Children's Hemiplegia and Stroke Association

Rehabilitation: to restore or bring to a condition of health or useful and constructive activity

Parents and their medical team may decide on a course of therapies, medical devices, and/or medications which will assist their child. The choice of therapy depends on the age of your child, type of injury, current physical and/or needs, and time and financial constraints. There is no "usual" pattern for rehabilitation although many children with hemiplegia will receive physical and/or occupational therapy.

There is currently a movement by some families to forego the traditional "clinical or medical model" therapies to pursue more "family and child friendly" therapy in the form of games and activities in the community and home. These activities might include swimming, gymnastics, weight lifting, personal trainer, bicycling, horseback riding, and sports teams. These families will often have a physical and/or occupational therapist monitor their child to watch for contractures or other medical issues that might require more clinical interventions. As always, check with your child's physician to make sure that it's safe for them to participate in these physical activities.

We've gathered information on several of the more commonly used rehabilitative techniques and you can explore these by accessing the links listed below. You can learn more about children with hemiplegia and sports by visiting the section of the CHASA website.

Early Intervention Services can make a significant difference in your child's development. These services are available for children from birth up to age 3 who have developmental delays or have a physical or mental condition known to cause developmental delays. Every state has these services and they are usually free or on a sliding fee scale. Early Intervention can provide different types of therapy services as well as medical, educational, and social services.

Occupational Therapy Therapy for hand, arm, shoulder, and upper body	Physical Therapy Therapy for foot, ankle, leg, and lower body
Occupational Therapy	Gait
Hand Play	Orthotics
Hand Splints	Physical Therapy
Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy	Surgery Lower Extremity
Surgery Upper Extremity

Other Therapies	Sports
Conductive Education	Therapy Equipment
Sensory Integration Therapy	Therapeutic Riding (Hippotherapy)
Stem Cell Therapy	Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy