4 minute read
SCHOOL PHYSICAL THERAPISTS MAKING THEIR IMPRINT
By JC Ellinger
IN 2018-2019, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS FROM AGES THREE TO 21 WHO RECEIVED SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES UNDER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITY ACT (IDEA) WAS 7.1 MILLION. OR 14 PERCENT OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE STUDENTS WHO ALSO RECEIVE SERVICES UNDER SPEECH OR LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT, THAT PERCENTAGE EXPONENTIALLY INCREASES TO ACCOUNT FOR OVER 50 PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE SUPPORT UNDER IDEA.
Support staff in the school setting present themselves in many forms, but all have the weight of responsibility heavy on their shoulders—a weight of over seven million students to be exact. The roles these special individuals play take the shape of speech therapists, occupational therapists, paraprofessionals such as autism aides, and physical therapists (PT). Many students and parents of neurotypical children may not even be aware support for these specific needs exists. Yet parents who have accessed these services have done so out of necessity, for the support these therapists and aids provide is the bridge that connects children with exceptional needs to their educational goals.
School physical therapists are dedicated to working with students in the school setting. Lucie Haisen, PT, MPT, referred to as “Ms. Lucie” by her students, has been working as a school physical therapist in the Los Angeles Unified School District for over 15 years. She shared some of the ins and outs of being a school PT that have helped the kiddos she works with every day achieve heartwarming triumphs such as this:
“He had cerebral palsy and autism and was mainly in a wheelchair throughout his day. Although he was non-verbal, made minimal eye-contact, and didn’t understand directions, he loved music. I saw his potential for walking because his core strength and leg muscles were strong enough to support his body weight when we [his mom and I] stood him up. It was months of crawling behind him while I moved his legs through a reciprocal walking motion. His mom held his hands over a walker to teach him to hold on while his favorite songs played on a small portable radio strapped to his walker. Finally, he started taking steps on his own while holding onto his walker!”
The peaks and valleys of this impactful job create challenges, but patience and heart work directly toward the development of deserving students. Whether a student is working on holding a pencil so they can create written text for the first time or is building up to standing from their wheelchair, it is the school PTs who play a pivotal role in reaching their goal.
Mrs. Haisen added, “The most challenging thing about being a school PT is building trust and a good working relationship with the parents [of the student].”
A school therapist will meet with the parent in the initial stages for testing and/or to develop a plan to address the goals agreed upon in conjunction with the IEP (Individualized Education Program) team, but once therapy sessions begin, the parent and therapist do not typically have the opportunity to meet regularly. As a parent, it’s easy to forget when your child has had therapy that day, and I know it is common (just by way of busy schedules) for the therapist to fall out of communication with the parents.
As in any profession, there are singular superheroes who go out of their way to make the extra effort. Mrs. Haisen is one of them. She makes the effort to call, text, or email parents throughout the school year to let them know what she is working with the student on. “I also give them suggestions for practice at home and to celebrate progress or new skills,” she continued.
With her medically-based PT background, Mrs. Haisen worked with parents more closely on a daily basis, so she understands the value of parents getting to know the therapist one-on-one. Our own experiences can filter into our everyday practices. PTs have the gift of gifting their training, experience, and commitment in the form of therapy to their students.
As a parent herself, Mrs. Haisen can relate to the natural worries of being one. And although the current times have changed, she, like many other therapists in the school setting, is still making her mark. Parents and therapists are having to seek opportunities to get creative with their therapy sessions through virtual telehealth. It can be a delicate balance to create a virtual therapy session that still incorporates their goals while making the sessions “fun and engaging.” However, parents can rest assured there are still impactful individuals creating smiles one child at a time.
“Students with Disabilities.” National Center for Educational Statistics, May 2020, nces.ed.gov Accessed February 2, 2021.
JC Ellinger brings life stories and experiences as an autism mom to publications such as Autism Parenting Magazine and Exceptional Needs Today. She is currently working on her first children’s book geared at bringing relatability and support to other ASD children just like her amazing son. She carries an MBA from Regis University and a BA in Communications from CSU Long Beach. Now, she is returning to graduate school to add an MA in English to her resume and spread her love for writing to young minds. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jc.ellinger.writer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jc.ellinger Email: Juliet.ellinger01@gmail.com
