Overview
Our physicians in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, referred to as pediatric physiatrists, assist patients in overcoming functional impairments and medical limitations due to injury or disease. Our goal is to help children increase their independence in the least restrictive environment through a number of specialized services housed within our freestanding, family-friendly rehabilitation hospital.
Our pediatric physiatrists provide comprehensive evaluations and collaborate with the family’s pediatrician and the other specialists to coordinate individualized care plans for children with lifelong or disabling conditions. We also provide parental education to help families better understand their children’s conditions, what to expect functionally moving forward, and how to help the child continue rehabilitation at home.
If your child needs additional expertise, we collaborate closely with Cleveland Clinic Children’s specialists and are fully backed by the resources of the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic.
Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation is staffed by professionals who are solely focused on children who require specialized medical attention and intensive therapies. It is also one of a select few accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), freestanding pediatric specialty hospitals in the United States.
Our pediatric pain rehabilitation program is the first pediatric interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program accredited by CARF. Most patients leave the pain rehabilitation program with a higher level of function and a renewed integration into their communities.
What We Treat
Our pediatric physiatrists work closely with your child’s primary care physician to coordinate treatment programs that address a variety of chronic and complex functional impairments, including:
- Balance and coordination challenges.
- Gait abnormalities.
- Motor impairment.
- Muscle stiffness or tightness (spasticity).
- Muscle weakness.
- Hypotonia.
- Poor posture.
- Pain.
- Endurance.
- Cognitive impairment.
These issues can stem from injury, disease, or birth-related disorders. For example, we treat children up to age 22 who have:
- Acute flaccid myelitis.
- Amplified musculoskeletal pain.
- Arthrogryposis.
- Brachial plexus.
- Brain injury.
- Burn sequelae.
- Cardiac rehab before and after transplant.
- Cerebral palsy.
- Complex regional pain syndrome.
- Congenital heart disease.
- Deconditioning due to medical issues.
- Encephalopathy.
- Limb deficiencies and amputations.
- Metabolic diseases.
- Muscular dystrophy.
- Musculoskeletal disorders (scoliosis, torticollis, intoeing).
- Nerve injuries and neuropathies.
- Neuromuscular disease.
- Orthopedic injury.
- Paralysis.
- Sensory processing disorder.
- Sequelae of cancer and cancer treatment.
- Spina bifida.
- Spinal cord injury.
- Sports associated injuries.
- Stroke.
Programs
Outpatient Care
Acquired Brain Injury Multidisciplinary Clinic
Children with brain injuries can have difficulty with behavior, cognition, and communication, which can cause significant stress on the child and their family. Our multidisciplinary acquired brain injury team typically includes a physiatrist, psychologist, social worker, as well as recreational, speech, and occupational therapists who work together to help guide families in dealing with behavior difficulties with the goal of promoting the child’s success in school and recreational activities.
Cerebral Palsy Multidisciplinary Clinic
Our team includes a physiatrist, developmental pediatrician, nutritionist, social worker, and physical therapist. The team is dedicated to working together to evaluate and follow children with cerebral palsy throughout their development to ensure they receive the services, medications, and equipment they need to reach their full potential at school and at home.
Constraint Induced Movement Therapy
Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), is a method of upper extremity rehabilitation for children with neuromotor impairments. CIMT involves constraint of the non-affected upper extremity in combination with intensive therapy and is gaining support as being the best practice in the treatment of children with hemiplegia.
Cleveland Clinic Children’s Center for Pediatric Integrative Medicine can complement traditional care by treating the whole child: body, mind, and spirit. Our pediatric physicians and therapists are certified in many complementary therapies, including Acupuncture, Osteopathic Manipulation, E-stim, craniosacral therapy, and other treatments.
Our Day Hospital offers children who require intensive medical and developmental therapy full access to the same physical therapy and rehabilitation services as inpatients without requiring overnight hospitalization. Children receive intensive therapy during weekdays and return home each evening.
Cleveland Clinic Children's Center Wheelchair and Seating Clinic is an interdisciplinary clinic that includes pediatric physiatry, physical and occupational therapy, selected vendors and other professionals. The clinic provides children and families with quality custom wheelchairs and related education.
Our dedicated interdisciplinary program serves the needs of children who have cerebral palsy, head or spinal cord injuries, and spina bifida. The team which includes a physiatrist, occupational and physical therapists, collaborates closely with orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery to recognize and understand the complicated nature of spasticity. They work together to evaluate the child’s spasticity, determine the best treatment options and assist the child in overcoming challenges that may interfere with movement and speech.
Cleveland Clinic Children’s Upper Extremity Program provides collaborative multidisciplinary care for children with conditions affecting the function of hands and arms that may present at birth or may occur later due to injury. Our goal is to help the child get the most functional use of the affected arm or hand using different therapeutic techniques.
Additional Treatments
- Acupuncture
- Baclofen pump trials
- Botox injections
- Frequency specific microcurrents
- Peripheral nerve blocks for spasticity
Inpatient Care
Our inpatient services feature three areas and levels of care; inpatient therapy services, acute rehabilitation, and pain rehabilitation.
The medical service provides a step-down for children with medically complex issues to make functional gains before leaving the hospital. In addition, children who require frequent treatments due to injury or disease can come to inpatient therapy for a period of time, during which they receive coordinated and comprehensive physical, occupational, and speech therapies, among other services. This team is designed for children who require more therapies than outpatient, but not the intensity level of Acute Rehabilitation.
Acute Rehabilitation
The Acute Rehabilitation team provides intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation for children who have lost functional abilities due to injury or illness. This service provides greater than four hours of therapy per day individualized to the child’s needs. This is complemented by a full array of psychological and social supports while admitted, with coordinated specialized follow-up care after discharge. This team also cares for children admitted to the Minimally Alert Program. The Minimally Aware Program (MAP) is an inpatient program at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation. It is specifically designed for pediatric patients who have suffered a brain injury and are in a minimally conscious state or who are slow to respond. This program consists of Medical Management in addition to a variety of therapies. A strong focus of the program is on family education to support a safe transition to home.
Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Program
Our pain rehabilitation program is designed for children and adolescents whose chronic pain interferes with their normal activities. The two-part, three-week program consists of inpatient and day hospital components. The interdisciplinary program takes a rehabilitative approach to helping children accept and manage their pain and to restore daily activities. Our program is the first pain rehabilitation program to receive accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
Appointments
To schedule an appointment, please call 216.448.6110.
Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
