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News - Advocate Lutheran Gen Hosp, Park Ridge Illinois USA |
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| Advocate Lutheran Gen Hosp |
| Advocate Lutheran General Hospital offers Sibsensations: A program for brothers and sisters of child |
| Date : - 06/04/2009 |
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Eve Kaczkowski, 11, of Niles has learned more about her brother John’s disabilities, met new friends and had fun doing it through a program designed specifically for brothers and sisters of children with special needs offered at Advocate Lutheran General Children’s Hospital.
“I like meeting new friends who I can express my feelings with and won’t make fun of me or my brother,” said Kaczkowski. “I learned more about my brother’s disabilities and about other disabilities and problems so if I see someone acting up, I know why they are doing it.”
The Sibsensations program is a support group for kids ages eight to 13 that focuses on working with healthy siblings of children with developmental and physical disabilities, offering them a chance to meet other kids whose brothers and sisters have special needs and to share common joys and concerns. Participants learn how to handle situations and about the implications of having a brother or sister with special needs through crafts and other activities including age-appropriate discussion.
Katie Danaher, 14, of Chicago enjoyed the Sibsensations program so much that when she was too old to participate, she signed up as a volunteer to help facilitate the program. It provided her with a good way to cope and to learn about disabilities.
“It’s nice to be able to help others and to see what’s happening with the program. It also helps me with school service hours,” said Danaher, whose younger brother Matt has Down syndrome.
“Many brothers and sisters of special needs kids have feelings that are difficult to express, even to friends – sadness that a sister can’t learn things that others take for granted, anger when a brother’s behavior prevents the family from going places or special pride when their sibling learns a new skill after lots of practice,” said Kathy Smart, M.S., R.N., program facilitator. “This program gives them an opportunity to share feelings with others who truly understand.”
Sibsensations is held in the Yacktman Children’s Pavilion, 1675 Dempster Street, Park Ridge, IL in Room Y2109 (second floor). The cost is $10 for each session/$5 for each additional family member. To register, call Kathryn Smart at (847)723-9484 or email Kathryn.Smart@advocatehealth.com. Parents are welcome to visit the Children’s Health Resource Center located adjacent to the class meeting room.
Advocate Lutheran General Children’s Hospital is one of the most comprehensive children’s hospitals in Illinois. It is the only children’s hospital in the greater north and northwest metropolitan Chicago area, and is a major regional referral center for a broad range of infant and pediatric services, especially for those with complex illnesses and chronic conditions. Offering the most advanced treatment options, Lutheran General Children’s Hospital has pediatric specialists in virtually every medical and surgical field. The children’s hospital has the state’s highest Level III perinatal facility designation, and also is a Pediatric Critical Care Center, offering the top level of specialized critical care and emergency care services to pediatric patients. Lutheran General Children’s Hospital has a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and one of the largest newborn intensive care units (NICU) in the region, providing the most advanced level of care to critically ill newborns.
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Illinois, is a 617-bed teaching, research and tertiary care hospital, Level I trauma center, and one of the largest hospitals in the Chicago area.
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| Reference : - www.advocatehealth.com/luth/ |
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