PPEC

Before his discharge, the caseworker assigned to Kyle gave me some information about the PPEC (Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care) medical daycare program in Clearwater. Previous caseworkers have mentioned the program to us before but I looked into it a little more this time.

PPEC is a division of Pediatric Health Choice (the medical equipment provider that provides Kyle's feeding pump and equipment). It is a daycare center for children requiring special medical attention preventing them from attending a normal daycare. Kyle qualifies because of his developmental delays and reliance on the feeding tube.

PPEC is 100% covered by medicaid and many other insurances. There is no cost to the family. I was especially surprised at this considering that they are able to accomodate even newborns.

They provide care Monday-Saturday up to 12 hours a day. There is no minimum number of hours. Kyle could attend a week full-time and then the next week not attend at all. He could arrive at 6:30 AM one day and 4:00 PM the next. The schedule is as flexible as we need it to be. The school schedule is very structured, though. They have scheduled nap, lunch, outdoor play and snack times just like a regular daycare.

Their staff consists of all medical professionals. The teachers are all CNAs, LPNs, RNs, etc. They are staffed with therapists for occupational, speech, physical and feeding therapies. Which means that Kyle would be able to get therapy every day without leaving the daycare. They have cribs or toddler beds for each child where normal daycares only have cots. They have the special equipment needed as well - feeding pumps, IV pumps, nebulizers, etc.

Their staff is free from infection and do not come in if they have any signs of illness. If a child has a fever, they are not turned away. They are given medications as needed and isolated from the other children. They even have a special isolation room for highly contagious diseases such as pink eye or chickenpox with a specialized ventillation system and a separate bathroom.

They also can provide transportation to and from school for families without transportation of their own or when there are scheduling conflicts affecting transportation (i.e., the parent works past closing time and the child needs to be transported to a family member's house).

The center is located just west of US19N on Drew Street, so Chris actually passes the center every day on his way to and from work so it works out perfectly. We've discussed starting Kyle at PPEC starting the first Monday in January (1/5/09).

All Better

Kyle came home Saturday afternoon after a week in the hospital. In addition to the pneumonia, they discovered that he had RSV again, which is probably what caused the pneumonia. They treated him with steroids, antibiotics, IV fluids and breathing treatments. They would have discharged him earlier except that his O2 sats (blood oxygen saturation levels) kept dropping below 90% while he was sleeping unless he was on oxygen. O2 sat levels should normally be as close to 100% as possible but at least over 92%.

During his stay, Kyle got visits from some of his favorite NICU nurses and respiratory therapists and made friends with a couple of new nurses. He had Scott and Melissa as nurses for most of the week. He had three roomates come and go while he was there, too. One of them was a little baby boy and Kyle had fun talking across the room to him. When the baby was replaced with a 16 year old boy, Kyle kept asking where the baby went.

I was able to share some of my knowledge from being an All Children's veteran with the other parents. Little tricks like where the silence buttons are on each monitor and pump (making sure they knew to inform the nurse whenever the alarms go off, though), or which channel is the All Children's movie channel (44), or where to park, or how to avoid parking fees in the Bayfront garage (leave after 9pm - no charge), etc.

But Kyle's home now and has been almost a week. He's feeling much better and back to his old self. He's a little more talkative and independent.

Kyle at All Children's Hospital again

Kyle was admitted Friday night with pneumonia. He's still in the hospital. I will try to find time to update more.