Gait and Mobility Program

Our Gait and Mobility program helps children become more mobile after experiencing conditions like stroke, brain, or spinal cord injury. At Children's Health, we have a wide array of top-of-the-line therapeutic equipment to help children with movements like sitting up, standing up and walking. Our goal is to help children get stronger and improve their quality of life.

With you every step of the way

Our Gait and Mobility Program is built to treat children across the continuum of care. Our team offers:

• Early mobility (acute care). We treat children in the hospital due to a serious illness or injury.

• Integrated Therapy. Children stay with us for hands-on, inpatient therapy six days each week.

• Outpatient care. Children live at home and come see us regularly for therapy.

Many children also need special equipment at home, and our therapy team will help determine what your child needs. This may include customized orthotics, walkers, standing frames, or wheelchairs.

Your child’s therapist will help you order this equipment and teach you and your child how to use it. They will also help you apply for insurance to cover the cost of the equipment (insurance providers make take up to 12 weeks to approve these purchases).

Care tailored to your child

Every child’s care journey is different. That’s why our program offers highly individualized care, with therapists tailoring treatment to your child’s specific needs. We also know your child’s needs may change as they undergo treatment. Our care plans evolve alongside the progress your child makes.

High-end equipment for unmatched care

We use the latest therapeutic equipment to get children up and moving sooner, which can bolster their overall health and speed up their recovery. We help children at all levels of function get up and moving. Your child’s therapist will determine what specialty equipment would work best, including:

• Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) bikes. This specialized bike uses electrical current to stimulate your child’s muscles to pedal even when your child’s legs are weak or unable to move. This bike can help prevent loss of muscle, improve blood flow, and may help your child regain movement and strength in their affected leg(s).

• Erigo Pro. This standing tilt table has mobile legs that help your child move their legs up and down. This helps your child maintain range of motion in their legs and improve their tolerance to upright positioning.

• LiteGait. With this device, your child can practice walking even if they don’t have the strength to fully support their weight while standing.

• Lokomat. This sophisticated equipment helps children who cannot move their legs take steps with robotic body weight support. We are one of only a few facilities nationwide with a Lokomat and have the latest version available.

• A therapy pool. Our specialized pool has an adjustable depth that uses buoyancy to help support children as they rebuild strength. The pool’s adjustable depth coupled with its treadmill bottom offer children a chance to practice movement without having to support their full body weight.

• Indego. This equipment helps children with more minor spinal cord or neurological injuries relearn to walk by taking steps for them. Children’s Health was the first pediatric facility in the country to get an Indigo.

• Neurocom balance manager. This system helps us test your child’s balance.