Below is a description of the types of staff who may work with your child when they are participating in rehabilitation whilst in the hospital.
For further information regarding the role of each profession, please refer to Inpatient services and / or follow the links listed to the individual department home pages.
THE REHABILITATION TEAM
Paediatric Rehabilitation Physicians
Paediatric Rehabilitation Physicians provide medical support to the child, and work collaboratively with other team members to optimize health outcomes. These doctors are trained in specialized patient management techniques such as the use of Botulinum Toxin, Intrathecal Baclofen and the use of other pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic means of managing muscle tone. They have a close working relationship with other specialist medical teams within the hospital including neurosurgery, orthopaedics and urology.
Paediatric Rehabilitation Physicians have a strong community/ outreach focus with regular clinics in both metropolitan and country SA and NT.
Further medical input comes from a Paediatric Rehabilitation Fellow, and Paediatric Registrar working in the unit.
Clinical Practice Consultant (CPC)
This is a Registered Nurse responsible for the effective development, co-ordination and evaluation of the individual patient's admission, rehabilitation and discharge planning within the interdisciplinary team.
This specialized nurse works closely with the patients and their families, to provide them with specific education and support. Family-team meetings are held regularly to ensure that there is clear communication and to help the family gradually prepare for home.
The CPC also acts as a resource person to assist ward staff in planning specific nursing care for the child/adolescent.
As discharge is being planned, the CPC will help the family organize different referrals to community services and outpatient appointments. Liaison with the child/adolescent’s school may also be required to facilitate a smooth transition.
The CPC works in partnership with other health professionals and families, to achieve quality care for rehabilitation of inpatients.
Occupational Therapists (OT)
Can assist with helping your child participate in daily activities. An Occupational Therapist may assess or treat the following areas that may impact on your child being able to do everyday activities:
Self care abilities such as self feeding, showering/bathing and dressing.
Arm and hand function in activities. The OT can help with splinting and casting, exercises, promoting movement/function needed for activities, and fine motor skills.
Play skills at an age appropriate level.
Home and/or school assessments to look at access, safety and potential modifications or equipment needed.
Post traumatic amnesia (PTA) testing. This is completed on children following emerging from a coma/loss of consciousness to assess their short term memory capacity.
Assess and treat problems related to posture and movement.
Re-train balance (also called postural control) in sitting and standing needed to carry out everyday tasks such as reaching for objects, changing directions when walking or picking objects up from the floor.
Re-train mobility which includes:
Moving between positions (also known as transfers), for example moving from lying to sitting, sitting to standing and getting on an off the floor.
Using a wheelchair if walking is not possible or difficult for long distances.
Walking, sometimes with the need for walking aids or orthoses/splints to improve the quality of walking.
Working on fitness in the areas of strength, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness.
Practising sporting skills and activities, such as running, jumping, ball skills, bike riding and swimming.
Prevent muscle tightness, chest infections and general deconditioning.
Speech Pathologists
Assess and provide therapy for difficulties relating to communication, oral feeding skills and swallowing.
Communication includes:
Speech – the way the lips and tongue move to produce spoken words
Language – the use of words or symbols to communicate meaning. Speech Pathologists assess spoken and written language (expression) as well as a person’s ability to understand spoken and written language (comprehension).
A Speech Pathologist is initially involved to assess a child’s eating and drinking skills and ability to swallow safely. Management of swallowing difficulties may include modifying food texture or fluid thickness, altering position during mealtimes and education about safe swallow strategies. The Speech Pathologist works closely with the dietitian to transition a child from non-oral (ie nasogastric or gastrostomy tube feeding) to oral feeding.
Assessment of a child’s communication skills generally begins informally through games and favourite activities, and then later utilizes formal tests of expressive and receptive language.
The Rehabilitation team consult with the Department of Psychological Medicine to evaluate cognitive behavioural and emotional issues arising from the injury, illness or medical condition oF the child, young person, their parents, siblings and other family members.
Social Worker
Social Workers offer consultation, assessment and therapeutic intervention focusing on the psychosocial impact of their injury, illness or medical condition. The Social Worker can work with the child, young person, their parents, siblings and other family members:
Helping to cope with the impact of trauma, loss and grief on both patient and family and/or resolve other issues and concerns through counselling, education and advice.
To help them adjust to the changes, social, emotional, behavioral and practical in their life resulting from their child’s diagnosis and educating families about the impact an accident, illness or medical condition will have on various aspect of the child's or the family's life.
Behaviour management in a family context.
Information and advice regarding financial benefits, accommodation, legal issues.
Providing information about and/or referrals to community agencies and resources.
Advocacy on behalf of patients, or the family, as necessary.
Orthotists
Please refer to the Orthotics WCH website page: orthotic
Rehabilitation Assistant
The rehabilitation assistant is responsible for supporting staff and families in assisting patients to achieve their best possible outcomes and goals.
Movement Disorders Coordinator
The Movement Disorders Coordinator is responsible for leading a project for the development of high quality rehabilitation services to children with movement disorders, due to conditions such as cerebral palsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury and other disorders. This includes the coordination of services for families with children with intrathecal baclofen pumps, including education of school staff and carers. The coordinator also develops and maintains surveillance programs, including hip and gait surveillance. Services may be provided to inpatients, outpatients and at outreach locations.
Dietician
The Rehab department incorporates a Dietitian available to inpatients. Patients undergoing rehabilitation often find it hard to meet their nutritional needs for a number of reasons including difficulty with eating, loss of appetite, side effects of some treatments and more. A Dietitian can help patients meet their nutritional needs in a number of ways including providing high calorie meals, nutritional supplement drinks, modified texture foods (eg vitamised foods) and more.
If a patient would benefit from seeing a Dietitian while in hospital a referral from a Doctor is required.
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