There are many factors to consider when deciding where to send your child for inpatient rehab services. Here are some questions to ask the facility before you choose rehabilitation for your child:

1. Is the facility accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)?
2. Is the facility a full-service hospital with emergency services?
3. Does the facility provide access to care from pediatric and multispecialty physicians?
4. Does the rehab team include board-certified pediatric physiatrists?
5. How many patients are assigned to each nurse or therapist?
6. What is the therapy treatment schedule for weekdays and weekends?
7. Are there support groups for families, caregivers and siblings?
8. Does the facility emphasize the role of the family in treatment?
9. Are family members allowed to stay overnight in the room with the patient?
10. Does the rehab program have 24-hour respiratory therapists to care for the patient?

Download and print the questions above.

Our Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program has specialty recognition from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and focuses on the complex needs of kids and teens who have experienced a brain injury as result from trauma (injury), disease or other neurological conditions. We also care for patients who have a brain injury in addition to another condition such as a spinal cord injury, fractures and other conditions (also called a dual diagnosis).

Our team includes Certified Brain Injury Specialists who are experienced and trained to treat patients with brain injuries.

Disorders of Consciousness

We provide specialized, intensive rehabilitation to children who are medically stable and demonstrating a disorder of consciousness following a brain injury. Children receive medical care and therapy to increase responsiveness and function, and families receive extensive training to care for the child at home.

Our Cancer Rehabilitation Program has specialty recognition from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and uses a multidisciplinary team approach to address the unique rehabilitation needs of children, teens and young adults who have been diagnosed with all types of cancer. Our team collaborates with oncologists and other pediatric specialists to deliver coordinated care to optimize outcomes.

Our pediatric Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program has specialty recognition from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and provides specialized rehabilitation for children and young adults with spinal cord injuries caused by trauma (injury) or disease. Our program treats all levels and causes of spinal cord injuries, including patients who have tracheostomy (breathing tube) and ventilator (machine that breaths for the patient) dependence. We treat a variety of spinal cord injuries, including:

• Cervical (C1 – C8)
• Thoracic (T1 – T12)
• Lumbar (L1 – L5)
• Sacral (S1 – S5)

Our team cares for patients with many additional conditions including:

• Amputations
• Burns
• Cardiac conditions
• Developmental disabilities
• Neurological conditions and disorders like seizures, encephalopathy and anoxia
• Orthopedic injuries or conditions after surgery
• Respiratory dysfunctions
• Strokes
• Selective dorsal rhizotomy
• Trauma

We are happy to speak with you about your child’s individual needs and how we can support their recovery.

• Patient Satisfaction: 90%
• Average Number of Days in Rehab Program: 28.75 Days
• Discharged Home: 100%
• Number of Patients Admitted: 31
• 0 to 3 Years Old: 2
• 3 to 5 Years Old: 1
• 5 to 7 Years Old: 3
• 7 to 10 Years Old: 4
• Older than 10: 21

• Patient Satisfaction: 88.1%
• Average Number of Days in Rehab Program: 28.4 Days
• Discharged Home: 96.6%
• Number of Patients Admitted: 182
• 0 to 3 Years Old: 44
• 3 to 5 Years Old: 17
• 5 to 7 Years Old: 16
• 7 to 10 Years Old: 20
• Older than 10: 85

• Patient Satisfaction: 90%
• Average Number of Days in Rehab Program: 20.7 Days
• Discharged Home: 81%
• Number of Patients Admitted: 32
• 0 to 3 Years Old: 6
• 3 to 5 Years Old: 8
• 5 to 7 Years Old: 5
• 7 to 10 Years Old: 3
• Older than 10: 10

• Patient Satisfaction: 90.4%
• Average Number of Days in Rehab Program: 26.6 Days
• Discharged Home: 97.2%
• Number of Patients Admitted: 322
• 0 to 3 Years Old: 86
• 3 to 5 Years Old: 30
• 5 to 7 Years Old: 20
• 7 to 10 Years Old: 36
• Older than 10: 152

Therapy sessions on weekdays are usually two half-hour sessions or a single one-hour session per therapy type. Therapy sessions on weekends and holidays are 30-to-45-minute sessions per therapy type. Therapy sessions can be in an individual or group format. The rehabilitation team establishes the patient’s daily treatment schedule. Consideration of medical procedures (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation, dialysis) or other extenuating circumstances (e.g., naps, family visits) are reflected in the patient’s schedule.

Team members will create an individualized treatment plan for your child or teen that incorporates a variety of equipment and therapy techniques to address their condition. As they progress through therapy and regain strength and function, we’ll introduce new equipment and exercises to help them continue to improve.

In addition to addressing specific therapy goals, therapy sessions may also include:

• Activities of daily living, such as washing, dressing and brushing teeth
• Transfers into and out of bed
• Transport to and from room when needed
• Diaper changing or bathroom training
• Caregiver training

Your child also may take part in activities, such as:

• Cooking
• Pet therapy
• Community outings
• Craft and peer groups
• Chapel services
• Music therapy
• Activities in The Zone or front lobby
• Teen activities and events

We provide aquatic therapy using the unique properties of water to improve movement and function.

Our inpatient rehab facility has a state-of-the art hydrotherapy pool with a variable-depth floor, underwater treadmill, parallel bars, resistant jet capability, video cameras, and a myriad of flotation and aquatic therapy equipment.

Patients may participate in group therapy and peer support groups with other patients who are facing similar challenges and goals. These groups allow patients to talk about their injuries or illnesses and support each other during their stays. In addition, we connect our patients and families with former patients of similar age and diagnosis. This gives our families mentors to help them throughout their rehabilitation journeys.

Occupational therapy teaches your child how to manage activities of daily living including self-care, bathing, grooming, dressing and cooking. Our pediatric inpatient rehab occupational therapists work with your child to do things such as eating, drinking and going to the bathroom. This includes working on physical, cognitive and vision problems that may have come from your child or teen’s injury or illness. 

Physical therapy is an important part of our pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation Program. Our pediatric physical therapists help your child improve their muscle tone, balance, strength, endurance and movement through exercise and activity. We also focus on mobility, walking or wheelchair skills, coordination and balance. These skills help your child become more mobile. 

Our Center for Advanced Technology and Robotic Rehabilitation offers a wide range of advanced technologies as part of the overall treatment strategy for children and teens with motor skills impairment.

Robotic Therapies:

• Help children perform more repetitions and practice skills they may not be able to perform otherwise.
• Allow our therapists to use computers and sensor controls to direct and pace a child’s movement.
• Promote communication between the brain and muscles.
• Promote motor learning by tracking a child’s response and providing biofeedback.

Our pediatric speech therapists provide individualized care to address a variety of speech, language, thinking, and feeding or swallowing problems in children and teens.

Our speech-language pathology services combine assessment procedures and age-appropriate therapies to discover and treat the cause of your child or teen’s problem.

Children’s therapeutic recreation not only will help your child resume the activities they enjoyed before hospitalization, it will also introduce them to new activities. Playing in this way can be a profoundly healing experience.

This service includes augmentative communication options, advanced computer access, and seating and mobility. Assistive technology can provide children and teens the opportunity to enjoy a variety of activities and gain independence using devices such as adaptive video game controllers, sports equipment, toys, fishing poles and more.

Our child life specialists provide quality care for your child and family throughout your child’s hospital stay. This may include educating your child about illness, treatment and surgery, as well as preparing any siblings for hospital visits. The specialists provide support during procedures and help normalize a child’s environment through age-appropriate play and group activities.

Learn more about child life services.

Children’s Canines For Kids is an animal-assisted therapy program that helps ease anxiety and promotes shorter recovery times. Canine Assistants trains our facility dogs to provide therapy, hope and healing by giving loving support and company to our patients. The facility dogs in our rehabilitation program are trained to assist in the therapeutic experience by helping patients move and communicate while providing emotional support.

We offer behavioral health services provided by licensed pediatric psychologists with specialized experience in treating patients with rehabilitation needs. The services provided by our psychologists include family education and training, individual one-on-one counseling for your child, and behavioral health support provided alongside our rehabilitation therapists. The goal of these services is to address the behavioral health needs of your child, provide holistic care, and support all aspects of your child’s recovery. Families are also provided with outpatient behavioral health referrals for treatment following discharge.

Our program also offers dedicated teachers to collaborate with patients, families and individual school systems to develop educational plans and facilitate a smooth transition back to school. Our dedicated team of certified teachers helps patients and families navigate the process of school reentry by communicating with your child’s school during their stay, as well as facilitating the process of returning to school and advocating for any needs your child may have.

The certified teacher is also available to you and your child’s school after discharge. The certified teacher can:

• Work with you, your child and the school to help ensure a safe and successful return to school.
• Teach you what you need to know about your child’s return to school.
• Work with the school faculty and staff, so that they are better prepared to meet your child’s needs.
• Give the school information about your child’s illness (with your permission).
• Teach the school staff about how to work with your child.
• Be involved in school meetings and designing your child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Our team offers a variety of other services based on the specific needs of each patient. Some of our other services include:

• Music therapy
• Neuropsychology 
• Nutrition
• Respiratory therapy
• Spiritual care
• Social work
• Case management
• Pharmacy

Our specialists want to make sure you feel confident in caring for your child when you leave our program. Our specialists will teach you what you need to know and do for at-home care, including:

• Medicine administration: What medicines are prescribed and how to get them, store them, measure them and dispense them.
• Nutritional management: What foods are recommended and how to feed your child in the healthiest way possible.
• Bowel and bladder care: How to keep your child dry, including how to change diapers and provide toilet retraining.
• Respiratory care: How to manage the devices that keep your child breathing, such as ventilators and tracheotomies.
• Safety management and care: How to keep your child healthy, infection-free and safe at home.
• Community education and reintegration: How to include your child in family life, such as taking trips, going to appointments and attending community events.
• Transfer and mobility: How to move, position and travel with your child, as well as how to operate and manage a wheelchair.
• Skin care: How to care for your child’s skin and prevent problems.
• School reentry and advocacy: How to help your child adjust and function at school and what you should know about government requirements for educational support.
• Diagnosis and recovery: What you need to know about your child’s diagnosis and what you can expect during recovery.

You and your child may benefit from an outing in the community with staff before going home. The outing is a time for you and your child to practice the skills learned during the rehab stay and identify any areas that need special attention before going home. Therapists and nurses will be present on the outing to help with any questions you have about how to have outings when you’re back at home.

If your child’s doctor thinks they are medically ready and could benefit from an outing, they will work with your team to schedule a date.

What to Expect on the Outing

A therapeutic outing is part of your child’s treatment plan. The rehabilitation team will set goals for you and your child to work on during the outing.

Some examples of outing locations include a trip to the mall, a park or the zoo. These outings typically occur either Thursday or Saturday during the day. The location of your child’s outing is determined by the needs and goals of all the children and caregivers who are scheduled to attend that outing.

• A caregiver is required to go on the outing, unless previously discussed with your team.
• Transportation for your child and one caregiver will be provided. If you would like more than one caregiver to participate in the outing, please discuss options with the team before the outing.
• The team will discuss meal options before your child’s outing.

After the outing, the team will ask for your feedback on what you would like to practice more.

As part of your training, you may be asked to ‘room-in’ (stay) with your child for at least 24 hours to practice the skills you have learned. This practice will help you experience what it may be like when you are caring for your child at home. “Room-in” training may be done in your child’s room or in our transitional living room. You and your child’s treatment team will decide which place is best for your child.

We will give you a list of what your child needs and teach you what you need to know in advance.

Many of our team members have advanced degrees and specialty certifications that enhance the delivery of care including:

• Assistive technology professionals
• Certified swallowing disorder specialists
• Certified brain injury specialists (CBIS)
• Certified lactation counselors
• Certified pediatric nurses (CPN)
• Neurologic music therapists
• Neurologic physical therapy (NCS)
• Rehabilitation registered nurse (CRRN)