Psychological practice in a pediatric rehabilitation hospital

Described 127 consecutive referrals to a newly formed psychological consultation service in a pediatric rehabilitation hospital. This setting served children whose needs for comprehensive care and long-term hospitalization could not be met effectively elsewhere in the community. The complex patient population included children with permanent mental and/or physical handicaps who had survived due to advances in medical technology, those with traumatic or congenital brain injury, failure to thrive, feeding problems, apnea, tracheostomy, child abuse, and psychosomatic disorders. A range of psychological services were offered, including specialized assessments and treatment planning for rehabilitation, home and school placement, direct treatment and monitoring of behavioral progress, and consultation with staff. Implications for the practice of pediatric psychology and service delivery to patients in pediatric rehabilitation settings are discussed.