Dell Children's specialists treats boy with complex aerodigestive conditions

Becky O'Dell was excited to grow her family of three when she learned she was pregnant. When her son, Declan, was a micro-preemie, born three months early, he would spend his first four years of life needing pediatric specialty care. For that, Becky turned to a place her family knew well and trusted: Dell Children's Medical Center at Ascension Seton in Austin, Texas. 

 "We almost immediately got plugged in with Dell Children's Medical Center specialists for his follow-up care after Declan was released from the NICU," Becky said. One of Declan's doctors suggested getting him into the Aerodigestive Clinic at Dell Children's, which provides advanced care for children with complex airway, respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders.

 Once he started going to the clinic, the number of appointments Declan had decreased because three of his specialists are part of the clinic. Seeing multiple doctors in one appointment is one of the benefits of being a patient at the Aerodigestive Clinic as well as the many other multispecialty clinics at Dell Children’s. "In one appointment, we would be able to meet with all three specialists individually, and then they would all come together to conference with us," Becky said.

Teams of specialists in one place makes getting care more convenient for parents and families. Close collaboration of doctors caring for a child helps them deliver the most personalized care for the whole child. "We were keeping a binder of information when he was being discharged from the NICU that I no longer had to take with me to every appointment because all of the physicians and specialists were a part of the Dell Children's Medical Center network," she said.

When Declan turned 1, he saw six Dell Children's specialists for different medical conditions. "By the time he was 4, he had graduated to just three specialists. He was attending physical therapy, occupational therapy and feeding therapy recommended to us and mostly housed under Dell Children's Medical Center," she said.

Becky trusted Dell Children’s for Declan's care because she previously had trusted it for her daughter Cammi's care. Cammi was 6 years old and had regular visits with doctors at Dell Children's for pulmonary and emotional health care. "As a parent that had a 6-year-old in school and an infant on oxygen, going to multiple appointments, it can be really scary and really overwhelming," she said. "But we were never rushed in our appointments. Our concerns were never disregarded. That goes a long way."

The O'Dell family always recommends Dell Children's to families in their community looking for pediatric care for their children. It's been the best decision they made for their children's care, they say.

All the care your child needs, all in one place

When your child has a complex condition, they can benefit from having a multispecialty team. At Dell Children’s, your child and family are connected to the most pediatric specialty care in Central Texas – including more than 270 pediatric specialists and care teams in 39 pediatric specialties. For more complex conditions, your child benefits from the care of multispecialty care teams, delivering care for the whole child – physical, mental and emotional health.