Pediatric Jump Start Program Helps Children Reach Functional Milestones

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Children with medical complexities and functional and developmental challenges can benefit from intensive rehabilitation to maximize their abilities.

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation’s Jump Start Program combines all aspects of a medical and rehabilitation “tune-up” and condenses them into a short-term inpatient stay for pediatric patients.

The Jump Start Program, available at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Emily Howatt Pliskatt Pediatric Unit in Bethlehem, allows medically complex children who have developmental and functional delays to achieve their next milestones.

The program most commonly sees children from infants to age 18 with cerebral palsy, chromosome anomalies, stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, spina bifida, and feeding challenges (i.e., infants).

The inpatient program, which averages four to six weeks in length, is overseen by Kimberly Kuchinski, MD, MPH, and brings together services that include:

• On-site pediatric physiatrist and nurse practitioner
• Physical, occupational, speech, and recreation therapy
• Medical management, including medication management
• Nursing (24 hours a day)
• Spasticity and dystonia management
• Assistive technology and other equipment
• Dietary
• Respiratory therapy (24 hours a day)
• Orthotics and splinting
• Neuropsychology
• Community support services
• Child and family education

“There is a real need for the Jump Start Program, which can achieve functional goals in a shorter period as compared to a much longer time in outpatient care,” said Dr. Kuchinski, who is medical director of Pediatric Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Good Shepherd. “There are lots of children at home who never had intensive rehab following an event or accident or who have a congenital condition. The inpatient program offers those kids intensive therapy five days a week, which is extremely difficult to achieve in an outpatient setting.”

The inpatient setting is unique, too, in that Good Shepherd’s Pediatric Unit is a CARF-accredited pediatric rehabilitation facility, and one of only two in Pennsylvania; CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) is the gold standard in rehab care.

Additionally, Good Shepherd is a member of the International Pediatric Rehabilitation Collaborative (IPRC), which promotes excellence in specialized pediatric rehabilitation care.

How Does Jump Start Work?

The clinical team creates a personalized plan of intensive inpatient therapy and care to allow each child to achieve their best functional self with as little assistance as necessary. The skilled team evaluates what each child needs to be successful, including positioning, equipment, splinting, bracing, orthotics and medication adjustments.

Depending on the child’s needs, the program addresses fine motor and daily living skills, feeding challenges, sensory needs, cognitive challenges, equipment and ADL (activities of daily living) needs, and spasticity/dystonia management. Recreation therapists provide fun ways of using the functional skills learned in other therapy sessions.

As appropriate, the program also utilizes technology, including use of Trexo robotic gait training technology. Good Shepherd’s Pediatric Unit is the only inpatient rehabilitation unit in America to feature all three sizes of the wearable device.

For patient families, the program offers support, education on equipment and maintaining functional gains, and school integration assistance.

“We send each child home with a coordinated medical and therapy plan for outpatient or school-based services so they can continue to progress,” Dr. Kuchinski said. “The Jump Start Program has had many success stories, with newly developed functional skills benefitting the children for the long term.”

To learn how your child can benefit from the Jump Start Program or to refer a patient, call 1.888.44.REHAB (73422) or fill out this form.