Rehabilitation Services

Helping children with a range of conditions, including complex medical conditions, gain independence in their ability to perform the tasks of daily living

The Occupational Therapy program at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital helps children with a wide range of conditions gain independence in their daily activities. We work with them to develop the fine motor skills, sensory motor skills and visual motor skills that they need to function and socialize at home, school, play and community environments. For patients with injury or debilitating illness, we focus on helping them return to their daily routines at their highest level of function.

Our highly skilled occupational therapists are equipped to deliver care to children with complex medical needs. As part of a comprehensive medical program based at a pediatric hospital that provides advanced, specialized care to our patients, our occupational therapists are experienced in treating children of all ages with complex medical conditions.

With a strong focus on home program development and parent education, we support parents and families with the tools and techniques they need to help their child reach their highest level of function across environments.

We work with other specialties throughout the hospital to evaluate and treat children from birth to age 21 with a variety of diagnoses, including:

• Autism related disorders
• Brachial plexus injuries
• Cardiac conditions
• Cerebral palsy
• Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
• Fragile infant care
• Neonatal abstinence syndrome
• Neuro-progressive disorders
• Orthopaedic and hand surgery
• Pain management
• Post-chemotherapy care
• Post-surgical patients, include post-neurosurgery
• Seizure disorders
• Selective dorsal rhizotomy
• Spina bifida
• Status post tumor removal
• Trauma injuries, including traumatic brain injury

Programs and services

Once your child has received a referral for occupational therapy, we will create a treatment plan that addresses your child’s unique needs and goals. The number and frequency of your child’s therapy sessions will depend on his or her individual condition.

In addition to traditional occupational therapy services, we also work with physicians and other rehabilitation specialists, and provide specialized programs and services, including:

• Aquatic therapy
• Augmentative and alternative communication
• Constraint induced movement therapy
• CPAP desensitization
• Custom hand orthosis fabrication
• Interactive metronome
• Manual therapy/myofascial release
• Pain management using non-medicine pain therapies, including biofeedback, electrical stimulation and micropoint stimulation
• Pelvic floor rehabilitation 
• Sensory-motor processing and integration
• Therasuit® program
• Upper extremity (shoulder, arm and hand) splinting and serial casting
• Visual motor and handwriting exercises
• Wheelchair and equipment evaluation

In addition to the outpatient services provided in the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Child Development and Rehabilitation Center and our Outpatient Care locations, we also provide acute care services to children receiving inpatient treatment in our hospital. Learn more about our acute care services.