Rehabilitative Services and Therapy

CHKD provides a broad scope of specialized therapeutic services for children – from birth to 21 years of age – to help them gain or regain lost skills or capabilities and to maximize potential inhibited by developmental delay, disease or accident.

Services We Offer

• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Speech Therapy

Inpatient Therapy Services

The CHKD Therapy Services Department offers PT, OT and ST acute care to patients during their acute medical stay, as well as on the rehabilitation unit.

For information about the therapy provided through the CHKD Sports Medicine Program, please click on  sports medicine.

Episodes of Care

The physical, occupational and speech therapists at CHKD use Episodes of Care to develop an individualized treatment plan for your child. Episodes of Care consists of four treatment paths:

• Intensive therapy: Frequent visits for a limited length of time (three or more sessions per week)
• Weekly therapy: Regular visits for a limited length of time (one or two sessions per week)
• Periodic therapy: Regular visits with less frequency (one or two sessions per month)
• Consultative therapy: Visits scheduled as needed (one session every two to six months)

Foot Drop

To help children with foot drop, an electrical device worn on the leg sends low-level electrical stimulations to activate the nerves and muscles that lift the foot. The stimulations are triggered by a sensor in the shoe to time muscle activation appropriately with the child's walking pattern. Learn more here.

A Rehabilitation Partnership

You and your therapist partner together to select the best pathway for your child. You, as part of the rehabilitation team, help therapists to consider several factors, including:

• ­Goals for your child’s therapy
• ­Amount of therapy needed
• ­Resources (e.g., availability, transportation, funding, and family support)

There are two ways to complete the therapy program:

• Discharge from therapy occurs when your child reaches his or her expected goals
• Discontinuation of therapy may occur when a family or therapist decides to stop therapy

Reasons may include:

• Changes with the child’s medical condition
• Implementation of home program
• Child’s limited ability to progress
• Missed appointments, need for increased family participation during treatment or at home