Recovery from a chronic illness is a long drawn-out process, and for a child, staying in the hospital for such extended periods takes a lot of time away from daily activities such as school and play.
The American Association of Pediatrics describes how “many chronic disorders require frequent hospitalizations, resulting in loss of school days and poor academic achievement,“ according to a report referenced in a news release. “The average time students with multiple disabilities are absent from school is 28.9 days each time they are hospitalized.”
Ello—an Edtech company named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies 2024—recently donated iPads, hundreds of early-age children’s books and free access to its AI reading app to local hospitals in Washington, D.C., including MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and Children’s National Hospital.
Ello was founded by Dr. Elizabeth Adams, Tom Sayer and Calatin Moreno Voss in 2020. Adams—a licensed child psychologist and the co-founder of the app—described how, in the early years of her career, she noticed a loss of learning among young patients, especially when they were absent from the school environment for long periods of time.
MedStar Georgetown’s child life coordinator, Katie Wallace, agrees with the need to prevent learning loss, and also points out the added benefits reading can provide children emotionally.
“Ello’s donation will give them the chance to read fun, engaging stories to lift their spirits while working on their literacy skills during their hospital stay,” she states in the release.
