Once the acute phase has passed and your child’s condition has been stabilized, a large portion of the subacute phase of treatment involves rehabilitation. During rehabilitation, your child will work with a team of doctors and other medical professionals who have experience with brain injury in children. This team will design an individualized program designed to minimize the long-term effects of the injury, and help your child return to maximum function.

In many cases children with moderate to severe brain injuries require inpatient rehabilitation, and can graduate to outpatient rehabilitation once certain milestones have been met. Some kids, however, can move directly to outpatient rehabilitation. Your child’s doctor will discuss the different options with you, and will be able to give you a recommendation based on your child’s specific needs.

The quality and design of your child’s rehabilitation program is extremely important to her future. Be sure to see our section on choosing a facility, which will give you tips to help guide you in your choice.