When clinical psychologist Dr. Christine Raches paid a visit to South Decatur Jr./Sr. High School’s family and consumer science classroom, she left with several items that the students had made themselves.

Raches is a psychologist at the Riley Child Development Center in Indianapolis, and came to speak to Michelle Walls’ Child Development class about what she does as well as child psychology, disorders and diagnoses that can occur with infants.

The students had created several blankets in class that they presented Raches with before she left. The donated blankets will be given to Riley Hospital to be used through their Cheer Guild Association.

“The students did all the work,” Walls explained.

According to Raches, all of the children that undergo surgery or treatment at the hospital get something that will make them feel more comfortable.

“These are great,” Raches said of the blankets. “They’ll make it seem less like a hospital and more like a home.”

But Raches didn’t leave behind her duties at the Child Development Center and her position at the University of Indianapolis to just accept the blankets. She also informed the students about disorders and problems that can strike during infancy or before, keeping things in the same theme that the students had been studying.

Raches helped the Child Development students better understand and be able to identify issues like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Down’s Syndrome and autism. One of the most difficult parts of her job, Raches explained, is having to tell parents that their child has been diagnosed with a mental handicap.

Raches was pleased to accept the blankets, and she told the students that there are jobs out there that will let the students pursue a further career with children.