Missions and Goals

Academics

We offer rotations for medical students (both M3 and M4), residents and fellows. They can participate in a combined rehab/orthopedic rotation or can do separate month long rotations. Any interested trainee must contact Angela Bates (601-815-7103) for further information or to apply for a rotation.

Clinical service

• Rehab: The inpatient rehab service provides intensive daily therapy to children who would benefit from physical therapy, occupational therapy and /or speech therapy in order to more safely transition back to home. This includes children with TBI, SCI, stroke, brain tumors, and nerve or muscle disease. There is also an outpatient Child Rehab clinic to follow children who have been discharged from the inpatient unit and also to evaluate children for equipment, bracing, therapy, or spasticity needs.
• Orthopaedics: This part of the Children's Rehabilitation team focuses on the musculoskeletal system (bones and joints). Our physician is a trained musculoskeletal specialist (non-operative pediatric orthopedist) who recognizes and understands aspects of normal development. Knowledge of normal development is a unique feature and integral piece when caring for children with congenital abnormalities, those with gait concerns and the skeletally immature athletes who present with pain. This team works to identify areas that may benefit from orthopedic intervention (which may include casting, bracing or formal therapy services) with an additional interest on nutrition to ensure the athlete maintains normal growth and bone health particularly in young female athletes, obese and those with chronic medical conditions.
• Concussion pathway: Dr. Witt and Dr. Zimmerman, together with the neurosurgery and trauma surgery teams, have a concussion pathway for children who are admitted with mild to moderate brain injuries. This includes a therapy screening process for the children in the hospital with subsequent follow up in clinic. Dr. Witt sees the patients who have ongoing cognitive or academic challenges, and Dr. Zimmerman prepares the patients to return to sports and activities. Outpatient referrals are always welcome.

Research

• Our rehabilitation team is collaborating with pediatric surgery on a quality improvement study of our concussion pathway program. There is very little current information regarding the incidence and treatment of pediatric concussions and TBI and we are working to establish guideline for our program and to serve as templates across the nation.
• Our team is also collaborating with the pediatric intensive care unit staff and physicians to perform a study of progressive therapy in the intensive care unit. Similar studies have been performed in the adult ICU settings, but there is very little literature in pediatric ICU patients.