The new pediatric therapy gym at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City will help youngsters recover from injuries or deal with disabilities, hospital spokesmen Luke Isringhaus said.
Isringhaus, the Mercy Jefferson supervisor of outpatient therapeutic services, said the gym offers physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. It opened in April at the hospital, 1400 Hwy. 61.
“The focus is, we can have all of our teams – physical, occupational and speech therapy – working together,” Isringhaus said.
He said opening the pediatric therapy gym in Crystal City is a benefit to Jefferson County families with children with injuries or disabilities because they no longer will need to travel long distances to find the services they need.
“It will be more convenient for the families,” he said. “We serve newborns up to high school-age students in the gym.”
From left, Lori Tatalovich, rehab services manager; Luke Isringhaus, rehab supervisor; Kristel Kronk, speech language pathologist; and Rachel Newkirk, pediatric occupational therapist, in the new pediatric therapy gym at Mercy Hospital Jefferson.
Isringhaus said people should not think of the facility as a regular gym.
“With occupational therapy, the focus in on fine motor skills,” he said. “They might use age-appropriate toys to develop motor skills. It can be used for sensory processing. We’ll use different swings and playground equipment.
“We develop visual motor skills, which is how our brain interprets visual information, such as children having problems copying shapes or letters. We also do oral, motor and feeding skills. That involves control of muscles in the face.”
Patients with difficulty communicating may benefit from what the gym offers, Isringhaus said.
“Speech therapy focuses on speech or articulation disorders, such as stuttering and vocal cord disorders,” he said. “It also helps with feeding and swallowing skills.”
The services offered at the gym also may help patients cope with pain, increase range of motion, improve endurance and develop gross motor skills, he added.
For more information about the hospital’s pediatric therapy gym or to schedule an appointment, call 636-933-1606 or visit mercy.net.