“Finally, we found the right place for my child.”

A hospital that specializes in meeting the unique needs of children

Nexus Children’s Hospital is one of the only specialty medical facilities of its kind in the nation equipped to treat children and adolescents who have complex medical diagnoses and behavioral challenges. Expertly caring for patients who have not been successful at other inpatient and outpatient treatment centers, Nexus is a resource for families and caregivers seeking a compassionate environment.

INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLANS FOR ALL CHILDREN

Our low staff to patient ratio enables our unique team of imbedded multidisciplinary clinicians to round on patients and meet regularly to design and monitor tailored treatment plans developed specifically to fit all our patients’ unique needs.

THE BEHAVIORAL & MEDICAL TEAMS ARE MADE UP OF:

OUR OUTCOMES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

Behavioral outcomes are measured at admission and again at discharge to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments in reducing handicapping behaviors and increasing prosocial behaviors. We evaluate patients using the following tools: the Home & Community Social Behavior Scales (HCSBS), the Abberant Behavior Checklist – Second Edition (ABC-2), and the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS).

PATIENT CASE STUDY

Age: 7-year-old male
Diagnosis: Autism spectrum disorder
LOS: November 2019 to March 2020

Admission Summary

• Admitted for behavioral dysregulation associated with his diagnosis of autism.
• Non-verbal and engaged in severe self-injurious behaviors, such as head-banging and biting his fingers until they bled.
• Exhibited aggression toward others including his mother, sister, and baby brother in the form of hitting, kicking, grabbing and pulling hair, and biting.
• Patient’s mother was unable to care for her son while keeping her other children safe.

Patient Overview
As patient adjusted to the structure and routine of the behavioral pediatric programs, self-injury and aggression were observed. As the patient stabilized, clinical team began to see the emergence of improved communication, the ability to follow instructions, the ability to sit and participate in short-duration activities, and the ability to follow routines and simple instructions independently; self-injury was reduced completely. Aggression in the form of hitting or pulling hair occurred at low rates and the intensity of those behaviors reduced dramatically. They were often very short lived and easily redirected. Upon discharge, the patient walked out of the hospital hand-in-hand with his mother with no issues.

Outcome Measures

Outcome Details: The patient improved from an at-risk functioning level to an average functioning level on the antisocial/aggressive, defiant/disruptive, and antisocial behavior scales.  He also made improvements from the high-risk functioning level to the at risk level on the self-management/compliance scale.

Outcome Details: There were reductions in T-scores and percentile rank across all five scales, with the biggest noted improvements on the irritability and social withdrawn scales. These results correspond with the observed changes noted by the clinical team.

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Contact us today to learn how we can help your child or patient.