At BrightStart Pediatrics, medically fragile children receive the treatment and therapy they need in a loving environment.

Since the moment BrightStart Pediatrics was established in 2003 as a safe haven for medically fragile children, a phrase that perfectly sums up its mission has been used as the company tagline. Founder Linda Brown chose “Nursing, Therapy and Love” not only because it had a certain ring to it, but also because she believed that all three components were critical to what she was trying to accomplish.

Nursing and therapy were a given, of course, but Brown was also intent on hiring employees who were going to make families feel welcomed during a stressful period of their lives.

“Frankly, you’re not going to be good at your job if you don’t have love for these kids,” Brown says. “They’re children and they need that kind, loving care. It’s not just about going in and doing a procedure: It’s about engagement, and the people who have that are the ones who are happy and stay with us long term. I think that’s what comes through to the families of our kids, because the kids love coming to the center. They wake up and they’re not crying or upset—they’re excited to go see their friends.”

BrightStart is a Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care—or PPEC—center that specializes in skilled pediatric nursing along with speech, occupational and physical therapy. The majority of kids it serves are from birth through the age of 6, but it also works with older children when it’s an appropriate fit. Patients are dealing with a wide range of diagnoses, including complications from premature birth, chronic lung issues, Down syndrome, metabolic disorders, cerebral palsy, seizure disorders and brain disorders. Common needs range from tube feedings and tracheostomy care to ventilator management, medication administration, apnea monitoring and oxygen administration.

Brown was working as an occupational therapist in a hospital setting when she first learned about the PPEC model. She later became more interested in the concept and joined a national company building PPECs in Florida as its regional director, but soon came to the conclusion that she could provide a more effective option for local families on her own.

She opened the first BrightStart in Orlando in 2003 and eventually added locations in Sanford and Winter Garden.

“What motivated me is that most centers like this are run by nurses, and nursing is the focus,” she says. “Nursing is just taking care of their needs, and that’s important, but therapy is what brings them along developmentally to a higher level of independence, so I really saw something that married those two more intimately, and that’s still what makes our centers unique. We have a really strong focus not just on therapies but on the developmental aspect of what we can achieve with these kids if we do a coordinated effort.”

What’s more, BrightStart offers a personal touch to go with the collaboration between the nursing and therapy sides. Staff are thrilled to both interact and make a connection with kids, whether through sitting down and reading to them, blowing bubbles together or going out of their way to put a smile on their faces.

“It’s like that with all of our kids, no matter what their abilities,” Brown says. “We have some children who are ambulatory and talking, and we have other children who are non-ambulatory and non-communicative. But those kids still light up when they feel that love: It’s about the tone in your voice, it’s the care you take when you transfer them from a bed to a wheelchair, it’s knowing their favorite sounds that make them giggle.”

Families often think of BrightStart as a medical daycare for their children while the parents are at work, and kids can spend up to 12 hours a day at the centers. Transportation is available in most areas; while BrightStart is a provider for Florida Medicaid, there are also options for private insurance and its staff will work with patients to tap into resources in the community.

Continuing with the daycare analogy, kids are able to experience fun activities such as field trips, water days and petting zoos.

“We’re not just providing their nursing care and one-on-one therapies, but we’re also doing developmental, fun things that would be going on in any toddler preschool room, because it’s important to their development,” Brown says.

While Brown has already exceeded her wildest expectations by opening three BrightStart centers, she is not opposed to adding more if the need arises. Seeing the impact she and her team often have on children and their families, she is just excited to continue offering compassionate, personalized care wherever she can.

“Sometimes parents of a special needs child are pretty overwhelmed—there’s a lot going on in their life,” she says. “When they come through BrightStart, if we’re the right fit, they’ll know. I encourage them to make other visits and know where they’re meant to be, because this is their child and it’s important. We’re not all the same, so trust your gut. You have to be your child’s advocate and it’s important that you’re supported in finding the right options for you.”

BrightStart Pediatrics
Orlando: (407) 857-1212
Sanford: (407) 321-9570
Winter Garden: (407) 545-2773
BrightStartPeds.com