Children's Hospital Colorado

Inpatient School Program Helps Patients with Academics and Recovery

CBS4 | November 15, 2016

In August of 2016, life changed drastically for 10-year-old Marissa and her family when their car was t-boned while on their way to Back To School Night in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “We spun and hit a pole. Marissa took the impact. She broke almost every bone from her neck up,” said Aimee, Marissa’s mom.

Marissa was in a coma for several weeks and when woke up there was a lot of healing to be done.

Learning new skills

Blind in one eye, Marissa had to relearn how to chew, swallow and speak but was able to do so thanks to the help from the inpatient “school” here at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Through this program, Marissa and other children are able to continue to learn even while on the mend. Not only do they study the expected school subjects, but they also learn how to do so with their new bodies, despite their illness and injuries.

Working together

Teacher Jodi Krause is an education specialist in brain injury. She tailors the classes to each child’s needs and along with the other teachers, will even hold class in hospital rooms for children battling cancer or waiting for transplants.

After the children leave the hospital, Krause and her colleagues will even visit the kids’ normal schools and help their everyday educators understand the child’s new needs because as Krause explains, “they are leaving here much different than the way they come in.”

Learn more about the program by watching the full story on CBS4.