Pediatric Rehabilitation: FAQs

For: patients | volunteers | family & visitors | medical professionals | donors

I'm concerned about my child's development. What should I be looking for?
Typical milestones for childhood development include the following. Please keep in mind, however, that these milestones are not exact and are different for each child.

Infant

Rolling at or near six months
Crawling at or near nine months
Walking at or near 13 months
Speaking two words at or near 13 months
Beginning to stack blocks at or near 24 months

Toddler

Running or jumping smoothly at or near 2.5 years
Speaking three-word sentences at or near 2.5 years
Partially undressing self at 2.5 years
Feeding self with spoon at or near 2.5 years
Knows four to eight body parts by 2.5 years

Preschooler

Peddling tricycle at or near 3.5 years
Throwing ball overhand at or near 3.5 years
Cutting with scissors at or near 3.5 years
Copies a circle at or near 3.5 years
Begins to know the difference between colors at or near 3.5 years
Speaking intelligibly at or near 3.5 years
Can dress self except for difficult fasteners by 4.5 years
Can play simple ball games at or near 4.5 years
Is aware of time and weather at or near 4.5 years

What about my school-age child?
Your child may need some assistance if he or she is having difficulty with:

Writing
Poor coordination
Dressing independently
Poor attention span
Understanding complex direction and problem solving
Sentence structure and grammar
Understanding what he or she reads
Organizing his or her desk or notebook
Keeping up with his or her peers

How do I get my child into the Pediatric Rehabilitation Program at Good Shepherd?
If your child is having problems in any of the above areas or if you are concerned about his or her development, talk to your family doctor or pediatrician about a referral or prescription for services at Good Shepherd. You may also contact Good Shepherd directly for more information at 1-888-44-REHAB (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday).

What does it cost for pediatric services?
All costs are different based on the services provided. Good Shepherd accepts payment from self-pay, insurance plans, managed care organizations, HMOs, and Medical Assistance. Once you have an appointment, we'll verify your coverage and do our best to answer any questions you may have.

Will my insurance cover pediatric services?
Good Shepherd has contracts with several third-party payers who reimburse us for our services. Good Shepherd will also work with your health insurance carrier to develop a nonparticipating provider rate for our services. In other words, we have the ability to work with insurance plans on a case-by-case basis.

How will I as a parent be involved in my child's treatment plan?
Upon entry into the Good Shepherd Pediatric Rehabilitation Program, each child is thoroughly evaluated to determine his or her special needs. Parental information and input is essential for the development of any treatment plan, and Good Shepherd will work with your entire family to ensure that all questions are answered. We also ask for your consent for any recommended treatment. Treatment plans are then reviewed regularly to measure progress toward goals, and we will provide you with updates upon the completion of each treatment session.

What if I don't agree with the course of treatment for my child?
We encourage parents to be involved with their child's rehabilitation. Helping your child is a team effort, which means there should be input and consideration given to both medical opinion and parental opinion. If there is anything you don't agree with about your child's rehabilitation, talk to us. Sometimes it is difficult to understand how a particular therapy will help your child. That's what we're here for. If you aren't satisfied after talking with a therapist, you can also talk with our program director.

Are services available only within the Pediatrics Program?
In addition to the Pediatrics Program, pediatric rehabilitation services are also available at our Good Shepherd satellite sites in Palmerton, Laurys Station, and Kutztown. Our developmental pediatricians work only at our Health & Technology Center in South Allentown.

For more information on the Pediatric Rehabilitation Program at Good Shepherd, contact us today or call 1-888-44-REHAB (24 hours a day, 365 days a year).