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Rehabilitation Services

Child with Two Physical Therapists

Inpatient & Outpatient Therapy Programs in New Orleans

The Rehabilitation Services Department at Children’s Hospital consists of Audiology, the Cochlear Implant Center, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy. The department provides services for individuals in the hospital as part of a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program or as an outpatient.

Inpatient acute care service

When a patient is admitted to Children’s Hospital for an injury, illness or other condition, the physicians might decide the patient will benefit from physical, occupational, or speech therapy services to start the recovery process. Based on the patient needs, one or more service specialists might work with patients and their families. The goal is to help ease the transition to home, to the inpatient rehabilitation center or to outpatient services.

Inpatient rehabilitation center

Our inpatient rehabilitation center is on the sixth floor of the hospital's main campus and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Our Rehab unit is the only CARF accredited Pediatric Specialty unit in the Gulf South. This unit is designed to provide the education and skills to prepare the patients to transition home after an acute stay.

Our rehab program admits patients with a wide variety of diagnosis. Some of the more common diagnosis we treat are:

  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
  • Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
  • Guillain-Barre’
  • Transverse Myelitis
  • Encephalitis
  • Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis
  • Chronic Pain
  • Amputation
  • Brain Tumor- Hemonc
  • Trauma

Learn more about our Inpatient Rehabilitation Center.

Outpatient rehab services

Children’s Hospital Outpatient Rehab Center (PT, OT, and Speech)

4310 Waverly Street
Metairie, Louisiana 70006
504.896.9557

200 Henry Clay Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
504.896.9551

71338 Hwy 21
Covington, Louisiana 70433
985.317.6000

Outpatient services provide continued therapy for patients discharged from the hospital or the inpatient rehab center when additional skills or training are required. Services are also available as recommended by the child’s physician for a wide variety of diagnoses, even if the child has not been treated as an inpatient in the hospital.

Learn more about our Outpatient Rehabilitation Center.

Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a written and signed prescription for outpatient rehabilitation therapy services?

Yes, except for Audiology services, we require a written prescription by a physician, physician’s assistant or certified nurse practitioner to begin therapy.

Please have your physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner include the following on your child’s prescription: Name, date of birth, ICD 10 code, physician NPI number and signature.

Please fax the prescription to 504.896.2894.

What can I expect from an evaluation?

In the initial evaluation, the therapist or audiologist will perform an assessment through a variety of tests and measures to identify how we can best meet you and your physician’s concerns. The therapist/audiologist will then discuss the results with you and review the recommended treatment options. If the therapist/audiologist recommends services additional appointments will then be scheduled. We will also send a copy of our evaluation to the referring individual.

How can I prepare my child for his first therapy visit?

We know that your child may feel anxious about their visit, so we will do everything we can to help him/her to feel comfortable from the moment he/she arrives. Our therapy areas are child-friendly, bright, colorful spaces filled with toys and games for the younger children and a teen-friendly environment for the older children and adolescents.

Do I need to be present for my child’s therapy evaluation?

A parent or legal guardian must be present at your child’s initial therapy evaluation. This is important so that you can give consent for your child to be treated and are available to answer pertinent history information. Being present at the evaluation will give the therapist a chance to speak with you about your concerns and goals for your child and allow you to schedule treatment sessions if recommended.

The most important thing you can do for your child is to make sure a parent or caregiver attends every therapy session, even if your child is a teenager. One of our primary goals is to give you and your child skills and knowledge to help your child gain the greatest benefit from therapy.

May I bring other children to my child’s therapy session?

Your child and you will benefit most from the therapy session if you are not distracted by caring for other children. If you must bring other children, we ask that you supervise them closely at all times or bring another adult. Please bring toys or books to keep them busy. They are not permitted to play on therapy equipment or with toys used in therapy.

Are there any days outpatient rehabilitation therapies are unavailable?

The outpatient department is closed for weekends and hospital recognized holidays (including New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Mardi Gras Day, Good Friday, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day).

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