Client Focus: Josiah

Josiah was a 6-year-old boy who was battling with anemia and other health problems that caused him to rely on tube feeding.

Since moving from Chicago to the suburbs, his mother couldn’t get the in-home nursing assistance that she needed to care for Josiah. She tried for months to get the care she was entitled to receive through the Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC), with no outcome. Not only did this impact Josiah’s health, but it also limited his mother’s ability to work and finish school.

At school, Josiah’s health issues made it hard for him to learn and participate in his classroom. In addition to extra learning assistance daily, Josiah needs extra clothes in case his tube leaks, medical supplies and periodic g-tube checks to make sure it does not become bent or snagged throughout the day. He also requires that his food intake and bodily fluids are measured, due to his special diet that strictly regulate his carbs and sugars.

Legal Council intervened, informing DSCC of the lack of nursing services after their move. Soon, Josiah started to receive in-home care. Following a meeting his mother held with new school staff, they started providing learning assistance, and the homebound instructor has been providing Josiah with extra time each day as well.

Josiah now has the opportunity to learn and grow while being safely monitored by his home nurse and school staff.