Price Transparency
Mastering Daily Tasks To Help Others Feel Their Best

Mastering Daily Tasks To Help Others Feel Their Best

by | Jul 12, 2024 | Neurology

Previously published in Rite Up, 2024 – Issue 2.

Fifteen-year-old Zion, of Glenn Heights, is preparing to become an esthetician when she graduates from high school. Her mother, Tiffany, bought her a mannequin that she uses to practice giving facials and applying makeup. “I want to make people feel good about themselves,” Zion says. “Being an esthetician will help people relax.” Recently, Zion brought her mannequin to Scottish Rite where she works with occupational therapist Lucy Ericson on mastering a host of daily activities.

Zion has cerebral palsy (CP) and has received care at Scottish Rite for Children since she was 10, after her family moved to Texas from Arizona. CP is the most common childhood disorder that affects muscles and movement. Zion’s symptoms impact her mobility, muscle coordination, flexibility and posture.

“It’s hard to walk around the mall, our neighborhood or around school because classes aren’t close together,” Zion says. She uses a wheelchair for long distances. “Sometimes, I force myself to walk, but I get very tired.” She also finds it challenging to do things with her right hand, like twisting open a jar, pouring juice or writing essays. “It’s hard keeping my hand straight,” she says, “but that’s why we go to Lucy.”

In occupational therapy, Zion works through a list of tasks that she conquers one by one. Lucy has helped her find creative ways to brush her teeth, wash her skin, cook food, open a pill bottle, roll her wheelchair by herself, get binders in and out of her backpack, put on earrings and apply makeup, like eye shadow and lip gloss. “It makes me feel really good,” Zion says. “I never thought I was going to be able to do all that stuff by myself.”

As tasks get easier for Zion to achieve, she prepares for her future as an esthetician. “Zion wants to be ready when she graduates so there aren’t any barriers,” Tiffany says. In a session with Lucy, Zion massages the mannequin’s face with shaving cream. “We’re not using the high-end stuff on a mannequin,” Tiffany says, laughing, but then, her tone turns bittersweet as she considers the years they have spent at Scottish Rite. “They make us feel like we are part of one big family,” she says. Zion underscores how much it means to her. “I really love, gosh, all the people,” she says. “I couldn’t imagine myself being able to do what I can do without Scottish Rite’s help.”

Read the full issue.

Share Your Story: A Lifetime of Golf

Share Your Story: A Lifetime of Golf

by | Jul 6, 2022 | Neurology

Meet Ford, a patient who was treated by our multidisciplinary team of experts.

Blog written by Ford.

My name is Ford. I am 26 years old and also have cerebral palsy. When I was 10 years old, I had surgery on my legs at Scottish Rite for Children. The year before, I started participating in Learn to Golf and attended my first Learn to Golf clinic at a course in Lubbock, TX.

Learn to Golf introduced me to the sport and has since allowed me to play a game that changed my life!

When I would attend a Learn to Golf clinic, I would receive access to this wonderful game, as well as receive personalized instruction and equipment.

Golf is a sport that I plan on playing my entire life and to this day, I have many friends that I have made through the game. Golf keeps me motivated to care for myself and stay in shape throughout the ups and downs of life.

Words cannot express the level of gratitude that I have for Scottish Rite and Dana Dempsey. Dana not only works to serve children who have medical issues, but she also makes sure patients find joy in their lives! I am forever grateful for Scottish Rite, and if you have even the slightest interest in golf, you should participate in a Learn to Golf clinic.

The older I get, the more I understand how special Scottish Rite is. I don’t think anyone really wants to be in the hospital, but when you are at Scottish Rite, everyone there makes an effort for you to feel comfortable and welcome. I haven’t had an operation at Scottish Rite since 2007, but every time I pick up a golf club, I am reminded of the impact the hospital had on my life.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY? WE WANT TO HEAR IT! SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US.

Share Your Story: Why I Volunteer

Share Your Story: Why I Volunteer

by | Feb 5, 2019 | Spotlight

Meet Luann and Andrew, a mom who is a hospital volunteer and a patient who was treated in our Neurology department. Learn more about their journey below.Blog written by Luann, of Dallas. Our son, Andrew, was always very active and loved playing soccer and basketball. He was usually the fastest runner on the soccer field and could shoot three-point shots from half court. When he turned 10, I noticed he couldn’t run like he used to, and as hard as he tried, he just couldn’t keep up with his teammates.

I took him to his pediatrician and she could not find anything physically wrong. His left foot started
to turn in so we thought maybe he just needed ankle braces, so we gave that a try. That didn’t help, so we began a seven-year search for answers. We saw 13 different doctors – from podiatrists, to an orthopedic specialist and even a neurologist, but we were still left without answers. In the meantime, Andrew was growing and his ability to walk was becoming more and more difficult. He had pretty much given up the idea of ever playing sports again.  Attending high school was even a struggle for him. In the morning, he was strong and could walk, but by the end of the school day he was physically spent. I would pick him up from school and take him home, where he would have dinner and then literally crawl to his bedroom to go to bed, only to face the same struggle the next day. It would just break my heart to see him not being able to attend football games or go to movies with his friends. He had pretty much given up the idea of attending homecoming or walking across the stage at his high school graduation.

After seven years, 13 doctors, countless doctor visits, MRI’s, CT Scans, X-rays, braces, and exercises, we were referred to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. We initially met with Dr. Sucato in August of Andrew’s senior year of high school. Dr. Sucato thought it would be best if we saw Dr. Delgado, a neurologist at the hospital. I thought this would be a waste of time since we had already seen two other neurologists, but I reluctantly agreed.

We saw Dr. Delgado that October and that is when our miracle began.

I remember sitting in the exam room with a stack of X-rays, MRI reports, CT scans and other medical records. In walked Dr. Delgado and through my tears I began to tell him all of Andrew’s physical challenges for the past several years. I will never forget that day – he looked at us and said we were going to find out what was going on! He was the first doctor who had told us that. He closely studied Andrew walking, which was so hard for me to watch. Andrew underwent a few different tests and on January 29, 2010 was admitted to the hospital for a spinal tap. 

A young boy in a hospital bed with a red bandage on his hand

A week later, we received the call that changed our lives.

My husband Earl, Andrew and I went back to the clinic and nervously waited in the exam room, praying for an answer. I had prepared myself for the worst. Dr. Delgado walks in and said he knows what is going on with Andrew – I could hardly believe we were hearing those words! Andrew has Dopa-Responsive Dystonia, a rare neurological disorder that is easily treated. His brain doesn’t produce enough of the chemical dopamine, so he takes a medicine that is often used to treat Parkinson patients.   We were beyond excited for a diagnosis, but I was not going to get my hopes up until I saw positive results!  Andrew took his first pill that Friday and within 24 hours he was able to walk, stand and run like he had been able to eight years ago. He went to school that next Monday and his baseball coach called me to find out what had happened – no one could believe the miraculous change in Andrew!

A man wearing a shirt that says hunger is hugging a woman

Andrew was able to play in the last baseball game of his senior year and the The Dallas Morning News was there to capture it all.  Andrew’s friends and family filled the stands, cheering him on. He got up to bat, got a hit and was able to run the bases – something we all thought we would never be able to see him do again. I cheered and cried at the same time! He was then able to attend the high school homecoming dance, his classmates voted him “Raider of the Year” and he proudly walked across the stage at his graduation. 

I still tear up thinking of this journey and how Dr. Delgado and Scottish Rite Hospital gave my son his life back.  Andrew went on to graduate from the University of North Texas and has moved to Los Angeles, California, where he is truly enjoying life. My heart is so proud and full to see him have the confidence to go out on his own. For so many years, he felt he had to hide in the background due to his physical limitations.  He didn’t want anyone to see him and was laughed at for his physical shortcomings. 

He is an amazing young man. When he went to bed at night, he knew he would have to wake up and face the same challenges again that next day. He never complained, was always smiling and was a true testimony to everyone he ran into. I am one proud mom!

Because of everything Dr. Delgado did for my son, I decided I wanted to give back to the hospital. On February 22, 2011, I began volunteering at the hospital. I volunteer Tuesday evenings, at special events and I serve on the Volunteer Executive Committee. My biggest honor is to volunteer in Dr. Delgado’s Neurology Clinic. I love being able to greet his patients, assure them that they are in an amazing place and are seeing the best doctor in the world.

A basketball player is jumping in the air to dunk the ball

It is my absolute pleasure to brag on Scottish Rite Hospital and to share Andrew’s Story and give other families hope.

When Andrew is home for a visit, he always tries to stop by the hospital and visit with Dr. Delgado and his staff – I love seeing the big grins on each of their faces! Thank you to Dr. Delgado and his amazing team, who we now consider family, for giving my son his life back.

DO YOU HAVE A STORY? WE WANT TO HEAR IT! SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US.

A Collaborative Research Program Advances Care for Children Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy

A Collaborative Research Program Advances Care for Children Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy

by | Jul 19, 2018 | Research & Innovation

At Scottish Rite Hospital, our team is dedicated to providing individualized, expert care to each child. The hospital’s Neurology department is focused on providing treatment to orthopedic patients who have related neuromuscular diseases and neurological disorders. Over the years, the hospital has established specialized clinics for children with these complex conditions. Through the collaboration between our trained neurologists and orthopedic team, the patients are able to receive multidisciplinary care to address their specific needs. 

To continue advancing the care and treatment of our neurology patients, the department is committed to ongoing research. Each year, the hospital hosts a two-week research program for children diagnosed with hemiplegic (one side of the body) cerebral palsy. To participate in this research, children meet study inclusion criteria and go through an evaluation one week prior to being enrolled in the program. Constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) is a form of treatment where the child’s stronger arm is put into a splint forcing them to use the affected arm for all daily activities. The two-week therapy program includes gross and fine motor activities that encourage independence with identified goals. Activities include crafts, making snacks and games. The program also includes the use of the Armeo®Spring Pediatric (an upper limb video game based robotic exoskeleton). As part of the research, our team evaluates the child before and immediately after completing the program as well as six months later. By analyzing the progress of these children, the data has shown an impact from the therapy including improvement in range of motion, function and use of the affected arm. 

Like many of the research projects that take place at the hospital, this program involves staff from multiple departments. Our Neurology team works closely with the hospital’s research occupational therapists, Angela Shierk, Ph.D., O.T.R. and Heather Roberts, Ph.D., O.T.R., to make this a success. Pediatric clinical nurse specialist Nancy Clegg, Ph.D., R.N., has been involved with this program over the years and can see the impact it has made. “The children we see in our clinics and those who participate in this program are in need of specialized care,” says Clegg. “Our neurologists, orthopedic surgeons and therapists are able to conduct robust research to bring more knowledge and better care back to the patients affected by cerebral palsy. The CIMT program is just one of the many research programs that allow us to collaborate and discover innovative treatment options to enhance overall care.” 

1968-2018: Celebrating 50 Years Since the First Consensus Definition of Dyslexia

1968-2018: Celebrating 50 Years Since the First Consensus Definition of Dyslexia

by | Apr 5, 2018 | General News

Over 50 years ago, the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia & Learning Disorders was established to provide treatment and guidance to children with learning disorders. 

This week, the hospital is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the World Federation of Neurology’s meeting which formulated the first consensus definition of Dyslexia. In April of 1968, the first meeting of the World Federation of Neurology’s Research Group on Developmental Dyslexia and World Illiteracy took place at Scottish Rite Hospital. Below is the definition that was approved by the group in 1968:

Specific Development Dyslexia
A disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to ready despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and socio-cultural opportunity. It is dependent upon fundamental cognitive disabilities which are frequently of constitutional origin. 

Throughout the decades, the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia & Learning Disorders has grown to become the premier learning facility for both children diagnosed with a learning disorder and therapists in training. Director of the Center Gladys Kolenovsky, has witnessed the impact this group of experts has made on this patient population. “Since the beginning, we have been dedicated to giving children with dyslexia the tools and confidence to be successful both in school and in life,” says Kolenvosky. “As we embark on this 50-year milestone, it gives us a moment to reflect and give thanks to the group who gathered to define dyslexia and from that day has enhanced the care for these children.” 

Learn more about the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia & Learning Disorders Center.