October Visit to Shanghai Children's Home a Big Success!

Superkids has just returned from a visit to the Shanghai Children's Home. Traveling were Dr. Eileen McAleer, a cardiologist, two pediatric physical therapists, Karen Teters and Pat Marcus, and founder, Janet Fink. The purpose of the trip was to continue training caregivers and volunteers in baby handling and therapeutic activities, deliver needed equipment, and to provide direct treatment to the children.

Superkids was thrilled that the caregivers and the large volunteer community had been following through with their picture directions to exercise infants. These directions were posted in the children's playrooms. They were able to revisit some of the children from their previous trip who were developmentally delayed and we could already see the progress due to the excellent follow through by the caregivers and volunteers.

Dr. MacAleer examined many children with cardiac conditions and many others with serious medical problems. Additionally she was able to help the therapists with medical consultations for the most serious cases. Through donations, they were able to provide a walker for a child with cerebral palsy and teach her how to walk. They were also able to provide a wheelchair for a child who could not sit up without the support of this wheelchair. Additionally, they taught a 7 year old girl with a severe skin disorder to feed herself and provided special coloring equipment so she could play. The therapists also saw many babies with minor medical conditions and developmental delay.

They provided fun therapeutic activities to decrease these delays. The therapists were able to directly treat over 25 children with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders. They were able to continue with training of the caregivers, rehabilitation staff and the volunteers in special handling and positioning for children with neurological disorders.

This coming spring, Superkids looks forward to expanding to a regular, non-special needs orphanage in another province. They also plan to return to the Shanghai Children's Home to continue their work.

To learn more about Superkids please visit their website:www.superkidscharity.org