Pediatric and Adolescent Program
Overview
Our Rehabilitation Philosophy
Each Child Has Different Goals
The Treatment Program
Normalizing Life in the Hospital - School and Play
School Re-entry and Discharge Planning
Early Intervention Program
Feeding Support Services
Overview
Pediatric rehabilitation is as different from general rehabilitation as children are from adults. As people reach adulthood, their personalities, tastes and characters are fairly well formed. But in childhood, many traits are just forming. Childhood and adolescence are fluid times of life -- everything is changing.
For example, a five-year-old child and a fifteen-year-old adolescent are worlds apart. The awareness of these developmental differences always underlies successful rehabilitation. The games and play that motivate a three-year-old will not motivate a thirteen-year-old, who is dealing with self-image and peers, and needs those issues worked into any therapeutic program.
Beyond development, though, is the fact that each child is unique. All children have their strengths and weaknesses, their pleasures and their difficulties. Each child goes home to a unique situation and the family's unique way of doing things. The cast of characters - number of siblings, number of parents, school arrangements and friendships - are different for each child. So for a rehabilitation program to be successful it must take into account where a child will be going after he or she leaves and work vigorously with the child's family and other support systems to ensure that rehabilitation is geared toward life after rehabilitation.
Our Rehabilitation Philosophy
The Pediatric and Adolescent Program of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) provides rehabilitation for children and adolescents from birth through eighteen years old who have learning and/or physical disabilities resulting from illness, injury or congenital causes. At RIC, a child or adolescent with a disability is, first and foremost, a child or adolescent. RIC provides the most effective rehabilitation services available to the whole child, taking into account age, disability, preferences and family. The philosophy of our professional staff is always to focus on the whole picture to ensure that the treatment program meets the unique needs of each child.
RIC treats a wide range of conditions - the following is a list of some of the physical and developmental conditions treated in the program:
- Cerebral Palsy
- Neuromuscular disease
- Spina Bifida
- Arthritis
- Burns
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Brain Injury
- Orthopedic conditions
- Brain-related conditions, such as near drowning or systemic infections
Each Child Has Different Goals
Children and families arrive at RIC and meet their physicians, nurses and therapists who conduct initial evaluations. Results from the evaluations and input from parents and other staff determine each child's goals. A plan is formulated and a tentative discharge date is set. Therapies are offered both alone and in groups, since group learning is a natural setting for children.
Each child's goals are different. Some children may need to re-learn how to walk or talk. Others may need to master something new, like the use of an artificial limb, called a prosthesis. Our treatment team will tailor an individual program for each child to provide what he or she needs to attain maximum function.
The Treatment Program
The treatment program is developed based on the evaluation made upon admission to RIC. If your child has received acute care at another hospital, planning for rehabilitation may begin even before transfer to RIC.
Children may receive treatment on an inpatient or outpatient basis, and in group or individual therapy programs. Children and adolescents in need of two or more types of therapies usually are admitted to a comprehensive rehabilitation program. Physical, occupational and communicative therapies form the core therapies of the inpatient and day rehabilitation programs, anchored by the nursing staff. Therapies use developmentally appropriate games, playful activities, and adaptive equipment to strengthen muscles, increase range of motion, and improve coordination, memory, attention span, and daily living skills.
Normalizing Life in the Hospital - School and Play
Our team focuses on making the program as relevant to a child's life as possible. Birthdays are celebrated, movies are attended, homework is done. A professional designated to help children cope with hospitalization, called a child life specialist, helps calm fears and brings fun, leisure and play into the hospital and on outings.
A certified teacher gets information from the home school and implements an individualized school program in the hospital for each school-age child and adolescent so that they continue to earn school credit. The integration of therapy, school and play is provided by an interdisciplinary team offering a truly collaborative and enriching approach that tends to the needs of the whole child.
An essential part of the treatment team is each child's family. At RIC, family involvement is indispensable. Parents' participation provides the treatment team with necessary information and insights vital in developing an effective treatment plan. As key decision makers, parents participate in every aspect of their child's care, learning every part of care, step by step, along with the child. One parent may even stay overnight with the child throughout the child's stay. Siblings, too, are encouraged to be a part of the process. When a child is ready, parents may take their children out of the hospital to have fun and test new skills to see what is working well and what they still need to learn.
In addition to parents, members of the care team work closely with siblings, teachers and others in the child's sphere. Our treatment team operates on the basis that all people who are active in a child's world should be closely listened to and updated on the child's progress.
School Re-entry and Discharge Planning
A cornerstone of RIC's Pediatric and Adolescent Program is getting children back to school and home as quickly and safely as possible to ensure the greatest degree of ease and success. Preparation for discharge and, if the patient is school-age, return to school, begins when children and adolescents are inpatients.
To address school re-entry issues, a school therapist makes an evaluation and recommends services and school placement. An educational specialist and a social worker from RIC attend meetings and work as a team with school and family. An important aspect of our job at RIC is to educate school personnel about the effects of the injury or disability on your child and support them in helping the child's peers deal with your child's re-entry. We follow-up and closely monitor patients until no further assistance is needed, often for several years. With this approach, parents and schools can be confident that any medical issues that arise will be addressed.
Discharge also requires strategy and planning. If children are inpatients, we help to find appropriate outpatient services for life after the hospital. One option is for children to enter one of our DayRehabCenters, where they continue to receive comprehensive rehabilitation services, but can live at home and be with their families in the evenings. Everyone is educated when the child leaves - our program works collaboratively with any other organizations with whom your child may be involved. These may include organizations such as the YMCA, Department of Children and Family Services, the park district or houses of worship.
RIC offers inpatient pediatric and adolescent services at its main hospital in downtown Chicago. Outpatient pediatric services are offered at our main hospital, and at our DayRehabCenters.
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Early Intervention Program
Program Goal
The goal of the Early Intervention Program is to work in partnership with families to provide support and services individually designed to meet the special needs of their infants and toddlers.
Who Can Participate?
Children between birth and age three who demonstrate a developmental delay, a disabling condition, or may be at risk for a delay in gross motor, fine motor, speech/language, psychosocial and/or cognitive development can benefit from the Early Intervention Program.
Services Provided
All children receive a comprehensive evaluation. A case manager then meets with the family to discuss the evaluation results and develop an individualized family service plan based on the familyís priorities. Services vary according to need and may include individual therapy, group therapy and home visits. Introduction to various financial programs, help with interagency coordination, and services to assist with transition to a school program for three- to five-year-olds are offered. Parent groups, interpreters for special communication needs, and assistance with transportation, babysitting and equipment acquisition are also available.
The Early Intervention staff will work closely with all referral sources to ensure that services are provided in a timely and appropriate manner and are coordinated with the child's primary care team in the community.
The Treatment Team
The interdisciplinary team is comprised of a physician who specializes in pediatric rehabilitation/habilitation, a nurse, a child development specialist, a social worker, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech/language pathologist, an audiologist, a parent support coordinator, and a consulting psychologist. Seating and positioning, augmentative communication, rehabilitation engineering, nutrition consultation, and orthotics and prosthetic services are also available as needed.
For More Information
Early intervention services are provided at RIC's main hospital at 345 E. Superior Street. For further information, call 312-238-1133.
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Feeding Support Services
Program Goal
The goal of Feeding Support Services is to determine why your child has difficulty eating by mouth or gaining weight, and develop a strategy to overcome these issues.
Feeding Support Services help families identify whether a child's difficulties are physical, behavioral or sensory in nature due to the fact that eating problems are often complex.
Our Patients
Children visit Feeding Support Services with a variety of diagnoses that challenge their feeding and growth. These can include:
- Cerebral Palsy
- Developmental delay
- Down Syndrome
- Prolonged g-tube feedings
- Sensory aversions
- Spina Bifida
- Tracheostomy
- Visual and/or hearing impairments
Feeding Support Services treats patients up to 21 years old. While we are geared to helping children with serious eating difficulties, we can also recommend appropriate community resources for parents who are concerned about "picky eaters."
Our Staff
Feeding Support Services staff is comprised of pediatric specialists from a variety of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, nutrition, psychology, speech therapy and occupational therapy. Together we develop a plan to improve your child's eating skills and maintain healthy growth. We may recommend the use of diagnostic technologies, such as videofluoroscopy or other radiographic studies.
Contacting Feeding Support Services
We are located on the 3rd floor of RIC's main hospital at 345 E. Superior Street. For more information, please call 312-238-1149.