Regina Davis describes her grandson as a “miracle baby.”
“Right after he was born, the doctors said he wouldn’t make it through the day, and if he did live, he would be a vegetable,” Mrs. Davis said in an interview at the Children’s Healthcare Center.
Her grandson, Ahmad Davis, pictured to the right with nurse Jamie Herling, was born weighing less than a pound. But during his year-long stay at the CHC, he has thrived and reached his maturation benchmarks as he got bigger and stronger.
"It was a transition for me too. I was a little nervous, having 24-hour care for him. But getting to know them and getting a rapport made me comfortable," she said. She noted that Ahmad has developed a special rapport with Nurse Karen Krause.
"Karen—she's a sweetheart. She's his second mom. He knows when she's around. He can hear her or he can smell her. He knows," said Mrs. Davis.
Providing care to children with complex medical needs not yet able to go home
Maryville's Children's Healthcare Center is a long-term care facility that provides specialized clinical care for medically fragile children, also known as medically complex, as well as children who have suffered an accident or illness and now require transition care, ages newborn through 21. The Center is a "home away from home" for medically fragile children and their families.
The Center provides care to medically fragile children, or medically complex, who may be technology-dependent (e.g., ventilator care, apnea monitoring) and training for parents, caregivers, and siblings to help them become more confident when attending to the fragile child's specialized needs. The Center provides transitional care from hospital to home and offers respite care for caregivers, giving them much needed breaks from demanding schedules.
The Healthcare Center environment
The Healthcare Center has 12 beds in child-friendly and welcoming rooms. There are separate rooms for physical therapy, learning, eating and play. The Center's nursing ratio is 3 to 1 for most cases. Dr. Carl Toren, the Center's Medical Director, and Dr. Margo Bell review all protocols and supplements the care provided by the child's own doctors. Dr. Toren is a board certified Pediatrician affiliated with five Chicago area hospitals.
Before your child comes to the Children's Healthcare Center
We welcome any family considering using the Children's Healthcare Center to come for a tour. Our staff will be glad to show your family our facility and answer any questions they might have.
In addition, if appropriate, members of our staff will visit the referring hospital site to meet your child and review his/her needs by talking with hospital staff.
Referring Hospitals
Since opening, the Maryville Children's Healthcare Center has welcomed children from:
• Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital
• Loyola University Medical Center
• Advocate Lutheran General
• LaRabida Children's Hospital
• Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
• Shriners Hospital for Children
• Mount Sinai Hospital
• Northshore University HealthSystem – Evanston Hospital
• Rush University Medical Center
• Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital
• Loyola University Medical Center
• Advocate Lutheran General
• LaRabida Children's Hospital
• Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
• Shriners Hospital for Children
• Mount Sinai Hospital
• Northshore University HealthSystem – Evanston Hospital
• Rush University Medical Center
• John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County
• Northwest Community Hospital
• University of Illinois Hospital
The Maryville Children's Healthcare Center is licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health and monitored by the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC). The program opened in 2008 to serve the needs of medically fragile children in the Chicago metropolitan area, as well as provide transitional care, and is the only such facility in Chicago, one of only two in the state of Illinois.
Funding for those who need to use the services of the Maryville Children's Healthcare Center may be provided by DSCC, Medicaid, private insurers and other private funding sources.
Thank you to recent donor The Ryan and Jenny Dempster Family Foundation for their generous grant to the Maryville Children's Healthcare Center.
For an interesting, succinct and informative video by
Contact Information:
Carrie Al-Ani, RN
Director of Nursing
Katherine Gazer, RN
Assistant Director of Nursing
Maryville Children's Healthcare Center
4015 N Oak Park Avenue
Chicago, IL 60634
Phone (773) 205-3606
Fax (773) 205-3630
"At Chicago's Maryville Children's Healthcare Center, one of only two transitional homes for medically fragile children in Illinois, it's easy to tell 9-5ers aren't on the staff roster." Please read more by going to the article at Nursing Through Transition.
He gets great care here. They understand my situation and are very empathetic. I have talked to the staff, and many have actually walked in my shoes.
- Greg's Mom
- Annie's teacher
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