Nexus Children’s Hospital offers pediatric medical and behavioral services throughout Texas
Nexus was founded in 1992. My goal was taking care of those who fell through the cracks (those with both medical and mental health needs; cue the True North Program). We take kids from birth up through the age of 22. They are in a very fluid part of their lives where intervention can make a lasting difference. The overall mission of our organization has been to restore individuals to productivity and having meaning in their life. Again, so much of what has occurred in their past has been unfair, extremely traumatic and totally unexpected, and we have to try to get them to a space where that trauma doesn’t overrun every day in their life. They can have moments of happiness.
Post-acute environment for ongoing pediatric medical care and mental health needs
You can really feel comfortable bringing your child here because you’re going to be a part of the treatment plan. When we work with your child, we want to know what’s important to you. That will be one of our main focuses. One critical aspect of them being involved is the opportunity to train them on some of the techniques and exercises they can do at home once they’re discharged, to continue that child’s progression toward their ultimate goals.
Pediatric healthcare program at Nexus Children’s Hospital
The good thing about Nexus Children’s Hospital is we offer a diversity of experiences for children. We can take care of severe brain injury patients at any point in their healing spectrum, and I don’t think a lot of other facilities have the experience. We’re able to see people who are on a ventilator in a disorder of consciousness requiring to feeds at all times. We are able to see many of those patients be able to eat on their own and even be able to potentially do some walking.
We have a behavioral pediatrics program, even though they may have a diagnosis of intellectual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury, prodder, Willy syndrome, we treat the behavioral issues that are associated with those disorders.
Since we’re the only center for PWS in the nation, we have a very unique inpatient weight loss program specifically tailored to those kids that you won’t find anywhere else.
Pediatric medical staff unlike any other hospital
The staff is incredibly friendly. Our front lobby right now looks like an aquarium. Even when you walk up to the building, it looks like a big house. Some of these patients have been in and outta hospitals for such a long time, so it feels more comfortable. It feels more homey. You’ll get to know the nurses and the nurses will get to know you, and I think that’s so important because all of us know that our children are a little different. They may cry a certain way or like to be tucked in a certain way, and the nurses learn that so quickly because we’re so small, they can do those things for the parents. You can trust the staff to know that we’re here for your child and you can trust to know that we’re gonna do our best to get them into that more normal life. The kids are really the reason for our success. The hard work they’ve put into healing. They’re actually an inspiration to us as much as we are to them.
