Rehabilitation for Achondroplasia in Children

Specialists at NYU Langone’s Rusk Rehabilitation offer a wide range of rehabilitation services and treatments for children who have achondroplasia. Our experts include physiatrists—doctors who specialize in pediatric rehabilitation medicine—as well as physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech–language pathologists, and clinical neuropsychologists who have advanced training in working with children.

Continuing your child’s outpatient care with Rusk Rehabilitation experts brings many benefits. They work as a team, with shared goals and direct communication with your child’s doctors at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone. During rehabilitation, the care team monitors your child’s progress in each type of treatment and adjusts therapies as needed to ensure the most-effective care.

Postoperative Care

Physical and occupational therapists also help children with achondroplasia recover from orthopedic surgery. These services can be provided while your child is in the hospital and at our outpatient facilities. The therapist helps your child manage their pain and get moving after surgery so they can return to school and usual activities.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists use play, activities, and exercise to improve your child’s strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance. Physical therapy also helps your child develop and maintain good posture and helps reduce the risk of joint problems. Our physical therapists have special training to help children maximize their ability to move and participate in everyday activities, such as getting out of bed, standing, and walking, as well as playing with their peers and participating in sports. They also teach your child exercises that can be incorporated into their daily schedule through activity and play.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists use play, activities, and exercise to help children with physical, sensory, or cognitive challenges improve their fine-motor skills, visual perception, cognitive skills, and sensory processing. This can include helping a child learn skills such as how to hold a pencil, hit a baseball, get dressed, and improve attention and focus.

Our occupational therapists help children who have difficulty processing sensory information such as light, sound, and touch. They may also provide your child with strategies and tools such as light or sound games to help them respond appropriately to bright lights, loud sounds, and unusual tactile sensations.

Speech–Language Pathology Therapy

Some children have difficulty forming words and speaking clearly and often find this inability to communicate frustrating. Speech–language pathologists work with your child to improve oral motor and communication skills by using exercises that train the brain. Skills include pronouncing, understanding, and interpreting individual words, sounds, numbers, and gestures. Speech–language pathologists can also provide tools such as picture boards and devices to improve your child’s ability to communicate.

In addition, speech–language pathologists provide feeding and swallowing therapy. The therapist helps your child with bottle feeding, chewing, or swallowing food. They may also perform a swallow study to ensure that food or liquid is being swallowed safely. They work with your child to strengthen the muscles of the mouth and throat, increase the variety of foods your child can eat, and improve the child’s ability to eat and drink.

Neuropsychology

Rusk Rehabilitation pediatric neuropsychologists are experts in the ways that brain illness or injury affect behavior. They assess your child’s cognitive, academic, social–emotional, and behavioral functioning using tools including written tests and in-depth interviews with your child and entire family. After determining your child’s strengths and areas in need of support, they provide you and your family with recommendations that help your child’s participation in life at home, at school, and in the community.