Medical Services | Miracle Kids Success Academy

We have experienced nurses at each location. Our nurses work closely with your primary care physician to provide the best possible care for each child that we serve. Their daily routines include, but aren’t limited to, performing routine assessments of enrolled children, assessing and treating any acute problems that arise, administering medications and asthma treatments, monitoring immunization records and providing education to parents and family members.

Medication Administration

At MKSA, we strive to keep your child, along with all of the children in our clinics safe at all times. Because we are a medical facility, our staff nurse can administer medication prescribed to our patients here on site via the following procedure:

A record of all medications will be obtained upon enrollment and every six months thereafter on the Nurse Assessment Form.
Medication will not be administered to a patient without a completed Medication Administration Request Form completed by parent/guardian. Parent/guardian will complete Medication Administration Request at drop off or when van picks up patient.
Medication must be brought in original container, clearly labeled with the following information: patient name, medication name, dosage, route, and the time medication is to be administered or medication will not be accepted.
Prior to administering medication the Nurse will confirm identity of patient via the patient picture log.
All medications will be securely stored in a locked cabinet or drawer. If classified as a controlled substance they will be securely stored in a double locked cabinet or drawer.
Over the counter medication will only be administered if the medication is listed on Miracle Kids Success Academy Medication Standing Orders.
Any medication administered by the Nurse will be documented on the patient’s Medication Administration Record.
The Nurse will inspect all medications monthly to ensure no medications are expired.

Hearing Screenings

Each child enrolled at MKSA receives a hearing screening during the enrollment process (and subsequently, if needed). Hearing screenings include otoacoustic emissions testing and tympanometry. MKSA staff work closely with parents, Primary Care Physicians and our audiologist regarding screening recommendations following the examinations.

Asthma Treatments

MKSA nursing staff are trained to treat asthma patients in the following ways:

Maintaining a calm atmosphere to help reduce the patient’s apprehension and allow him/her to assume the most comfortable position possible. The child will often be allowed to play with small toys during the procedure to further reduce apprehension.
Giving any medication or treatment as prescribed by the patient’s physician. This may include medication by mouth, inhalers, or an aerosol treatment.
Documenting any signs of respiratory distress such as increased respiratory rate and/or labored breathing involving muscle retraction and use of the neck and abdominal muscles. Pulse-ox will be monitored, if possible.
During mild asthma attacks, where coughing and wheezing respond to treatment or improve, the patient may remain in the academy. However, if symptoms do not respond to treatment, MKSA staff will exclude the patient and refer them to a physician for further medical intervention.
In the case of severe respiratory distress, as indicated by altered consciousness, extreme shortness of breath and/or bluish color around the mouth, EMS will be activated by nursing staff. If the respiratory distress is believed to be caused by an allergic reaction, the “Anaphylaxis” policy will be followed.

No matter what situation may arise, our highly skilled nursing staff will be there to care for your child every step of the way.

Tube Feeding

There are many reasons why a child may require tube feeding:

Gastrointestinal disease
Short bowel syndrome
Neurological impairment (for example, cerebral palsy, anoxic brain injury, severe seizure disorder)
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Pulmonary disease
Cystic fibrosis
Congenital heart disease

The method of tube feeding will depend on the child’s needs and ability to accept the treatment. Listed below is an overview of the different types of tube feeding treatments:

Bolus Feedings: Bolus feedings are similar to a regular meal with the patient receiving larger amounts of food given over a shorter period of time, with several hours in between feedings.

Continuous Feedings: During continuous feeding, the tube fed formula is given slowly over a long period of time (usually 18-20 hours). This method is more easily tolerated than bolus feedings and is required with certain tubes.¹

Combination Feedings: Combination feedings combine both the bolus and the continuous feeding methods.

Whatever your child’s nutritional needs are, MKSA staff will work with you and your child’s physician to put together a treatment plan that will help them continue to thrive.

¹Axelrod et al. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 2006; 30: S21–S26.

Vital Stim

VitalStim Therapy is designed to help improve swallowing function through the use of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES). Electrical stimulation is used to aid in muscle strengthening and rehabilitation of the swallow.

Additional VitalStim facts are listed below:

FDA approved method to help treat Dysphagia/Swallowing Disorders/Facial Paralysis and Bells Palsy
Requires extensive training and requires a specialty certification
Non-invasive
Can help with muscle recruitment and swallowing function through sensory stimulation provided by NMES
Can help improve swallowing function by re-educating and strengthening the swallowing muscles
Used in conjunction with oral motor exercises, therapeutic feedings, and various TX techniques to enhance Dysphagia treatment
VitalStim can be added into a patient’s existing treatment plan
Patients are reassessed after 6 weeks of treatment
Doctor referral is required for treatment

Miracle Kids Success Academy has two Speech-Language Pathologists that are certified in Pediatric VitalStim Treatment

Amanda Glover

Amanda attended Arkansas State University, where she received a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication Disorders in 2000 and a Master’s of Communication Disorders in 2001. She has been working with children for over 15 years and loves seeing them progress and develop new skills. Amanda began working with MKSA in 2010. Amanda is certified to provide VitalStim Therapy, a special form of neuromuscular electrical stimulation that helps habilitate and/or re-educate the throat muscles needed for swallowing. It also helps improve facial function (facial paresis and Bell’s palsy). This safe, non-invasive therapy has been used successfully to help thousands regain the pleasures of an oral diet and a higher quality of life.

Laura Riley

Laura received a Bachelor’s in Communication Disorders from Arkansas State University in 2001 and then received her Master’s in Communication Disorders from ASU in 2003. She has worked with the pediatric population since January 2004 and loves this age group. Laura has 13 years experience working with a pediatric population. When she heard about Miracle Kids opening (in 2010), she was excited to apply. And we are glad she did! Laura is great with children. She loves to work with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices and provide oral-motor/dysphagia treatment and articulation/language treatment. Laura is certified to provide VitalStim Therapy, a special form of neuromuscular electrical stimulation that helps habilitate and/or re-educate the throat muscles needed for swallowing. It also helps improve facial function (facial paresis and Bell’s palsy). This safe, non-invasive therapy has been used successfully to help thousands regain the pleasures of an oral diet and a higher quality of life.

Is Your Child On Track?

How your child plays, learns, speaks and acts offer important clues about his development. Do you have questions about your child’s development? View our milestone checklist to see if your child is where he/she should be at this stage in their development.

Still have concerns? Complete the form below to contact our staff to discuss your concerns, schedule a tour of our facility, or make an appointment to speak with our staff.