“I have wanted to work with special needs children since I was a child,” said Angela Pulaski, a physical therapist who has worked at Rainbows since 1997. She was inspired to study in this industry because her great Uncle Phil was diagnosed with Down syndrome and she felt that more could have been done to challenge and teach him as he was growing up.
Angela obtained a master’s of physical therapy from Wichita State University and then started working for Rainbows’ Bright Beginnings in Butler County just after it opened. Each day she travels to her client’s homes to provide physical therapy for an infant or toddler. “There is no standard day in home based,” she said. “I have learned that I will never have ‘seen it all.’”
“One of my favorite memories was having a young lady with spina bifida who was ready for a walker at a very young age. She was a go-getter.” This child also received services from the Shiner’s Hospital for Children in Saint Louis. Angela suggested that the family ask the hospital if they would provide a walker for their daughter. “The family went and was told there was no way this child needed a walker… the family said to just watch her.” Her determination convinced them to give her a walker. “This was a great boost to my self-confidence as this little girl was one of the first kiddos I ever worked with.”
Angela loves to read and has become a huge fan of audio books. “Quite frankly, they keep me alive on the road!” she added. She also enjoys traveling and movies.
