The pediatric behavioral health population has dramatically increased in our pediatric units, in our EDs, and across the nation. Some of the children’s backgrounds and behaviors are unimaginable. Best attempts are made to manage these kids by pairing PSAs, HCTs, and nurses for the circumstances. Despite these best efforts and without fully knowing some of the triggers for these children’s emotional responses, management of these children can be quite challenging.

Every now and then, that certain someone comes along and makes a ‘connection’ that others have been unable to make. This was the case with a recent young boy in pediatrics (A.S.) and one of our house supervisors. A.S. was awaiting pediatric BH placement. He was unable to be managed at home, his father was in prison and his mother and young sibling were housed in a domestic violence shelter. The whole hospital knew of A.S., not by name and not his story but from repeated workplace violence calls to his room # in our Jeff Gordon’s Children's Hospital. On many days there were as many as 4-5 calls per day.

Our house supervisors respond to these WPV activations. It was during these calls that this nurse came to know A.S. Repeated calls, and repeated visits led to some consistency for A.S. Interaction with this house supervisor might very well be one of the only consistent and/or constant figures in A.S.’s young and complicated life. Soon, the house supervisor was staying after the WPV calls and continued to interact with A.S. 

One weekend, time allowed for the supervisor to stay and coordinate a makeshift game of ‘safe’ basketball in the pediatric room. A.S. started to share about reading and the books he likes to read. The house supervisor made sure A.S. had books brought in to read, even going as far as to purchase him some from his favorite series– “Goosebumps.”  As with all BH patients, A.S. was clothed in paper green scrubs and was always barefooted. The house supervisor bought A.S. some new slip-on canvas shoes (no shoestrings). A.S. was excited to get these new shoes – it was a total surprise because the supervisor somehow used their playtime to measure and calculate his shoe size. Actually, the child was able to get a BH bed before the shoes and some other items made it to his peds room at Cabarrus. So, the house supervisor found a way to get them delivered to his new buddy. 

Once A.S. was in his new location, the house supervisor contacted the nurse manager there and she facilitated A.S. and the house supervisor to have some telephone check-in chats. Unknowingly, the house supervisor was overheard by a colleague telling A.S. how proud he was of him and how he was getting along in his new place. 

Remember the repeated WPV calls? After the house supervisor made this impactful connection with this child on that weekend, there were none . . . ZERO . . . WPV calls initiated from that weekend. A.S. was moved to his BH bed some days later in the week. 

The impact these two had on each other was amazing to watch – it was inspiring to see how a little attention and compassion created such an impact in this young man’s life. I hope there are more Kevins to come along for this boy and more connections to positively mold his young life.

Kevin begged me not to make a big deal of his involvement. I just cannot overlook this – it is why DAISY was created! I hope he forgives me and never changes his ability to relate and connect with others.