Physical Disability After Inpatient Rehab

Pediatrics published research on the outcome of 13798 children (seven to eighteen years old) with traumatic injuries following inpatient rehabilitation.   The following results were reported after an average 3 week length of stay:

• functional limitations were reduced
• children still tended to have residual physical disabilities
• a median admission grade of 1 and a median discharge grade of 4 was recorded (a grading system of the Functional Independence Measure was used where grade 1 was total assistance and grade 7 was full independence)
• children with spinal cord injuries, either alone or in combination with other injuries, had lower functional grade at discharge, longer lengths of stay, and more comorbidities at discharge than those with traumatic brain injuries, burns, and multiple injuries.

Reference: Mark R. Zonfrillo,Dennis R. Durbin,Flaura K. Winston, Huaqing Zhao,and Margaret G. Stineman Physical Disability After Injury-Related Inpatient Rehabilitation in Children. Pediatrics 2013; 131:1 e206-e213; published ahead of print December 17, 2012, doi:10.1542/peds.2012-1418