Robert Summers, Co-Director
Research, Evaluation and Planning, Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health
250 Capitol St. Room 560
Charleston, WV 25301
Mr. Robert Summers,
I would like to call a topic to your attention that is affecting children all over the state today, Pediatric Dysphagia. Pediatric Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder that has immense damaging affects to those who are suffering from it’s harmful handicaps. This disorder affects the way or ability to how children eat, making them have adverse side effects that are very hurtful to their physical health. When a child cannot eat, they are suffering much more damaging effects that could occur later in life (Carolina Pediatric Dysphagia, 2005). Over 15 million children are affected by this disorder in the nation today (Stronghealth).
Children suffering from this harmful swallowing disorder, need an immense amount of evaluations, therapy, and even medical treatment, mainly because there is not enough research done on it in West Virginia today. If more research would be done on Pediatric Dysphagia, less harmful effects to the state funding or insurance co-pays would result, along with ease to the child (Carolina Pediatric Dysphagia, 2005).
As a parent of a child who is suffering from Pediatric Dysphagia, I am asking for more funding to go towards Pediatric Medical Research, especially focusing on Pedatric Dysphagia. Some of the benefits that would result from funding towards this research, according to the Carolina Pediatric Dysphagia Association, are as follows:
- Reducing Therapy/Medical Treatment time by State Hospitals and Clinics
- Reducing Overall Costs
- Reducing Additional Complications because of the Harmful Effects
- Reducing Family & Physician Stress
- Reducing Behavioral Components
- Reducing the Possibility of Additional Costly Medical Procedures
I am asking you to please re-evaluate the need for additional funding towards Pediatric Medical Funding and Health. It is something that should not be ignored; for the state and for the poor children suffering from these life changing disorders.
Sincerely,
Erica Ryken, Parent
Carolina Pediatric Dysphagia (2005). Retrieved November 3, 2006, from
Pediatric Speech Pathology – Dysphagia Swallowing Disorders (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2006, from
http://www.stronghealth.com/services/childrens/conditions/dysphasia.cfm#diagnosing
The voice of the piece is of a concerned parent. The audience is the polititian, a person of influence. The letter is explaining how difficult it is to live with this disorder and how dangerous it is for the children. It is also explaining the areas of funding that need to be addressed. I would like to “bless” the fact that the letter is straight to the point and outlines what exactly is needed as far as funding. I would like to address the lack of statistical information in the letter. I think that it may help proving your case.
This genre is written in the voice of a mother who has a child with pediatric dysphasia to a polititian in West Virginia. In this letter, the mother asks the politian to help provide funding for research in order to treat children with pediatric dysphasia. I would like to “bless” the mother’s concern for her child and the willingness to take action to make sure her child receives the proper care he needs. I think that you could address a little more information about dysphasia in this genre, since this letter is for such a big cause. You could provide the politition with a little more reasoning as to why funding would be beneficial to prove your point. Overall, I think this is a strong genre in your project.