Welcome to a safer place for your child

Our medical daycares provide best-in-class, comprehensive care for children with complex medical needs, so they can truly experience childhood.

Reliable, all-day care

Staffed by a team of pediatric nurses

Therapy available weekly

Safe, nurturing & social

100% free with Medicaid
Thousands of happy families

14 locations in Florida & Texas

The largest medical daycare in Florida

100's of children helped every day

96% of parents "Very Happy" with Spark

100% of costs covered for qualified families

What is a PPEC?

Where your child can thrive

PPECs (prescribed pediatric extended care) like ours offer a social setting and a team of pediatric nurses that will meet your child's medical, therapeutic, and developmental needs — no matter their condition.

Support for dozens of complex medical conditions

Fetal (intrauterine) Malnutrition
Epilepsy and Recurrent Seizures
Seizure Disorder/Infantile Spasms
Failure to Thrive
Gastrostomy status
Failure to Thrive in Newborn
Feeding Problems of Newborn
Ventilator Dependent
Apnea of Prematurity
Newborn Small for Gestational Age
Jejunostomy
Tracheostomy
Juvenile Diabetes/Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Congenital Malformation of Esophagus
Muscular Dystrophy
Low Birth Weight
Colostomy
Oxygen Dependency
Seizure Disorder/Infantile Spasms
Feeding Problems of Newborn
Apnea of Prematurity
Colostomy
Epilepsy and Recurrent Seizures
Oxygen Dependency
Tracheostomy
Failure to Thrive
Congenital Malformation of Esophagus
Muscular Dystrophy
Juvenile Diabetes/Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Newborn Small for Gestational Age
Failure to Thrive in Newborn
Fetal (intrauterine) Malnutrition
Gastrostomy status
Ventilator Dependent
Low Birth Weight
Jejunostomy
Juvenile Diabetes/Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Fetal (intrauterine) Malnutrition
Newborn Small for Gestational Age
Muscular Dystrophy
Low Birth Weight
Ventilator Dependent
Epilepsy and Recurrent Seizures
Apnea of Prematurity
Gastrostomy status
Failure to Thrive
Oxygen Dependency
Congenital Malformation of Esophagus
Feeding Problems of Newborn
Colostomy
Tracheostomy
Failure to Thrive in Newborn
Seizure Disorder/Infantile Spasms
Jejunostomy
Failure to Thrive
Muscular Dystrophy
Congenital Malformation of Esophagus
Seizure Disorder/Infantile Spasms
Colostomy
Ventilator Dependent
Fetal (intrauterine) Malnutrition
Failure to Thrive in Newborn
Jejunostomy
Tracheostomy
Epilepsy and Recurrent Seizures
Low Birth Weight
Juvenile Diabetes/Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Feeding Problems of Newborn
Newborn Small for Gestational Age
Oxygen Dependency
Apnea of Prematurity
Gastrostomy status

Dedicated care, delivered by a team of pediatric nurses

Safe care for every child

Meets their social needs

Support for your whole family

Reliable care

Open 12 hours a day so you can go to work, school, or care for family.

Daily updates

Stay up to date, every day, on your child’s care.

Free transport

From door to door — including pick up, drop off, and provider visits.

Free with Medicaid 

Covered by Medicaid, Medicaid-managed plans, and many other insurance providers. 

Care coordination

Working directly with your medical and insurance providers on your behalf.

Community resources

Access to support through our network of hospitals, social organizations, and nonprofits.

Therapy comes to us

Your child will receive all of their physical, occupational, and speech therapy here.

Licensed for safety

By the appropriate Medicaid agencies in your state.

Get started today

All you have to do is call — we’ll take care of the rest.

Connected to the best hospitals in the country

Reviews

Families everywhere love Spark Pediatrics

See more reviews

“It has to be clear for me that I'm gonna put my baby somewhere that I like and that I feel safe … And when I went to Spark, I can say that the center staff were the ones that gave me confidence… They explained how it works and gave me a lot of information… And I can tell you that I have a PPEC close to my house, but … Spark is the one that makes me feel better and comfortable.”

Mom of 1-year-old son

“For these families to have a center with dedicated staff for their children... they have the peace of mind that their children are well cared for.”

Regional Director

“I don't know how many more words I can use to thank Spark … because [my daughter] wouldn't be where she is right now if it wasn't for PPEC. They were able to give her the attention she needed. The medication she needed. They made her feel loved.”

Mom of 6-year-old daughter

"We chose [Spark] services so my child would be included. She’s surrounded by kids that are like her."

Parent, Houston Center

“I can say from the experience I’ve had with Spark that it’s the best place for the kids. You know, the kids who need [support]. And if I have a friend or family who has kids like my son, we recommend them to go to Spark because they treat them very well.”

Father of 15-year-old son

“I’m a single mom and they see that … They lent me a helping hand and they’d say, “Just let us know. We can help out daily with your kids. We can work around you…” This school is such a big help. Not only for me, but for my son. Because I love people that love my kids, and they really do love [my son]. They bend over backwards for [my son] like he’s their child.”

Mom of 5-year-old son

“My son was born very premature and diagnosed with global developmental delay and came home with a trach and ventilator after a 9.5 month NICU stay. When he turned 2 … I talked to my son's complex care PCP at Texas Children and she highly recommended Spark. Our pulmonary doctor at Texas Children was also on board with my son going to Spark. My son has been attending Spark for more than a year and we absolutely love, love Spark. The nurses and staff take the best care of the children and I know my son is in a great environment where he can learn and play. His cognition abilities have improved since attending Spark and they always have the best activities for the children throughout the week!”

Mom of 2-year-old son

Absolute wonderful place to work! Spark Pediatrics cares deeply about the children, their family and also the employees working for the company. I highly recommend this PPEC!

Yesica Rijo

Google Reviewer

“They think of your child first. Your child goes first in their mind. And they'll do anything to make your child happy, and yourself. It's wonderful how well they seem to be able to link the two. Because sometimes you can only satisfy a child and the parent won't be happy, but that hasn't happened with me. They've been able to satisfy the both of us.”

Mom of 6-year-old daughter

“There's a very big group effort to create that sense of security. Kids like when they're happy, where they feel the most comfortable and the most safe.”

Director of Nursing

“I love [Spark]. I wish my boys could stay longer … They know how to crawl now! One of my babies, he's trying to walk and he knows how to stand up. There’s a lot that they're teaching them at PPEC that they were never taught before.”

Mom to NICU twins

“[My sons] are very complex, and they have a lot of demands. So anyone that has to work with them has to really know them, it’s really important they know how to deal with them, and it's something that I see in [the staff at Spark]. Because they know them, and they know they are very complex, and they know they need special attention.”

Foster mom to two sons

"We chose [Spark] because we had a challenging year the year prior. My mother passed away and she was my support. I wasn’t interested in the school system because I know my daughter needs specialized care. PPECC was a better option for us because I still wanted the opportunity for socialization without using the school system. The service has been a godsend."

Parent, Houston Center

“I am Haitian and my son was born in Haiti. So it’s a pleasure for me that there is a Haitian lady there … she's like my family… And [she] told me that they feed [my son] rice and beans. I was happy to hear that. Let’s feed him good with the heartbeat of food!”

Father of 15-year-old son

“When my son was receiving treatment, we were there together for about 10 months. It was just me, him, and a hospital setting. How do I start to detach from that? My Spark center staff, from day one, kept the communication going … and that helped a lot.”

Mom of 4-year-old son

“[We really look for] someone who, even if they're not a mom, has that motherly instinct — like, “I just want to scoop you up and love you like you're my own.” I'm such a mama bear to these kids. I always say, I have two kids on my own, but I've got like 22 at work like I would take all of them home with me if I could. You have to have that love for pediatrics and you have to be able to prioritize.”

Director of Nursing

How it works

100% free with Medicaid

PPECs like ours are covered by Medicaid, Medicaid-managed plans, and many other insurance providers. If your child has complex medical needs, you may be able to get a prescription for care. You don’t have to figure it out on your own — call us and we’ll work with you.

Give us a call

We’ll help you assess whether Spark Pediatrics is right for your family. 

Schedule a call

Come for a visit

We’d love to meet you and show you our centers. Call us to come in for a tour. 

Find your nearest center

Team up on a care plan

We’ll work with you and your child’s doctors to plan their care, at your convenience.

Q&A

Clear communication at every step

What is Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPEC)?

Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care, also known as a PPEC or PPECC, is a medical daycare center staffed by nurses and aides who care for children with complex medical needs — up to 12 hours per day, and up to age 21. It’s a safe place for children to receive the medical care and therapy they need, while benefiting from a social environment.

How do children get approved?

Our centers treat children with a wide variety of conditions that require skilled nursing care. We care for children from infancy (including premature babies) up until age 21. If the child requires daily medical care, we help families find coverage. We encourage families to give us a call and discuss whether Spark Pediatrics is the right fit for them.

Who pays for this care?

PPEC services are completely covered by Medicaid, Medicaid-managed plans, and some insurance providers — at no cost to families. We will work with the family's provider, and handle all communications and paperwork directly so there is no additional burden.

What if I don’t live near a center? Do you provide transportation?

Spark Pediatrics coordinates transportation from door to door — one of our team will escort the child at all times and ensure their safety. This service is provided for free.

Can you tell me more about safety?

At Spark Pediatrics, all children have a team of trained nurses and aides providing attentive care and supervision. Our centers are designed for kids with complex medical needs and have the latest, state-of-the-art medical equipment and developmentally-appropriate toys and play areas. By following strict health and safety policies, we were able to stay open during the peak of the COVID pandemic. Many families are nervous about sending their child out of the home, but we can assure families their child is in a safe place here.

Still curious about our care?

Do you have a question we haven’t answered? We’re happy to chat. Schedule a call to speak with someone at Spark Pediatrics.

Give your child a childhood

Safe, free, personalized care in a social daycare setting. Come visit one of our centers and see Spark for yourself. 

Our Network

Convenient locations, free transportation from anywhere

We’d be happy to pick up and drop off your child so they can receive the best care in the area. Click the center closest to you to learn more about our team and schedule a tour.

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