California Childrens Services Therapy Times

News and information about the Medical Therapy Units of Santa Clara County CCS
Vol. XII, No. IV

CCS Clients and Parents may find Back to School to be a Challenging time. Some of the following resources may be helpful:

Fall 2016

Parents Helping Parents www.php.com (408)727-5775

Dates to Remember

Santa Clara County Inclusion Collaborative Warm Line

www.inclusioncollaborative.org (408)453-6651

September 5, 2016
Labor Day

San Andreas Regional Center www.sarc.org (408)374-9960

October 10, 2016
Columbus Day

Reading Rockets.org also has a check list which could come in

handy:

Organize all that paperwork

Start a communication log

Review your child's current IEP

Relieve back-to-school jitters

Keep everyone informed

Establish before and after school routines

Stay up-to-date on special education news

Attend school events

November 11, 2016

Veterans Day
November 24 & 25, 2016
Thanksgiving Holiday
December 26, 2016
Christmas Holiday observed
MTUs are closed on these dates

In this issue
Back to School Tips..Pg. 1

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/back-school-tips-parents-children-special-needs

A Brothers Love.Pgs. 2-3

Hip Surveillance ProgramPg. 3
Kids Korner/MTU news..Pg. 4
Journey through College.Pg. 5
Crisis Text Line...Pg. 6
Ultimate List of Resources for
GrantsPg.7

Marilyn Cornier, CCS Director (408)793-6200

Sara Copeland, Medical Director (408)793-6200
Louise Sumpter, Chief Therapist (408)793-5900
Editor:

Chandler Tripp MTU (408)793-5900, John Buchinski and Darren Stevens,

Supervising Therapists

Juana Briones, MTU (650)845-3000, Marsha Maruyama, Supervising Therapist

South Valley MTU, (408)885-3160, Ann Nuno, Supervising Therapist

Alicia Newton,
MSW
Many thanks
To: John Buchinski,
Michael Deauville, Kirandeep &
Nitnem S; and Monica Turrey

A Brothers Love
By Michael Deauville

Hello! Thank you for letting me inform you about my website

www.michaeldeauville.com and for wanting to learn more about my
new book: A Brother's Love. I am so grateful for your willingness to open up your hearts to my story. It is my wish that I can
touch you in a way that makes a difference in your life.
While growing up with two disabled siblings, my heart has
been inscripted with lessons far too complex for instruction. The
experiences I have faced may have been unique to my life, but the
lessons I learned, in my opinion, can be applied to all. I wrote this
book because siblings of children with disabilities oftentimes face
a different life than that of their peers. No situation they face
will ever be identical to that of anyone else. But at the same time,
siblings of children with disabilities obtain so much more about the meaning of life; they learn to view the world in
a completely different way. Similarly, the lessons and morals they learn leave an everlasting impact on their lives,
and cause them to want to make the world a better place.
Life's barriers are oftentimes never ending; sometimes, they even seem impenetrable. But, know that the
acceptance of life's challenges will help uncover beautiful hidden blessings. When life is overcome with grief and
pain, it may be hard to see the good, but the difficulties you face will only make you a better person.
Growing up, I was frequently asked about my life's circumstances and how I felt living in my shoes. I oftentimes just brushed the questions off though and acted like I was living the typical life of every kid. Heck, it
is really all I knew. But, over the past year and a half, I encountered many people who wanted to know more; who
wanted the first-hand perspective of what siblings of children with disabilities really face. Well, here it is! A
Brothers Love is the message I want to share with the world. My book is something that I believe everyone can
relate to in one way or another. Whether you are a sibling to a disabled kid, a parent to a disabled child, or any
other compassionate loving person who is facing a barrier in your life, I strongly believe that you will be able to
take away a new sense of love and motivation to continue your life and create a brighter tomorrow. I believe that
by opening your heart to my story, you will be able to find your very own footprints in any situation you
face. Indulge in my story, and use the lessons and morals I share in your very own lives.
Throughout my experiences as a sibling to my sister, Katie, I was fortunate to spend an immense amount
of time at CCS. Because of Katies neuromuscular disease, her body was ripped of most of its muscle and peripheral strength. Thus, she was bound to a wheelchair right after her Bone Marrow Transplant. This unfortunate
feat resulted in her qualifying for physical and occupational therapy at CCS. She spent the majority of her time
at CCS with Darren and Mindy, but my family and I all became very close with the entire staff as they tirelessly
tried to give Katie the best outlook on life.
Seeing this from the siblings eyes was truly inspirational. In my book, I write a chapter titled Angels
are Everywhere. In this chapter, I focus on all of the people in our world who act as angels to others and give
their lives for the betterment of the world. Darren, Mindy, and all the staff at CCS are people whom I write
about, among others, as they selflessly give their lives to help people in the community in need. Seeing them interact with my sister, my family, and other patients and families alike, I found great possibility for our country
as I saw the best in humanity. The staff at CCS are angels to my family and others because the way they treat
their patients is unparalleled. They devote their careers to helping people in need, and even as a younger sibling
to my sister, I noticed how amazing this group of people are.
(continued on pg. 3)

HIP SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM:

NEW PROGRAM TO CCS MEDICAL THERAPY UNITS
By John Buchinski, Supervising Therapist
The Santa Clara County California Childrens Services Medical Therapy
Program has established a hip surveillance program for children with
cerebral palsy who are 2-8 years of age. This program was initiated under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Young, pediatric orthopedist at Lucile
Packard Childrens Hospital. Dr. Young also sees clients at Santa Clara
Valley Medical Center and in Medical Therapy Conference at our three
MTUs.
Hip subluxation and/or dislocation is a common problem in children with
cerebral palsy. The frequency of hip problems tends to correlate with
GMFCS level with children who have more significant motor limitations
having a greater likelihood of hip dysplasia. Early identification and orthopedic intervention has been shown to alter treatment outcomes, reduce the number of reconstructive surgeries required, and avoid the need for salvage surgery. As a result, hip surveillance has become an integral part
of evidence-based care for children with CP in many developed countries based on growing evidence supporting
surveillance programs and their outcomes.
If you think that your child might be a candidate for the hip surveillance program, speak to your childs therapist or a therapy supervisor about this. Medical Therapy Program staff will gladly provide references upon request.
-

A Brothers Love
(continued from pg 2)
I remember one instance in particular where we arrived to P.T. and Katie was just having a bad day. She
was visibly upset, and CCS was the last place she wanted to be. From tears to screaming, the whole room could
tell she was upset. But Darren, her P.T., told my Mom and I to leave and that he would console Katie and get
her going in no time. About 20 minutes later we returned and Katie was riding the adaptive bike around the
complex; no tears in sight. This is just one of many examples where the staff at CCS went above and beyond.
Having siblings with disabilities is a very unique life. The situations one encounters is not very similar to that of
their peers. That brings some good situations and some not so good situations, but above all, the lessons
learned are irreplaceable. As you can read in my book, I faced many unique challenges as a sibling to two siblings with disabilities, but because of programs like CCS, I was able to encounter amazing people who helped our
family along the way. My family will always be grateful to the people of CCS as they helped our family so much.
Best, Michael Deauville
Let our hope of tomorrow overcome our fears of today. - A Brothers Love

KIDS KORNER with Kirandeep & Nitnem S.

Kirandeep & Nitnem, twin siblings with CCS Medical Therapy Unit receive therapy services at South Valley Medical Therapy Unitthey
shared their experiences with us...
Hello how has your summer been going?
KirandeepIts going pretty good, Im having fun watching a lot of movies,
listing to music. I am a music person 24/7!
Nitnem Good, I am going around watching several Indian movies at
Eastridge Mall.
I understand that you moved to Santa Clara County from India when you
were 11 years of age. What has the experience been like for you?
What were some of the ideas that you had about living in the US before you came to California and CCS?
Kirandeep I had no idea what it was going to be like. My biggest surprise was having to learn a new language (English). I didnt expect that I was going to speak that much; it was difficult to learn. But its been a really great experience, you guys
(CCS therapists) taught me English.
NitnemNice. Good,I thought that I would have a good life. It was a surprise that, thanks to therapy, I have been walking
better.
Where are you going to school?
KirandeepSilvercreek High School, I will be a senior starting on 8.9.16
NitnemEvergreen High School, I wll be a senior starting on 8.9.16.
What are your plans for the future after you compete high school?
Kirandeep After high school I am planning on going to Evergreen Community
College.
NitnemI plan to get a job.
What advice do you have for other kids who arrive to CCS from other
areas of the world or the US?
KirandeepAll I can say is that its (CCS) is a really helpful program. They
(kids) should not be afraid of coming to CCS. Kids can learn new things, and
meet a lot of new people, and experience a lot of new things that you have never learned in your life. It can change your life.
(photosKirandeep & Nitnem along with therapists Ashley, Brianna & Cher)

__________________________________________________________________
NEWS from MTUS
Welcome to Evelyn LaCombe, Coreys baby who arrived in late Spring!
Our Newly Wed therapists include: Brianna Brown, PT who was married in May; Emily Jamieson, OT who was married in May;
Ashley Wilson, OT who was married in August! Congratulations to Dana Blum, PT who will be married in September!
Welcome back to Catherine Beatrous, PT who has returned from maternity leave; Welcome Back to Kate Dougherty, PT who
has returned to Chandler Tripp Medical Therapy Unit and is working part time.
Wheelchair Donations:
Do you have an old wheelchair or walker that you no longer need? Here is a good resource for wheelchair and walker donations: http://www.joniandfriends.org/wheels-for-the-world/drop-off-locations/. One of our CCS physical therapists, Leo
Cheng, helps with collections. Feel free to contact him at 408-793-5922 or at email on website.

Journey through College

by Monica Turrey
Monica Turrey is a 22 year old young woman transitioned from the CCS program at the age
of 21 in May 2015, she was an active participant in therapy at Juana Briones Medical Therapy Unit. Monica graduated from USC in May 2016 after four years of study. She took
some time to chat with us.

What were the biggest surprises for you as an incoming Freshman at

USC?
What surprised me most of all was how much my own plans changed from
what I had envisioned for myself going in. I came to USC knowing that I
wanted to study business, and I had always expected that I would follow
a traditional path toward investment banking or another area of financial services. What I was not expecting was that there would be so many
diverse coursework options. It was because of USC's flexible study
plans that I was able to combine my passion for business and technology
by taking classes in both the business and engineering schools.
As a student who uses a power wheelchair on a daily basis, what would you say worked for you to navigate
the college campus? What were some of the challenges and successes that you experienced?
Luckily for me the campus at USC was fairly easy to navigate, and with a few exceptions, everything was accessible. Life in the dorms was definitely an adjustment for me my first year because I had never lived away from
home before. Once I developed a weekly routine that factored in time for schoolwork, laundry, cooking, cleaning,
and other chores, I was able to handle everything pretty well on my own.
What advice would you have for younger CCS patients who are transitioning from high school to college?
The first thing that I would advise anyone to do when they are about to make the transition to college is to find a
current student or recent graduate from their school to serve as mentors during their transition period. Once
you find a mentor, don't be afraid to ask any questions that you might have about life as a student at your new
school, including academics and social life.
Secondly, If living on your own is a concern, I would recommend doing more things independently at home before
you leave for school. This way you have time to find your own daily routine and get comfortable and confident
with doing things for yourself.
What are your plans now that you have graduated?
Eventually I plan to go back to school for my Masters. Before I do that I'd like to spend at least 2-3 years working in the tech industry before I decide what the rest of my academic path will be. I'm also interested in taking
time to travel and have new experiences.

CRISIS TEXT LINE is an Online text service to assist those in crisis

For more information go to: http://www.crisistextline.org/

Text START to 741-741

About Us
Your best friend. Your dad. That lady down the street. That quiet kid in school. That loud kid
in school. That dude in accounting. Your cousin in Alaska. That hipster in the flannel in Brooklyn. That rando who might lurk on Twitter. Crisis Text Line is for everyone.
Crisis Text Line is free, 24/7 support for those in crisis.
Crisis Text Line trains volunteers (like you!) to support people in crisis. With 17,819,782 messages processed to date, were growing quickly, but so is the need. Apply to be a crisis counselor now.
Our Principles
We fight for the texter. Our first priority is helping people move from a hot moment to a
cool calm, guiding you to create a plan to stay safe and healthy. YOU = our priority.
We believe data science and technology make us faster and more accurate. See our Founders
TED talk for more scoop on how were using this stuff. While we love data science and technology, we dont think robots make great Crisis Counselors. Instead, we use this stuff to
make us faster and more accuratebut every text is viewed by a human.
We believe in open collaboration. We share our learnings in newsletters, at conferences and
on social media. And, weve opened our data to help fuel other peoples work.

TED TALK with Nancy Lublin is at the following url:

https://www.ted.com/talks/
nancy_lublin_the_heartbreaking_text_that_inspired_a_crisis_help_line
6

Are you a family of a child with special or medical needs?

Do you know someone who is? Then this is the must have resource
for grants for medical equipment such as wheelchairs or adaptive
bikes, grants to help with medical costs, wish organizations and other ways you can brighten up your childs day.
Ask your local childrens hospital or your physician about any local
organizations that may also be able to help you. Raising a child with
medical needs is expensive and insurance does not cover all costs.
Feel free to give your favorite non-profit a shout out in the comments. We appreciate their hard work to make life a bit easier for
families like ours.
For more information go to the following website:
http://joyfuljourneymom.com/?s=grants