Pediatric Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Certain medical conditions can impair your child’s ability to move, perform activities of daily living and interact with their environment.  We specialize in conditions, such as, brain injury, spinal cord injury, cancer and certain congenital diseases, which may affect your child’s ability to perform these tasks.

The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation team at Riley at IU Health offers medical management to optimize your child’s health, function and overall well-being. Our Rehab Physicians, also known as Physiatrists, work together with specialists across multiple specialties to understand the unique challenges your child may face. Together, they coordinate efforts to develop an interdisciplinary customized treatment plan individualized to your child’s specific functional goals.

Riley at IU Health offers structured therapy programs, directed towards maximizing your child’s function and mobility so your child can return play and enjoyed activities. While in the hospital, early treatment is essential to ensure your child retains any current mobility and to help prevent any future decline in function. 

Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility

If it is decided that your child needs intensive and interdisciplinary therapy (Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and/or Speech/Language Therapy) and recovery before going home, a referral may be made to our acute inpatient rehabilitation facility. The inpatient rehabilitation facility is located at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. Our Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation team works closely with the entire rehabilitation team and are responsible for managing the child’s medical needs. 

Even though they are a patient, your child still just wants to be a kid. Children staying in the inpatient unit also have access to the only Riley at IU Health certified therapeutic recreation specialist and activities that inspire confidence. When safe and feasible, children and their families can ease into the transition of leaving the inpatient unit through special outings, such as a visit to the zoo. To assist with the transition back to school, the unit also has a year-round teacher available.

Outpatient Rehabilitation 

Outpatient therapy is essential to prevent complications and to continue improving function beyond inpatient care. In addition to therapy, our Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation medical team provides adaptive tools, education on lifestyle changes, and support to help your child function comfortably at home and thrive as they grow. 

Upon discharge from the hospital, children have access to several multidisciplinary programs, including:

• Traumatic Brain Injury Program
• Neuro-Oncology Program
• Cerebral Palsy Program
• Spina Bifida Program

In addition to doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses, our team is composed of many other specialists, including:

• Developmental Pediatricians
• Dieticians 
• Social Workers 
• Occupational Therapists 
• Physical Therapists
• Speech Language Pathologists