"Physicians need to understand entire systems of care, as well as direct
patient care."
—Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Nienke Dosa, MD, MPH
Department of Pediatrics
It’s not unusual to cheer when a
child takes his first steps, but
the applause was deafening when
10-year-old Romeo of Fort Drum, NY, first walked through the
halls of his Watertown elementary
school. Born with spina
bifida, Romeo had been
plotting his break from the
wheelchair since
he was a toddler.
Last year, Romeo had orthopedic surgery at
University Hospital, to help release
tendons tightened by spina bifida, a
permanently disabling birth defect affecting one in
every 1,000 newborns in the U.S. Three months
later, his schoolmates lined the hallways to applaud
his first steps.
With a heart as big as his legendary namesake,
Romeo has been charming Central New York since
his family came to Fort Drum in 2003. Before
their transfer, the U.S. Army searched for the
specialized medical resources required by
patients with spina bifida – and found them
at University Hospital’s Center for
Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics.
This spring, Romeo’s father – a helicopter mechanic
–
was deployed to Iraq. "Ordinarily, we’d go home
to Michigan to wait for him," says Romeo’s mother.
"But Romeo’s making so much progress that we’re
staying right here."
Dr. Nienke Dosa now orchestrates
the complex team of specialists
helping Romeo thrive. "From our first visit," reports Romeo’s
mother, "Dr. Dosa and her team took us
under their wings and made all the wheels turn."
Making those wheels turn is a team sport, according
to Dr. Dosa, who is always expanding that team
(comprised of physical and occupational therapists,
nurses, social workers and surgeons). One of her
innovative programs gives physicians-in-training
the opportunity to make home visits, in order to
gain an inside view of the daily life of families
raising a child with a developmental disability.
