CentraState - Healthy Directions

Expanding to Meet Community Needs The pediatric physical therapy team at CentraState Medical Center is now able to treat more children each year following a recent expansion of facilities and staff. A remodeled, 400-square-foot pediatric gym is one result of the expansion. It features a climbing wall, rubberized floors, soundproof walls, and a one-way mirror that allows parents to observe therapy. “We customized a wing of our department specifically for pediatric and family needs,” says Brian Mason, PT, DPT, clinical director, Rehabilitation Services. “We also added more pediatric physical therapists.” Other members of the team include occupational therapists, a speech/language therapist, and a registered dietitian. “CentraState’s mission is to provide our community with high-quality healthcare services close to home. The pediatric PT expansion is another step in meeting that goal,” Mason says. Tina Sirna, with daughter Milana, who is developing normally thanks to the treatment she received for torticollis through CentraState’s Pediatric Rehabilitation program. Customized Therapy Cures a Childhood Condition because her head was tilted slightly to one side. The family’s pediatrician diagnosed her at seven weeks old with torticollis (commonly referred to as wry neck) and referred the Howell couple to CentraState Medical Center’s Pediatric Rehabilitation program for treatment. L Torticollis is a tightness and shortening of the muscles in the neck and upper back that can affect infants and young children. It is characterized by abnormal positioning of the head. The condition should be treated promptly, as it can cause an imbalance in facial and neck muscles, delayed development of motor skills, and even a tightness in the torso and hip that can lead to hip dysplasia (a deformation or misalignment of the hip joint). 6 July/August 2011 ast July, Tina and David Sirna suspected something was wrong with their infant daughter Milana The most common remedy is physical therapy. “Therapists created a treatment plan specifically for Milana and reassured us that the problem could be solved,” Tina says. “It was great to see Milana’s progress from week to week.” “After performing manual therapy, we worked on strengthening Milana’s neck muscles by engaging her to actively rotate and lift her head to play with a toy or follow her mother’s voice or face,” says Jennifer Morelli, PT, DPT, one of the therapists who treated Milana. “We also made sure she was on target for basic motor skills such as sitting upright. Children who can’t hold their head upright won’t be able to learn by exploring visually and bringing objects toward their face and eyes.” Milana received therapy at CentraState once a week. Meanwhile, Tina and David received guidance on giving their daughter gentle massages and performing stretching exercises to facilitate her progress in between visits. “As the weeks went on, they adjusted the home treatments according to Milana’s improving condition,” Tina says. After five months of treatment, Milana had recovered completely. “If we ever need this type of care again—or any other care, for that matter—we’ll go to CentraState,” Tina says. “We had a great experience there.” For information about pediatric or adult rehabilitation services at CentraState, call (866) CENTRA7 (866-236-8727) or visit www.centrastate.com/rehab. HD Healthy Directions

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