Annual Report - The MetroHealth System

Because of MetroHealth...
I’m getting hugs and kisses again
“When Alex was 20 months old, I was
sensing that there might be something wrong.
He didn’t speak at all and often seemed
expressionless. I took him to MetroHealth to
see a pediatrician, Dr. Maria Isabel Herran.
She did a complete exam and referred us to
Dr. Robert Needlman, a pediatric behavioral
specialist. Of course, it was devastating to
find out that Alex has autism. No one wants
to hear that about their child, but we’ve come
a long way since first getting the diagnosis.
MetroHealth has helped me to understand
Alex’s special needs and has taught me how
to work with him. There already has been
improvement. The biggest reward is when he
looks at me, wraps his arms around me and
gives me kisses. I call Dr. Herran ‘my angel.’”
– Maria, Alex’s mother
DOCTORS:
Maria Isabel Herran, MD, FAAP
Director, MetroHealth Pediatric and Adolescent Hispanic Clinic
Assistant Professor, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Robert Needlman, MD, FAAP
Pediatrics
Professor, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
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