Pediatric Family-Centered Rehabilitation Program in Minnesota

Overview

David Nash, M.D., and friend during an outpatient clinic visit.

The Pediatric Rehabilitation Program at Mayo Clinic is family-centered and culturally sensitive. The program is interdisciplinary, coordinated and focuses on outcomes. The program serves children and adolescents who have significant functional limitations resulting from either acquired or congenital impairments. A developmentally appropriate approach in rehabilitation is provided and focuses on:

• Maximizing growth and development
• Preventing further impairment and complications
• Reducing activity limitations
• Maximizing developmentally appropriate independence

Rehabilitation professionals partner with the family to meet the needs of each child or adolescent. The Pediatric Rehabilitation Program at Mayo Clinic seeks to enhance the life of each child and adolescent and to promote a continuum of care from hospital to home, school and community.

Program Description

Children and adolescents with health care and special needs related to lifelong or newly acquired limitations are served by a team of pediatric rehabilitation specialists. Limitations may include mobility, self-care, communication or another aspect of function. Common problems evaluated and treated include: delayed gross and fine motor skills, feeding and swallowing problems, and neurologic, orthopedic and rheumatologic conditions which require either inpatient rehabilitation services or outpatient therapy and special adaptive equipment evaluations. Mayo Clinic pediatric rehabilitation specialists work closely with families, schools and community services to help plan and provide coordinated pediatric rehabilitation services. These services may be provided within Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital, the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit, or in an outpatient setting.