Fund: Child Nutrition Program – Physical Therapy

Based on the need identified by the previous developmental screening program developed by Physical Therapy students at Bradley University in Peoria Illinois, a Dominican physical therapist was added to the SRI Child Nutrition Program team. According to studies, malnourished children are at the greatest risk of not meeting developmental milestones, and there are various children enrolled in the Child Nutrition Program with identified cognitive and physical needs. Given the challenge of travelling over an hour to the nearest rehabilitation center, the decision was made to bring physical therapy services to the families that most neeed them. Once a month, physical therapist Johanna Fernandez Puello travels to El Cercado to work with children and their caregivers to identify needs early and develop home therapy plans to address those needs. Thanks to this intervention, children are learning important skills such as sitting independently, holding a spoon, and walking!