Nicholas Stogner deserves a chance.

And so do other children like him &8212; 200 in all &8212; who could be hurt by new Medicaid rules that have stopped reimbursements for free-standing clinics that use the services of certified occupational therapist assistants or licensed physical therapy assistants.

Therapists from Key Rehab in Natchez were among those who went to Jackson this week to lobby on behalf of children like Nicholas, who need the services these licensed assistants provide.

The new rules affect free-standing clinics, not hospitals, but patients like Nicholas have often developed strong bonds with their therapists and therapy assistants. With so much to struggle with in their young lives, they need the stability those bonds provide in order to improve.

Key Rehab therapists and others around the state were right to lobby in Jackson Monday to change the new rules.

For one thing, they deserve to compete for the same reimbursements that hospitals receive.

But more important, children like Nicholas deserve to receive the help that will enable them to compete in a world that has already dealt them too many obstacles.