We’re experts in staying the course

The pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation team at Children’s Minnesota knows that every child has unique needs as he or she grows up — and there may be obstacles along the way. That’s why our physiatry team and rehabilitation specialists have the knowledge and skills to help your child clear developmental hurdles that may arise.

Whether a child has an autism spectrum disorder, a speech impediment, developmental delays, is recovering from an accident or living with a chronic condition, we will work with you and your child to continue moving forward.

All the professionals on our team have specialized training. Our physical medicine and rehabilitation team is the glue to manage care for children with complex needs.

To make sure all your child’s needs are met, we work closely with one another. Together, we combine the experience and expertise of more than 100 dedicated professionals.

One-of-a-kind kids deserve exceptional care

Children’s offers a wide range of pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation services. They fall into these main categories:

• We get kids moving. Our physical therapists help kids do everyday activities that call for moving their bodies, such as walking and catching a ball.
• We give them a voice. Speech-language pathologists help kids overcome challenges with speech, language, communication, feeding and swallowing.
• We help them succeed. Occupational therapists help kids master skills they need in daily life, whether they’re buttoning their jackets, writing their names, eating their breakfasts or coping with all the sights, sounds and jostling on the school bus.
• We help maximize their abilities. Our physiatry team provides guidance on complicated therapeutic interventions, the selection of appropriate medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, and in managing complex medications needed due to the child’s condition or disease.

It looks like play. But we’re hard at work

When your child comes to Children’s for physical medicine and rehabilitation, whether through one of our clinics or in the hospital, we encourage you to watch and even take part in treatment sessions. You’ll see that much of what we do seems like fun and games — and it is. We know that kids are more motivated when they’re having a good time. So we try to keep therapy as playful as possible.

But don’t let that fool you. There’s serious work going on. All the activities — from stacking blocks to playing with puppets — are carefully chosen to help your child learn new skills or build on existing ones. We’ll show you how to use the same methods to practice with your child at home.

At Children’s, we’re experts on kids’ therapy — but you’re the expert on your own child. By joining forces, we can help your child grow up more confident and independent. That’s the power of teamwork.