Coral Springs couple discovers life-changing pediatric care for medically fragile infant at newly opened Extended Kids Care center
Coral Springs, Florida – For Kiara and Matthew Miranda, the past year has been a whirlwind of surgeries, sleepless nights, and painful uncertainty. Their daughter Sophia, born prematurely at just 31 weeks, entered the world fighting for her life. Now, thanks to a new pediatric care center in their own neighborhood, the Coral Springs couple finally feels like they can breathe again.
After spending 97 harrowing days in the neonatal intensive care unit at Holtz Children’s Hospital in Miami, Sophia’s outlook was bleak. Doctors diagnosed her with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and hydrops, two serious conditions that compromise organ development and fluid regulation. Then things got worse: a severe infection forced surgeons to remove a large portion of her small intestine.
“This was worse than the condition she was born with,” said Matthew.
Sophia, the youngest of four siblings, has endured more than many adults will in a lifetime. She has survived three surgeries and now lives with short gut syndrome, a condition that makes it impossible for her to absorb nutrients through digestion alone. She depends on a TPN (total parenteral nutrition) machine and an ileostomy for survival. A small intestine transplant looms as the likely next step.
“She needs 24-hour care,” Kiara explained. “We were told she wouldn’t make it. Over and over again.”
But Sophia has defied every grim forecast. Against the odds, she continues to grow and develop — and her parents credit a big part of that turnaround to Extended Kids Care, a recently opened pediatric care center in Coral Springs.
Located at 3000 NW 101 Lane, Suite 101, Extended Kids Care is a specialized facility licensed as a Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPEC) center. It caters to Medicaid-eligible children from birth through age 20 with complex medical needs, offering therapeutic services, skilled nursing, and developmental support for up to 12 hours a day in a nurturing, homelike environment.
“She’s growing well and hitting her milestones,” said Griselda Duvergel, co-founder of the center, while holding Sophia close.
For the Mirandas, the facility has become a second home — and a lifeline.
“We were desperate for help,” said Kiara. “No one was supporting us — until we found this place. Coming here has been a breath of fresh air. They care for Sophia like she’s their own daughter. It’s like a miracle.”
In addition to expert nursing care, Extended Kids Care assists families in navigating the healthcare system. Staff members help coordinate lab work, arrange transportation, manage daily medical supplies, and even provide meals and therapy on-site. These wraparound services are what set the center apart and allow caregivers like Kiara and Matthew to feel less alone.
The inspiration behind the center comes from deeply personal experience. Co-founder Griselda Duvergel, a nurse practitioner, was motivated by her own son, Luigi, who was diagnosed at six months with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. Like Sophia, Luigi wasn’t expected to live long. But today, at age 11, he’s learning, swimming, and walking with assistance.
“We are all about compassionate care,” Duvergel said, wiping away tears. “Our kids are part of our family. We’ve created a community here for parents.”
That sense of community has made all the difference for families like the Mirandas. What was once a daily struggle to survive has transformed into a new kind of normal — one filled with hope, routine, and people who genuinely care.
“This is beyond a blessing,” Kiara said.
Though Sophia’s journey is far from over, she now faces it surrounded by a team that sees her not as a diagnosis, but as a little girl with dreams and potential. And in a city that often feels too big to notice the most vulnerable, Extended Kids Care has become a sanctuary of quiet miracles — one family at a time.
