Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program

Spinal cord injuries are traumatic, life-altering events for patients and their parents, siblings and loved ones.

Our physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists provide rehabilitation services for children and teens with spinal cord injuries to help restore quality of life and help children reach their fullest potential.

Our services include:

• Finding and fitting adaptive equipment, such as wheelchairs and alternative/augmentative communication devices
• Using a team approach, including the child’s family, to set goals and manage a personalized treatment plan
• Providing resources to help patients and families cope with the life changes brought on by a spinal cord injury
• Preparing parents and other caregivers to manage the child’s care after leaving the hospital.

Transition to Home

Children with spinal cord injuries will require specialized care at home. We help families prepare for the return home by training parents and other caregivers to take over daily care of the child. We require one or both parents, family members and other designated caregivers to spend at least 24 hours providing full care for a child at the hospital before going home. During this time, nurses and therapists are there to answer questions.

Toward the end of a child’s stay in the hospital, patients and their families may have the opportunity to plan and participate in an outing within the local community through the community re-entry program, under the supervision of a recreational therapist.