Nevaeh Higuera laughs with delight as she tosses a small brightly colored ball to Fresno State physical therapy student Samantha Estes. As they toss the ball back and forth across the small playground at the nonprofit Exceptional Parents Unlimited, Higuerra takes a step backward, but quickly regains balance and runs down the pavement with careful, but confident, ease.
Estes, along with her two classmates, watches Higuera’s delicate movement while continuing to engage with her in light play and activity. They are three of 34 students in Fresno State’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program who participate in the six-week clinical experience at Exceptional Parents Unlimited, a requirement of their pediatrics course.
Higuera, now 2, has been coming to Exceptional Parents Unlimited since she was 3 months old. Born with Down syndrome, she faced developmental and physical challenges early on. Her mother, Lucero Gomez, was referred to the center, which provides early intervention services for children with special needs.
For the past seven years, the Exceptional Parents Unlimited and Fresno State’s Department of Physical Therapy have formed a mutually beneficial partnership that allows students in the doctoral program an opportunity to complete clinical hours and gain hands-on training at the center, under the supervision of Fresno State physical therapy assistant professor, Dr. Na-hyeon (Hannah) Ko and pediatric physical therapist Kris Ramirez, a Fresno State alumna.
With a shortage of pediatric physical therapists in the Valley, this partnership is immensely important, Ko said.
“A few years ago, I conducted a survey on the number of kids needing physical therapy services and found out there were more than 240 kids on the waitlist here in the Central Valley,” Ko said. “That’s kind of how this partnership further evolved. I wanted our students to get some experience in pediatrics, in a way that was fun and rewarding, while exposing them to the pediatric field. The clinical opportunity Exceptional Parents Unlimited provides not only enhances the learning experience for our students, but gives them a chance to see if pediatrics is the specialty they want to go into.”
Estes, a third-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student, said her interest in pediatrics has grown from this clinical placement.
“Having this experience, working with young children, has helped me gain personal and professional hands-on skills that will allow me to become a better physical therapist in the future,” Estes said. “It also really reignites my passion for working with children.”
Estes, along with two other classmates, worked with Higuera for six weeks, beginning with an evaluation stage to identify deficits and strengths in her development, followed by an intervention phase, which included refining Higuera’s balance and running abilities through a series of creative activities involving toys, musical instruments and shapes.
Higuera went from learning how to roll to learning to stand and now to walking with more confidence. Ramirez said this individualized attention is what makes the clinical partnership so important.
“Some of our kids have been on waiting lists for a while, so this clinic allows them to get into therapy a little bit sooner,” Ramirez said. “Perhaps the biggest impact is that this community collaboration, between Exceptional Parents Unlimited and Fresno State, supports families who really need it.”
In addition to providing services to the pediatric population, the Department of Physical Therapy is committed to providing services to people of all ages – from those young as Higuera to older adults. Through its geriatrics wellness clinic, community members in the Central Valley region – and as far as the mountain communities of Coarsegold and Oakhurst – can receive free services.
Similar to the pediatrics clinic, third-year students in the doctoral program lead the services under the direction of physical therapy faculty, Dr. Deborah Walker and Dr. Leslie Zarrinkhameh. Through the clinic, clients are assessed and evaluated in multiple body systems, including the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, cardiovascular system and integumentary (skin) system. In addition, wellness exams screen for psychosocial issues related to depression and isolation.
All clients are given a home exercise plan specifically tailored to their unique needs. The goal is to help older adults prevent injury and immobility, while maximizing healthy aging, independent lifestyles and recreation, Zarrinkhameh said.
“By providing this service, we are reaching a vulnerable population who may not be able to access health care otherwise due to costs, transportation and other barriers,” Zarrinkhameh added. “For our students, this clinic allows them to work with and observe the wide differences in abilities within the geriatric population, and to dose exercise appropriately so that clients are able to gain strength and flexibility, while improving their balance and function.”
For more information on the pediatrics partnership and geriatrics clinic, contact the Department of Physical Therapy at 559.278.2625.
