Pediatric rehabilitation
Pediatric rehabilitation in Minnesota and western Wisconsin
Kids are constantly learning and growing. They have to get the hang of everything from walking and talking to dressing and feeding themselves. If an injury, illness, congenital issue, developmental condition or other obstacle makes growing up more challenging, our pediatric rehabilitation specialists are here to help.
At HealthPartners, we offer comprehensive pediatric therapy that includes occupational, speech and physical therapies. We’ll assess your child’s unique needs and create a personalized treatment plan that helps them reach their goals. And because we work closely with your child’s primary care doctor and other specialists, we make it simple to get the therapy they need at every step of the way.
We offer pediatric rehabilitation at locations in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, so you can schedule appointments where it’s most convenient for your family. Together, we’ll help your child gain confidence and independence.
Who can benefit from pediatric rehabilitation
Every child grows and learns at their own pace. Sometimes, they need extra help and support to reach developmental milestones. Pediatric rehabilitation can help kids improve their coordination, speech, fine motor skills, confidence and ability to do daily activities so they can enjoy everything the world has to offer.
Our pediatric rehabilitation specialists work with infants all the way through age 18. Whether your child is experiencing developmental delays, on the autism spectrum, recovering from an illness or has a speech impediment, we can help. And because every kid is unique, we create a personalized treatment plan for each one based on their individual needs.
Types of pediatric rehabilitation services we offer
We approach pediatric therapy by meeting children where they’re at in their development. Since we know children are more motivated if they’re having fun, we incorporate play into their treatment. Playing ordinary games can help produce extraordinary results.
We offer comprehensive pediatric rehabilitation services, including:
Pediatric occupational therapy
There are many skills children need to master as they grow up so they can become confident and independent adults. These are called activities of daily living (ADLs) and include things like feeding, getting dressed, completing schoolwork, playing with friends, writing their name, and staying calm in spaces with many sights and sounds, like in the classroom.
Our occupational therapists (OTs) work with children who have physical, visual or psychosocial impairments that make mastering these activities challenging. When a child comes in for a pediatric occupational therapy appointment, our team will evaluate their unique needs and create a personalized treatment plan for them.
Pediatric speech therapy
Learning how to effectively communicate is one of the most important parts of growing up. It’s the way your child will ask for what they need, build relationships and express themself.
When your child needs extra support, our speech-language pathologists are here to help. We provide comprehensive
Depending on your child’s needs, their treatment plan may include exercises to improve breathing and breath support, achieve a clearer voice, strengthen muscles used while swallowing and build your child’s social skills. We’ll also educate caregivers so you can continue to work on these skills at home.
Pediatric rehabilitation feeding program
Many children struggle with eating, making it challenging for them to get the nutrition they need to grow. Sensory intolerances to food, poor coordination, lack of appetite and other challenges can make your child dread meal times. Our pediatric rehabilitation specialists work with children of all ages to build healthy eating habits.
Feeding issues we treat include:
- Anxiety about eating or mealtimes
- Behavioral issues that impact mealtimes
- Decreased appetite
- Difficulty bottle feeding, including difficulty latching onto a bottle
- Difficulty moving to solid foods
- Difficulty swallowing
- Infants with weak or uncoordinated suck-swallow reflexes
- Mouth or throat abnormalities
- Oral aversion
- Sensory intolerances to food because of the texture, taste, smell or appearance
Feeding issues are different from eating disorders. If your child shows signs of an eating disorder and needs additional care, we’ll connect you with experts at
Pediatric physical therapy
If your child needs help building strength, flexibility or gross motor coordination, our team of physical therapists can help. In
Our physical therapists work with children who are healing from an injury, managing an illness, recovering from surgery or need extra support to reach developmental milestones. With personalized treatment plans designed for their unique needs, your child will get the care they need at every step of the way.
Pediatric pelvic health therapy
Some children need extra care to manage pelvic floor issues. Not being able to control the bladder or bowels can make children feel uncomfortable, lower self-esteem and be challenging for caregivers. Our pediatric therapy specialists work with children of all ages to treat a wide range of issues, including:
- Bedwetting
- Constipation
- Daytime accidents
- Fecal incontinence
- Stress incontinence
- Urge incontinence
Oftentimes, these issues are caused by weak or tight pelvic muscles. During pelvic health therapy, we’ll use exercises and other techniques to strengthen the muscles and improve function. We’ll also educate caregivers about their child’s condition and provide guidance on how to continue rehabilitation at home.
Other pediatric rehabilitation services
- Assessment for lower extremity (LE) bracing or orthotics
- Concussion rehabilitation
- Cranial orthosis referral assessments
- Dynamic movement intervention (DMI)
- Pediatric sports medicine
- Pool therapy
- Serial casting