Rehabilitation

Our team of physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists work together to help children with limited movement, speech problems or swallowing disorders. By engaging our young patients in play-based therapy and recreational activities designed to strengthen muscles and improve mobility, we help them function as normally as possible through daily activities such as eating, holding a pencil, sitting in a desk at school or communicating with others.

We work with children of all ages, from the premature infant born at 26 weeks to young adults aged 21, providing a wide range of services:

• Physical and occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Therapeutic recreation

Family-Centered Care

Each patient’s care team for rehabilitation services includes doctors and other health care professionals from many specialties, including developmental pediatrics, orthopaedics and neuropsychology. Our family-centered approach for all treatment programs means that parents are invited and encouraged to attend the team’s bi-weekly meetings, participating in goal setting, problem solving and discussing medical concerns.

Day Treatment Program

Patients who have been released from the hospital but are still in need of rehabilitation may participate in our Day Treatment Program. This allows them to stay at home (or in a home-like setting), while they visit the Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center for up to three hours a day several times a week for therapy services. Our family-centered care means that parents are encouraged to participate in their child’s care, helping the team of physical, occupational and speech therapists make decisions about the treatment program.

Specialty Treatment Programs

When serious illnesses or injury require long-term stays in the hospital, our treatment services are important to maintain a child’s mobility and muscle strength. Patients who have been on a feeding tube for an extended period may need to “re-learn” how to eat. We provide rehabilitation services to children through these specialty treatment programs:

• Acquired Brain Injury Program
  
• Spinal Cord Injury Program
• Encouragement Feeding Program