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Your Inpatient Stay at Valley Children’s Rehabilitation Center

Click on the questions below to learn more about commonly asked questions before, during and after your inpatient stay at Valley Children's Rehabilitation Center.


Before Your Stay

  • A referral is made by a physician or other medical professional involved in your child’s care. Our pre-admission coordinator will assess your child as to whether he/she will be an appropriate fit for rehab and will contact you to discuss the assessment and recommendations.
  • Your child must be deemed medically stable to come to the unit.
  • Your child must be able to participate in three hours of therapy a day.
  • Your child must have family/caregiver support who can fully participate with the therapy program and receive ongoing training.
  • Plan on bringing at least five of the following: pants and/or shorts; underwear and other undergarments; socks; and shirts
  • Two to three sets of pajamas.
  • Tennis shoes or other non-skid shoes.
  • Light jacket or sweater (depending upon the weather).
  • Toiletries including: deodorant; toothbrush/toothpaste; make-up; lotion; shampoo/conditioner; hairbrush and/or comb; etc.
  • Any items from home that may help with your child’s stay such as a favorite pillow, blanket, stuffed animal, photos, etc.
  • Equipment currently used such as braces or other pieces of adaptive equipment.


During Your Stay

  • Breakfast is typically served by 8 a.m.; lunch by 12 p.m.; and dinner by 6 p.m.
  • All children receive three hours of therapy a day, six days a week, which includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech/language therapy. The child’s individual needs determine the combination of therapy services.
  • As part of your child’s therapy, therapeutic outings with the therapy team may be utilized to assist you and your child with community reintegration as well as allow the therapists to work on their goals for your child outside of the hospital.
  • The recreational therapist will: help provide activities of interest to your child during breaks from therapy; ensure the pet therapy team visits the child as appropriate; introduce your child to the child life playroom or teen life activities.
  • A schedule board is updated daily to alert you when therapy is scheduled for your child.
  • Naps or rest breaks are encouraged in between therapy sessions.
  • Patients are encouraged to eat in the dayroom with family during meals.
  • Parents are encouraged to attend and participate in daily therapy sessions.

Photo of Valley Children's physical therapist smiling with young boy

  • Your child’s stay is dependent upon many factors; however, the tentative discharge date is typically set within one to two weeks of admission to allow you enough time to prepare for your child coming home.
  • Your child’s progress is evaluated weekly by the patient team and family members.
  • Family meetings are utilized as necessary throughout your child’s stay to discuss your child’s progress, equipment needs, and future therapy needs should there be a need upon discharge.
  • Prior to discharge, you are typically asked to participate in a CRL (community reorientation leave) by yourself with your child. This involves an eight to 12-hour pass outside the hospital. During this time, the family is the primary caretaker for their child and may take them to a place of their choosing whether it be spending the day at home or out and about in the surrounding Fresno community. The family will complete assignments, return to the hospital and discuss with the team how the CRL went, if any questions or concerns arose, etc. It is a practice run for you to see what it is going to be like to take care of your child outside the hospital’s protected environment.

Photo of Valley Children's speech therapist sitting at table playing a game with a teenage girl?


After Your Stay

  • Ongoing Outpatient Therapy: If recommended, your child will be referred for outpatient therapy services including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech.
  • School Reintegration Program: While in the Hospital, the team will work closely with your child’s school/school district to create a plan for return to school post discharge. Our peer counselor is readily available to educate the staff and students and accompany/provide support for your child on their first day back to school.
  • Support Services: After an injury and during disease management, continued support is important to long-term success. We offer opportunities for peer-to-peer and parent-to-parent support, as well as provide resources such as the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation for additional support.
  • Follow-up Check: Our pre-admission coordinator follows up several weeks post discharge by phone to assess how your child has progressed since returning home and reintegrating back into school and/or community living. 
  • Rehab Follow-up Clinic: At time of discharge, a follow-up appointment is scheduled as appropriate, typically within several months after discharge. The physician, psychologist, physical/occupational therapist, and speech-language pathologist are present during this follow-up visit. This serves as a check-up to assess any further needs in regards to medication, equipment, school or vocational reintegration, behavioral, or social recommendations.
  • Adaptive Sports Program: Our program offers free recreational and athletic experiences for children and young adults with physical disabilities.

Please note: Your child’s rehabilitation does not stop once he or she leaves Valley Children’s Hospital; rather you and your child are now equipped to continue the rehab process in the home and outpatient settings.