutic services. The grant will directly improve the programs available by helping hire an board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and patient care coordinator to work with children and families.
“Many of the patients at The Children’s Guild Foundation Autism Spectrum Disorder Center and Robert Warner Center have complex developmental, behavioral and educational challenges. This grant will allow life changing therapies to be more accessible and assist parents in coordinating the care and multiple services for their child,” Hartley-McAndrew said.
RELATED VIDEO: