Meet Megan Nelson, a passionate Speech Language Pathologist at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida. Megan’s journey into her career began with a personal connection close to her heart – her cousin Katie, born with CHARGE syndrome and hearing loss. Inspired by the transformative care Katie received, Megan felt compelled to follow a similar path, ultimately becoming a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist, Certified Auditory Verbal Therapist.
“I knew I was destined to help other children and their families,” Megan reflects on her decision to pursue this career. “In watching Katie learn to listen and speak, the impact that Katie’s Auditory Verbal Therapist made on her and my family was especially meaningful.”
“When I saw the posting for a Speech Language Pathologist for the Nemours Children’s Cochlear Implant team, I knew it was the best fit and applied immediately,” Megan shares. Since then, she has thrived in her role as Lead Auditory Verbal Therapist, surrounded by a supportive team of dedicated professionals.
Megan cherishes the camaraderie and collaboration among her colleagues. “I am grateful to work closely with multiple teams here at Nemours,” she says. “In Therapy and Rehab, I have been able to make lifelong friendships and learn so much from my peers not only in Speech Pathology, but Occupational and Physical Therapies as well. It’s great to have such expertise at hand to provide best care for our patients. As part of the multidisciplinary Cochlear Implant team, I have been able to collaborate with exceptional providers who have fostered my growth in the field. They’ve shown me how to go above and beyond for my patients and helped to shape me into the provider that I am today.”
What sets Nemours apart for Megan is the unwavering dedication to patient care. “I love that, at Nemours, I am surrounded by professionals with the utmost dedication to patients and their successes,” she affirms. “Nemours has been critical in supporting my professional growth, and I will always be grateful for the opportunities I have had here.”
With her sights set on the future, Megan is excited about the opportunities ahead. “Working here at Nemours has allowed me to achieve my first career goal, becoming a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist – Certified Auditory Verbal Therapist.” she shares proudly. “I look forward to continuing to support the growth of our Cochlear Implant Program, mentoring professionals seeking this specialty, and overall helping to improve access to care for this population.”
“From observing a caregiver’s confidence in teaching their child to listen, to seeing patients achieving a victory no matter big or small, I am forever grateful for the time spent connecting with and supporting my patients and their families through their listening journeys. Witnessing my patients’ early responses to sounds and first words have to be some of my most cherished experiences ” she says.
