Pediatric rehabilitation

The path to independence begins at the Rehabilitation Center at Medcenter One. Pediatric rehabilitation is a joint effort of the physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech/language therapy teams who work in a unique and supportive environment.

Pediatric therapy services may be required for children with:

• developmental delay
• muscular dystrophy
• developmental disabilities, including mental retardation, spinal bifida and cerebral palsy
• sensory motor dysfunction
• juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and related disorders
• learning disabilities, including dyslexia
• delayed motor development and dyspraxia
• orthopedic disabilities
• traumatic injuries, burns and amputations
• emotional disturbances
• behavioral problems, autism and phobic behaviors
• terminal illnesses
• traumatic brain injury
• swallowing disorders
• attention deficit disorders with or without hyperactivity

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Glossary

Gross motor skills

Gross motor skills refer to your child's motor abilities at a particular age. Your child's motor development evolves in a predictable fashion through developmental milestones (i.e. rolling, sitting independently, crawling, standing, and walking). Physical therapists observe and assess your infants motor skills and quality of movement to determine if gross motor skills are age appropriate and if your child is demonstrating normal movement patterns.

Strengthening

Various exercises and activities are carried out during physical therapy sessions to increase your child's muscular strength throughout their body in order to enable them to perform movement against gravity. Medcenter One does have a computerized biorehab system, specific to its pediatric program, which children utilize to strengthen various muscles through playing computer games. The child performs a specific muscle contraction to control the game, in turn, strengthening that particular muscle.

Muscle tone

This is how tense your child's muscles are both at rest and during activity. Muscular tone determines the posture of the body, the range of motion at the joints and the feel of the muscle. Normal muscle tone is high enough to allow your child to move against gravity, yet low enough to allow complete freedom of movement.

Range of motion

Range of motion refers to the mobility of a specific joint. Range of motion means moving a joint through its full available range of movement. Range of motion exercises help keep a joint and surrounding muscles, ligaments, tendons, and tissues from becoming tight or inflexible. Passive range of motion may be carried out, where the therapist will move the joint. Active range of motion may also be performed which involves the child actively moving a specific joint.

Posture

Posture is the position of the body parts in relation to each other. In good posture, the body is lined up so that all the parts are supported and protected. Good posture helps prevent injury or continued deformity by keeping the muscles, bones, and other supporting parts in correct balance.

Gait training

A physical therapist will work with your child to develop your child's walking skills to encourage a more "normalized" heel-toe pattern. Assistive devices are utilized when appropriate to facilitate walking.

Orthotic intervention

When appropriate a physical therapist will assess and provide your child with bracing/orthotics for the lower extremities in order to facilitate improved lower leg and foot posture. Those children who have a flat-footed posture and require some support for an improved foot position in order to decrease foot pain or abnormal stress to the lower legs and feet may also be assessed by a physical therapist to determine if a less supportive shoe insert is required.

Wheelchair positioning

Selecting the most appropriate wheelchair for your child is a team effort. Medcenter One does provide a wheelchair seating and positioning clinic involving the child, the child's family, a physical therapist, occupational therapist, teachers, and an equipment vendor. The opinion and needs of every member of the team are assessed in order to provide the child with the most appropriate seating system.

Hydrotherapy

Medcenter One does provide physical therapy services to children in a hydrotherapy environment when appropriate. The warm water pool at Medcenter One allows your child to move more freely, relax tight muscles, and develop strength and coordination through exercise and play.

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Contact information

Medcenter One Pediatric Rehabilitation
First floor—hospital
300 N. Seventh St.
Bismarck, ND 58501

phone: 701.323.6097

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