The Outpatient Physical Therapy Department at Boston Children’s Hospital provides direct outpatient rehabilitation services to patients ranging in age from newborns to adults. Our services are provided to improve movement, range of motion, strength, motor control, coordination, balance, gait, and functional ability. Our goal is to maximize each patient’s function and independence in all areas of their life, including at home and in their community. Our physical therapy team works closely with physicians, nurses, patient care coordinators, and others within and outside of the Boston Children’s Hospital system to provide the best possible care to each patient. When necessary, our physical therapy team will make recommendations for orthotic devices and/or other adaptive equipment.
Services
At all of our Boston Children’s locations, our physical therapy staff works with a variety of diagnoses including, but not limited to:
- musculoskeletal, neurologic, and orthopedic conditions
- sports injury management
- traumatic injury management
- pre- and post-operative management
- gait disorders
- balance and coordination deficits
- vestibular conditions
- movement disorders
- congenital conditions
- torticollis and plagiocephaly
- delayed gross motor development
- posture deviations
- body mechanics training
- equipment and seating needs
Goals of outpatient physical therapy
Goals are established on the initial evaluation which are specific, measurable, and achievable within the physical therapy plan of care. After the first appointment, your physical therapist will determine an appropriate frequency for services and discuss how often you will need to return for physical therapy visits. Your physical therapist will also make recommendations for the duration of treatment, on an individual basis, and based on limitations found during the initial evaluation.
Plan of care
Examination
We receive referrals from within our Boston Children's Hospital system, as well as from outside pediatricians and other medical providers.
Treatment approach
Our therapists work with each patient and family to create a customized program to address the individual needs. We strongly believe in episodes of care toward specific functional goals. Each patient will receive an individualized evaluation by their therapist to identify impairments and functional limitations. Based on the evaluation findings, the physical therapist will create an individualized treatment plan to help facilitate return to previous level of function or learn to adapt within their current functional abilities.
Education
A focus of each treatment plan involves education to patients and families on how they can progress with their specific plan of care at home. Patients and families are shown and educated on a home exercise program and provided with written instructions, when applicable. Our therapists are able to answer any questions that may arise outside of the therapy visits.
Discharge
Once a patient has met their goals for physical therapy, they are discharged from outpatient services. At this time, each therapist will review the importance of continued compliance with health and wellness activities, as well as provide any further suggestions as needed. Typically at discharge, it is anticipated that the patient and family will continue with some element of home exercise program, to continue to maintain the gains achieved during their physical therapy plan of care.
Contact us
For more information about our outpatient physical therapy services, please call the Physical and Occupational Therapy Services Department at 617-355-7212.