Kingstown, St. Vincent & the Grenadines – In a significant effort to bridge communication gaps for children with speech and language disorders, World Pediatrics (WP) recently hosted a specialized clinic in Dominica and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The initiative, which began with a two-day session in Dominica on January 26–27, 2025, continued in St. Vincent from January 29–31, 2025, providing evaluations and interventions for over 179 children across both islands.
The WP team comprised one occupational therapist and five speech pathologists, each specializing in areas such as articulation and phonology, augmentative communication, feeding and sensory disorders, genetic conditions like Down syndrome, neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, and behavioral challenges including ADHD. Among the specialists were returning speech pathologists Miriam Kerr and Wendi McMillan, alongside new team members Ellen Enright, Janina Boyce, and Roslyn Reynolds. In St. Vincent, they were joined by local speech pathologist Kimberley Cambridge, whose expertise further strengthened the initiative.
In Dominica, the clinic evaluated 75 children over two days. Special Education Consultant Beverly Le Blanc, from the Achievement Learning Center, commended the ongoing impact of WP’s work, having volunteered with the program for three consecutive years. “I have seen this clinic grow tremendously, and the dedication of the World Pediatrics team has made a real difference in the lives of these children,” she said. She also emphasized the importance of greater parental and teacher involvement to ensure continuity of care beyond the clinic setting.
The outreach in St. Vincent saw an even higher turnout, with 104 children assessed over three days. Occupational therapist Janina Boyce described the experience as “one of a kind,” noting the satisfaction of equipping families with practical tools to support their children’s development.
The initiative was made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Mustique Charitable Foundation, whose continued support has played a pivotal role in sustaining WP’s outreach programs.
World Pediatrics remains committed to addressing the medical and developmental needs of children in the Caribbean. For more information or to support their work, visit www.worldpediatrics.org or contact their local office at (784) 451-2989.