Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital Pediatric Acute Care

Therapy services for patients with a range of medical conditions who are receiving care in the hospital

We provide therapy services for children of all ages, including newborns, who are receiving inpatient care in the hospital. We provide a patient-centered approach to your child’s care, promoting independence, maximizing function and initiating the rehab continuum of care.

We help facilitate the transition back to home and referrals to other Johns Hopkins All Children’s rehabilitation services in our Outpatient Care locations, helping patients receive the care they need closer to home.

We also have a strong focus on parent and family education, providing tools, resources and guidance so that you can support your child’s progress after he or she returns home.

If your child is receiving inpatient care at Johns Hopkins All Children’s and you have questions about our inpatient rehabilitation services, please talk to your child’s doctor, nurse or other member of the care team. Your child’s doctor can provide a referral for our rehabilitation services as needed.

Our acute care team provides services for patients with a range of conditions and medical needs, including those with:

  • An artificial airway and/or ventilator
  • Body positioning and splinting needs
  • Difficulty managing their pain due to surgery, trauma, wounds, headaches and/or other diagnoses
  • Feeding or swallowing issues
  • Long-standing immobility, muscle wasting or decreased endurance due to medical complications
  • Multiple trauma that includes orthopaedic and neurological issues
  • Neurological changes caused by stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumors or seizure disorders
  • Patients born premature or with significant developmental delays
  • Range of motion and strength concerns
  • Regular hearing screening for newborns, or evaluation for patients of any age who may be affected by hearing loss due to illness, injury or other medical condition
  • Trouble with communication due to illness, injury or other medical conditions 

Meet Our Acute Care Team

Programs and Services

  • Audiology

    We provide evaluation for hearing loss, including newborn hearing screening and evaluations for children who may have hearing loss due to a medical condition or trauma. We use a range of evaluation techniques to meet your child’s needs, and can provide referrals for outpatient services if your child needs a hearing device, like a hearing aid. We also work with physicians in the pediatric otolaryngology program to provide evaluation and follow-up for cochlear implants.

    Rehabilitation Audiology
  • Occupational Therapy

    We work with patients to help them gain independence and promote development of motor skills to help children receiving treatment for an injury or illness return to their daily routines at their highest level of function. We work with patients on their ability to perform the activities of daily living, such as self-feeding, hygiene and dressing. We also work with premature infants to improve their regulation of state and calming.

    Rehabilitation Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy

    We work with patients to develop their gross motor skills, lower extremity strengthening, balance, coordination and endurance. A focus on early mobility and helping patients start moving earlier after treatment or surgery helps to decrease their length of stay. We also help patients with bed mobility and transfer needs, such as positioning, rolling and moving into a sitting position.

    We work with premature infants to improve their regulation of state and calming, and provide parent education on infant positioning and handling. We also provide non-medicine pain therapies and relaxation techniques to help patients manage pain and stress as part of the hospital’s acute pain management services.

    Rehabilitation Physical Therapy
  • Speech-Language and Feeding

    We provide speech and language evaluation and treatment for patients with functional communication concerns (issues with their ability to produce speech) or cognitive communication (issues with their ability to understand communication, often in cases of trauma or major injury).

    We provide evaluation and treatment for children with feeding and swallowing issues due to complex medical conditions. We also work with patients who need speaking valves due to a tracheostomy.

    Rehabilitation Speech-Language and Feeding