Why Seek Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Care?

• Skull is thinner and may be fused
• Head size is proportionally larger
• Skeletally immature with increased risk of developing secondary skeletal conditions
• Steroid use unproven
• SCI injury may not be seen with standard x-rays; Cat Scan or MRI needed to diagnose (SCISWORA injuries)
• Crying may mask respiratory failure
• Rehabilitation focused on relearning tasks AND achieving developmental milestones
• Irritability may disguise autonomic dysreflexia

ADULT

• Skull is thicker, rigid
• Head size is proportionally smaller
• Skeletally mature
• Acute steroid use is standard of care
• Rehabilitation is focused on relearning tasks

ADOLESCENT

• Continuing physical and psychological developmental needs are different from those of an adult or young child with SCI
• Unique privacy, security, coping and socialization needs
• Depending on maturity level, an adolescent may have a number of characteristics similar to a younger SCI patient