Kingstown, St. Vincent & the Grenadines – World Pediatric Project (WPP) had an active start to the New Year with the Speech and Behavioral Therapy and Cardiology missions seeing over 200 children already.
The Speech and Behavioral Therapy team was led by Miriam Kerr who specializes in cleft lip and palate as well as speech and language disorders. She was joined by Wendi McMillan, specializing in augmentative communication, Amy Swaim, speech pathologist and behavioral analyst, Jill Hodge, specializing in Aprazia, stuttering and articulation disorders and Sarah Cunningham, speech and language pathologist also specializing in pediatric feeding and early intervention. Our local Consultant pediatrician and neurologist Dr. Mishka Duncan-Adams along with local WPP staff and hospital nurses were amongst the contingent that executed the flow of the clinic.
The team was curated in a way that expanded its scope and targeted a well needed portion of the population that struggle with behavioral concerns, autism, ADHD and speech and language problems. The team stated that there has been a noticeable increase in these problems following the pandemic which led to a decrease in critical early development through social interaction and learning through play. However, for the patients that have been in consistent communication with the team and even some of the newer ones, the team noted that there has been major improvement in the children’s speech and behavior. This team conducted clinic for 3 days from Sunday January 29th to Tuesday January 31st at the Helping Hands Centre in New Montrose and saw a total of 116 children.
Shortly after the Speech team departed SVG, the diagnostic Cardiology team arrived on the same day ready to see the children. The cardiology mission was led by longstanding WPP medical volunteer and pediatric cardiologist Dr. William Moskowitz and comprised of him and his pediatric cardiology fellow, Dr. Christine Diiorio. Local pediatric surgeon Dr. Jasmine Ellis as well as pediatrician Dr. Joy Walters joined the team in assessing a total of 93 children, both new and follow-up patients. The youngest to be seen by the team was born just a couple hours earlier on the last day they were in SVG. This mission ran for 3 days from Thursday February 2nd 2023 to Saturday February 4th 2023.
To keep the ball rolling, WPP welcomed back and hosted a double team of Ophthalmology and Plastic Surgery from February 11th to the 18th 2023. Individuals interested in supporting the work of WPP can contact the local office at (784) 451-2989.