The Infant Toddler Program
About the Program
The Infant Toddler Program at Children's Specialized Hospital provides intensive and comprehensive rehabilitation services for infants and young children ages birth to 3 years with complex medical needs. The program, approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, treats children who require all levels of pediatric care.
Patients are treated with a comprehensive, therapeutic program, coupled with excellent medical and nursing care. Because of this team approach, a coordinated treatment plan can be designed to meet the complex needs of each patient and his or her family.
While emphasizing age-appropriate skills, the team customizes goals based on each child's medical stability, age, and developmental level to maximize his or her unique potential. The multidisciplinary staff is highly trained in working with children who require special equipment and/or ventilator assistance. The team uses cutting edge treatment to encourage children's interaction with their environment during daily activities. To offer this specialized care, our staff is committed to pursuing ongoing education and training in state-of-the-art techniques used to treat this unique population.
Patients who need special medical care, such as patients with tracheotomies, special feeding needs, and intravenous/central lines, can be managed while receiving habilitation therapy.
Family involvement is vital to a child's overall development. We strongly encourage family participation in treatment sessions. Our team instructs families in caring for their children and using special equipment. Families learn about therapeutic interventions that promote growth and development.
Our Medical Specialties
A neonatologist/pediatrician heads the Infant Toddler Program team. Other medical subspecialists in the following disciplines can be scheduled for consultation as needed:
- ear, nose, and throat
- neurology
- ophthalmology
- orthopedics
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- physiatry
- psychiatry
- radiology
- urology
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What Makes Our Program Unique?
Within 24 hours of admission each child's level of functioning is evaluated by the nursing/medical/therapeutic team or “POD”. During the evaluation process a plan of care is developed based upon the child's functional levels and habilitation needs with the family being an active part of the team. Each child will be assigned to one of five treatment protocols depending on their level of medical acuity, level of endurance and individualized habilitation needs. Soon after admission each child receives a standardized developmental evaluation and will be reassessed just prior to discharge. Evaluations by a pediatric ophthalmologist and audiologist are conducted as needed.
The staff, assigned to the Infant Toddler Team, is extremely sensitive to the needs of the child and takes into consideration their individual wake/sleep patterns. The team meets every morning to determine when therapy can best be delivered for each child given their unique needs. The therapists will then check on each child several times a day to see when it is the most optimal time for treatment so that they can maximize each child's potential. Family education is intensive and starts upon day of admission.
The Infant Toddler Team, under the guidance of Dr. Sharon Burke, has been developing new programs that use computer mediated learning and assistive technologies to increase the cognitive-motor development of medically compromised infants. Children in the Infant Toddler Program who have feeding difficulties are evaluated if they are eligible candidates for our Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Feeding Program.
Children that may have trouble calming themselves or are extremely sensitive to touch may be candidates for our Infant Massage Program. Gentle massage tends to ease the tensions in an infant which then allows them to be appropriately engaged in their surroundings and therapy sessions. We understand that families have many responsibilities and may not be able to be present as much as they desire. As a result, we have a volunteer Cuddler Program that provides our infants and toddlers with a little extra tender loving care and attention. In addition, parent groups meet two times a month in order to provide families time for respite and support.
Rehabilitation Technology works with the physical and/or occupational therapist in determining the best system for seating and positioning. They help facilitate the acquisition of stroller inserts as well as other positional equipment. Prior to discharge, a certified passenger safety technician will work with the family in determining the best car seat for their child and will also ensure that it is properly installed in the family vehicle.
As a Patient-and-Family-Centered Care facility we encourage the family to be a part of their child's care. We also realize that it is sometimes very difficult to leave your child alone. To that end the patient rooms can accommodate one parent bedside for as long as the child is hospitalized. For larger families wishing to stay, a referral can be made to the Ronald McDonald House which is within walking distance of the hospital. Siblings may visit their brother or sister in the patient's room and younger siblings may visit in the family lounge located on the floor.
Families and caregivers are also encouraged to participate in the monthly patient/family meetings where they can meet with the medical, nursing and rehab team to learn what goals and objectives have been set and met for their child. By being an integral part of the team, caregivers learn the skills necessary to care for their child's special needs in preparation for discharge. An in-house Functional Trial Visit (FTV's) is scheduled for the family and is a practice day when the family assumes total responsibility for the care of their child. With the knowledge that help is near at hand, the family is more at ease and this helps with the final transition to home. When a family is discharged, all arrangements have been made for securing their individual home care needs, obtaining necessary medical equipment, scheduling follow up medical appointments and arranging for on-going therapies as needed.
For information on our Outpatient Programs,
click here
Professional Affiliations:
www.childlife.org
www.nctrc.org
www.atra-online.com
Further Information:
For more information about the Recreational Therapy/Child Life Department, please
call Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick at 1-888-CHILDREN (244-5373),
Ext. 7129; in Mountainside at 1-888-CHILDREN (244-5373), Ext. 5362; and in Toms
River at 1-888-CHILDREN (244-5373), Ext. 3716.
