Inpatient

Our inpatient program provides 24-hour medical and nursing management and uses a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to establish long- and short-term goals specific to each child/adolescent and his or her diagnosis. Depending on the child’s/adolescent’s needs, he or she may receive treatment and care from several different types of therapists and clinicians under the direction of a physiatrist.

Typically, inpatient therapy consists of three to six hours of therapy per day during the week.

Inpatient Programs

Traumatic Brain Injury
After a brain injury it is important to choose an appropriate inpatient rehabilitation program which addresses physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes of children. At Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital (WCRH) our team of professionals offers comprehensive evaluation and treatment for children/adolescent who have suffered a brain injury due to trauma (i.e. falls, motor vehicle collisions), stroke or brain tumor. Our team will help your family understand the nature of brain injury and its impact on your child’s/adolescent’s ability to function at home and in the community. The family is involved in developing treatment goals and a management plan tailored to fit the child’s specific needs. During your child’s/adolescent rehabilitation stay, each family participates in conferences and meetings to discuss progress, problems, and community support services.

Inpatient Services

• Medical management of specific injuries
• Individualized Treatment Plan, patient/family conferences, and education
• Intensive daily rehab therapies (PT, OT, SLP, Dysphagia, and TR)
• Discharge planning and case management to transition to home and school/community
• Educational services (where indicated)
• Neuropsychology

Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program
Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital offers comprehensive rehabilitation to children/adolescents with acquired deficits who have complex medical needs and require intensive rehabilitation services. Our team of rehab specialists provides individual services to assist each child or adolescent to   maximize their functional ability. Children whose development has been affected by disease or a chronic condition are taught new skills. Those children/adolescents who have a newly acquired injury or illness are given the opportunity to relearn skills that will increase their independence. Under the direction of our pediatric rehabilitation medicine physician, care is coordinated to meet the needs of our patients and families.

Inpatient Services

• Physical and occupational therapists address mobility, strength, and daily living skills
• Speech language pathologists address communication, cognition, and swallowing difficulties
• Therapeutic recreation/child life specialists address the emotional, physical, social and developmental needs through recreational or other activities
• Pediatric nurses provide care to improve each child’s physical, emotional, and developmental needs in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team
• Social work, nutrition services, and case management services
• Education services as indicated        

Neonatal Transitional Program
The Neonatal Transitional Program at Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital (WCRH) utilizes and innovative approach to helping infants and their families transition from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to home. In this program, parents of infants who were born prematurely or with medical complications are taught to care for the special needs of their newborn child. Under the supervision of compassionate and experienced nurses, parents learn to identify the unique needs specific to each infant. Physicians and parents have frequent opportunities to communicate about neonatal care, treatment options, and discharge plans. As they become more skilled in caring for their infant, parents are more comfortable and confident with the eventual transition from hospital to home.

Inpatient Service

•  Co-management by our pediatrician and pulmonologist 
•  Developmental services that are coordinated by a child life specialist 
• Customized therapy services tailored to address the infant’s individual speech development, dysphagia (feeding) therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy
• Family support and the coordination of community resources after discharge from WCRH
• Nurses and respiratory therapists with extensive experience in caring for medically fragile infants

Neonatal Abstinence Program

Weisman Children’s Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) program serves infants who are withdrawing from opiate exposure. We create a calm, soothing, environment to meet the baby’s physical and emotional needs during the drug-weaning process.

The problems that these infants experience are primarily a result of central nervous system hyperexcitibility. Symptoms can include irritability, interrupted sleep patterns and/or increased crying, fever, muscle tone and tremors. These infants frequently have difficulty feeding, and exhibit excessive sucking, diarrhea, and sweating. They may also have respiratory difficulties.

Our program focuses on caregiver education and training, including understanding the weaning process, feeding issues and techniques to facilitate development growth and bonding.

The health care team works closely with the family or caregivers during the infants hospital stay. Our interdisciplinary team includes a pediatric physiatrist, registered dietitian social worker, nurses and therapeutic recreation/child life specialist.

Inpatient Services

• Medical management of nutritional, gastrointestinal and respiratory status and pharmacological management of withdrawal symptoms.
• A focus on coordinating care with other providers to ensure that the parent is receiving comprehensive services including drug treatment, mental health treatment and other community based services.
• Nursing and child life specialists train parents on how to create an environment that enhances normal development, positive parenting and coping skills to support a newborn baby at home
• Social workers link families to community services and medical professions that will benefit both parent and child after discharge

Speech language and dysphasia specialists identify and educate parents on feeding techniques, positioning and equipment to facilitate optimal   

Pulmonary Program
At Weisman Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, the goal of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program is to improve respiratory function and quality of life for children with breathing disorders. The pulmonary team focuses on the needs of the child/adolescent and family, creating a friendly, supportive, and comfortable environment.

Comprehensive care is provided in order to achieve improved health and maximum functional abilities. Led by our pediatric pulmonologist and a highly trained respiratory staff, the team emphasizes the involvement of the child and family in decisions regarding care options and successful transition to home and the community. From inpatient through outpatient care, we utilize some of the most advanced management techniques and protocols.

Inpatient Services

• Ventilator management of newborns, children, and adolescents
• Assistive technology to achieve full vocal communication
• Individualized airway clearance program
• Patient and family education with overnight stay option
• Non-invasive transcutaneous oxygen and carbon dioxidemonitoring
• Emphasis on return into the community with frequent opportunities for socialization, both inside and outside of the hospital