CERENI

My host mom made me a birthday cake yesterday, but because I wasn’t home for dinner we didn’t eat it. So this morning she cut a slice for me and wrapped it up for me to take as a snack. I have to say, I’m kind of liking this whole situation. I wake up in the morning and have fresh cut fruit waiting for me, home cooked meals and snacks for my school day. I feel like I am in elementary school again.

This afternoon our group went to the Centro de Rehabiltacion Neurologico Integral (CERENI). The clinic serves all ages that have some type of neurological damage, from children with cerebral palsy to adults who have had strokes or traumatic brain injury. It is one of the only clinics that has programs for adults as well as children. Most of the therapy in Ecuador is for children and my host family was surprised that I would work in a hospital. (They kept asking me what school I was going to work at) CERENI has a strong multi-disciplinary approach to therapy and every patient receives occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and neurological evaluations from the neurologist on staff. We observed a “speech therapist” doing speech therapy with a young girl who has a language impairment. (I have “speech therapist” in quotes because there is not an organization of SLPs or any certification requirements for someone to become an SLP in Ecuador at this time.) It was interesting to see the clinic’s approach to therapy. CERENI is one of the clinical placement possibilities for me to work at the last couple weeks. Tomorrow we are going to another clinic/school where speech therapy takes place.

The founder of CERENI talking to our group about communication disorders, assessments, therapy, insurance and other speechie related things. (I am in the front, on the left, in the black shirt)