PEDIATRIC AND ADOLESCENT REHABILITATION

Injury or illness can interrupt the growth the development of a child or adolescent. Even after the child has recovered medically, further treatment may be necessary to help the child regain his or her full potential. At Carolinas Rehabilitation, a caring team of professionals helps children and their families understand, recover and return to everyday life.

CIR's specialized pediatric services include:

• Evaluation and treatment by members of the pediatric team
• Monthly patient planning conferences
• Outpatient pediatric clinic staffed by dually board-certified pediatric physiatrist
• Aquatic therapy
• Augmentative communication evaluation and treatment
• Sensory integration dysfunction treatment
• Therapeutic electrical stimulation evaluation and implementation
• School integration and assessment
• Oral facial/cranio-facial clinics
• School consultation by cognitive education specialists
• Family conferences
• Splinting and casting
• Group treatment to aid in socialization skills and peer modeling
• Seating and positioning evaluation and implementation
• ADHD assessment and treatment
• Power mobility assessment and training
• Therapists trained in neurodevelopmental treatment for children with Cerebral palsy
• Central auditory processing evaluations and treatment
• Brachial Plexus Clinic

Inpatient Pediatric/Adolescent Rehabilitation
The specialists at Carolinas Rehabilitation serve children from birth to 18 years. They begin treating children after their medical problems have been brought under reasonable control and when it is clear that the child could benefit from comprehensive rehabilitation services. After a thorough evaluation of the child's physical and mental status, the pediatric physiatrist (rehabilitation physician) determines when the child is ready for these specialized services.

The child must have functional deficits that require two or more types of therapy. Examples of conditions that may be appropriate for admission include:

• Spinal cord injury
• Multiple orthopaedic trauma
• Head injury
• Burns
• Traumatic amputation
• Muscular dystrophy
• Cancer
• Meningitis
• Guillain Barré syndrome
• Spina bifida
• Cerebral palsy
• Congenital conditions requiring periodic evaluation to improve functional independence
• Encephalopathy due to anoxia or other causes

Rehabilitation Team
To recover, children may need many kinds of treatments and therapies. Therefore, Carolinas Rehabilitation utilizes an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals to provide care and monitor the child's progress throughout his or her hospitalization. The team meets weekly to assure coordination of the child's treatment program. Treatment is provided both individually and in group therapy sessions. The child's family physician may participate directly or indirectly in the child's progress.

Parent Participation
A child's injury or illness can have a profound effect on the entire family. For this reason, Carolinas Rehabilitation believes in making the family a key member of the treatment team. Parents are encouraged to ask questions, meet with team members, and take part in their child's treatment, planning and evaluation. They may stay with their child and are encouraged to participate in the care of their child throughout the hospitalization. Parents are also provided with training and information to help them understand and contribute to their child's recovery and successful return home.

After Discharge
Recovery always continues past the hospital stay. For a child, a carefully planned return to home and school can enhance the gains made in the hospital. As the child grows and changes, Carolinas Rehabilitation can provide continuing care through the outpatient clinics. Each specialist on the child's team will provide information and assistance to the school to assure the child's return a success. Carolinas Rehabilitation will also provide assistance to, and coordinate with, other agencies that may be participating in the child's recovery. To help the family physician guide the child's continued progress, information regarding evaluations, recommendations and treatments will be shared.

Outpatient Pediatric/Adolescent Rehabilitation
The Outpatient Pediatric/Adolescent Program at Carolinas Rehabilitation offers an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to address the special needs of the pediatric population. Our team of healthcare providers design treatment and community integration programs to facilitate the growth and development of children with physical, socialization/communication, feeding, academic and/or cognitive problems.

Any child with challenges involving his/her communication, mobility, hand use, academics or behavior will benefit from these programs. Many children are referred directly by their pediatrician for a more in-depth evaluation. Others are referred after an injury or illness has affected their growth and development.

For more information about Carolinas Rehabilitation's Pediatric and Adolescent Rehabilitation Program, to make an inpatient referral or to schedule an outpatient appointment, please call 800-634-2256 or e-mail.