Rehabilitation

The Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation provides intensive rehabilitation services for children and adolescents through age 17, directed by three specialists who are boarded in pediatrics and rehabilitation medicine and have offices in Delaware (Wilmington), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) and in New Jersey (Virtua and Atlantic City). Each child’s program is individually designed to return the child to home, school and community. The goal of rehabilitation is to maximize the young person’s ability to move, communicate, interact with people, and live as independently as possible.

In a unique child-centered environment, we strive to encourage independence, provide support, and reacquaint the child and family with the everyday business of living and growing. Parents, siblings, and other concerned individuals are encouraged to observe and take part in the child’s treatment program and to become and important members of the therapeutic team. They participate in education and support groups, counseling sessions, and all family/team conferences.

The Department of Therapeutic and Rehabilitative Services at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children incorporates the following disciplines: Augmentative Communication, Child Life, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation Engineering, Physical Therapy, and Speech/Language Pathology. The mission of this department is to provide patients, families, and the community with high-quality, cost-effective therapeutic services within our expertise areas for children and adolescents. In order to maintain and continually improve quality and a standard of excellence, our mission also encompasses staff, family, and community educational opportunities and clinical research. Therapists work in concert with the child’s treating physician.

Services Available:

Brain Injury Program
Comprehensive Inpatient Program
Day Program
Outpatient Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech Language Pathology
- Cognitive Remediation
- Neuropsychology
Outpatient Evaluations
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech Language Pathology
- Neuropsychology

Typical Diagnoses:

Brain injury (traumatic and non-traumatic)
Spinal cord injury
Stroke
Near-drowning
Anoxia
Neuromuscular disorders
Amputations
Burns
Post-orthopedic surgeries
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy

Additional Resources:

The Rehabilitation Program refers patients and their families to a variety of information sources such as:

NICHCY (National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities)
The National Brain Injury Association
The National Spinal Cord Injury Association