This past March, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care opened its doors to the Apollo Beach community. The grand-opening ribbon cutting had 100 people in attendance. Representatives from Hillsborough County Schools, nonprofit organizations, Tampa Sertoma, and Sounding Joy also came out to show their support.
“The paper chain ribbon used for the opening was made by speech and hearing patients,” said Paula Golson, director of Audiology Services at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. “Our COO, Justin Olsen, welcomed and shared our vision and then invited the children to cut the ribbon and start the tour/scavenger hunt of the various rooms and services.”
The new facility is operated by pediatric therapists and staff that provide audiology and speech-language and feeding evaluation and therapeutic services at the new location.
“This is a speech, feeding, audiology and infant hearing service location serving birth to 21 years of age,” said Therese Montanari, director of Speech-Language and Feeding Services at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. “This new facility is designed to meet the pediatric population with bright colored walls and playful art. We have a large classroom to offer group therapy sessions, which will include a language group, group for children with hearing loss and parent education programs.”
In addition to the classroom, this site has four SLP treatment rooms, hearing aid dispensing and a full diagnostic testing suite.
Hearing loss interferes with a child’s brain development, can affect communication development and can also affect everything from school performance to social relationships and emotional well-being.
“Our pediatric audiologists provide evaluation and treatment for children with hearing loss and hearing disorders to help them hear and communicate to the best of their ability,” Montanari said. “Your child’s hearing can be tested at any age, including as a newborn. The earlier hearing loss is detected, the greater the chance for normal auditory brain development.”
The Speech-Language and Feeding program at Johns Hopkins All Children’s helps children develop the skills needed for successful communication, feeding and swallowing. These skills can affect all aspects of daily life, including communicating basic needs, developing social skills and progress in school.
“Our master’s-level, certified speech-language pathologists have extensive training in childhood speech, feeding and language programs,” Montanari said. “As part of a comprehensive medical program based at a pediatric hospital with one of the largest neonatal intensive care units in the country, our speech-language pathologists are experienced in providing a range of speech, language and feeding therapy services to children of all ages, from infants to teens, with complex medical conditions.”
Both Golson and Montanari are thrilled to be a part of the Apollo Beach community.
“Our hope is to continue our 100-year tradition of serving children in the Tampa bay area,” Golson said.
If you would like to learn more about the services offered at the new center, you can visit its website at www.hopkinsmedicine.org/all-childrens-hospital or call 813-910-518. The facility is located at 211 Harbor Village Lane in Apollo Beach.
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