Rehab Therapies and Audiology
Published on August 13, 2019
By Melanie Fruhner, AuD, FAAA
Middle ear fluid versus an ear infection: What’s the difference?
Middle ear fluid (also known as otitis media with effusion) is the presence of fluid in the middle ear without signs or symptoms of an ear infection. Ear fluid occurs in the... Read More
Published on May 14, 2019
By Blake French, Speech Pathologist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Who are speech-language pathologists?
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are trained clinicians who specialize in the assessment and treatment of communication disorders. SLPs have a... Read More
Published on April 3, 2019
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may face daily challenges in the areas of social interaction and engaging with others, communication, sensory processing, cognitive difficulties and motor planning and coordination skills.
Having your child work with... Read More
Published on December 19, 2018
The holidays are here which means your kids may be home from daycare or school. Here are some ways from our Rehabilitation and Audiology team to keep your children occupied, entertained, and active while working toward building motor skills and promoting language.... Read More
Published on December 4, 2018
Cue-based feeding is a broad term to describe a process by which parents and medical providers can successfully attend to developmental cues to promote optimal feeding opportunities. It is also referred to as infant-led or demand feeding. This approach may be used to... Read More
Published on October 24, 2018
Swelling in a child can happen for different reasons, but most commonly happens after trauma or medical condition. Another common cause of swelling is a condition called lymphedema. Since I often work children with lymphedema, parents will ask me questions regarding the... Read More
Published on August 13, 2018
Nursemaid elbow has many names: pulled elbow, radial-head subluxation, annular ligament displacement. Basically, it is when the elbow is pulled into malalignment or partially dislocated. Whatever you decide to call it, it is pretty scary the first time it happens... Read More
Published on May 31, 2018
Andrew Cole, ORT/L, BCP, Occupational Therapist on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit Diana Hanley, MA, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist and Co-Director of Handy Heroes Therapy Camp Elizabeth Kpachavi, OTD, MA, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist
The inability to use one side of your... Read More
Published on May 11, 2018
Many parents are hesitant to use signs with their babies because they fear it will delay their child’s verbal growth. However, research supports the use of symbolic gestures to foster language skills and verbal development.
A typically developing child’s first words occur... Read More
Published on April 16, 2018
If you are a parent who has been awakened from slumber with a child crying in pain, you can understand my distress at watching my son wake up in pain night after night. My son started having “growing pains” early in toddlerhood—18 months old was the first episode that I can... Read More
Published on March 15, 2018
One of the most exciting milestones for parents is their child’s first steps. They will film it, post it on social media, and tell all their friends about that exciting day. So it is no surprise that as a physical therapist to children with special needs, I am often asked, “... Read More
Published on January 24, 2018
I am lucky enough to have been raised Spanish-English bilingual in Los Angeles, a city in which greater than 50 percent of the population speaks a language other than English. Current estimates indicate that the number of people whose first language is not English will... Read More
Published on January 4, 2018
What is power mobility?
Independent mobility is essential for cognitive and psychological development for children of all ages and abilities. For some children with disabilities, power wheelchairs are the only way they can achieve this independence. They can be used for... Read More
Published on December 6, 2017
It’s that time of year when family and friends start to ask what your child is interested in or what gifts they should give. Here’s a list of age-appropriate toys and items that will encourage skills and developmental milestones.
1 to 2 years old
After the first year... Read More
Published on November 13, 2017
A Guide to Keeping up With Recalls for Baby Equipment and Toys
For many of us growing up, a new toy meant new adventures and new ways to explore our world and imagination. Whether it was a new toy fresh out of the box, or a sentimental gift passed from one generation to... Read More
Published on October 11, 2017
Do you remember your first bike? I do. It was purple, had a flowered banana seat, purple and white fringes coming off of the handlebars and, of course, training wheels. I loved that bike and remember riding it all over the neighborhood—falls and all. Children’s... Read More
Published on September 8, 2017
Written by Kristin Cooley, PT, MPT, CBIS; Lauren Dunn, PT, DPT; Kimberly Kaloustian, PT, MPT, CBIST; Jodi Kurland, PT, CBIS
We are the Ekso GT-trained and certified physical therapists at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. We have all completed our advanced training... Read More
Published on August 18, 2017
As a speech-language pathologist, I often get asked by parents, “When should my child start talking?” Although every child progresses at their own pace, these are some guidelines for typical development.
Birth to 3 months:
Crying is your baby’s first form of... Read More
Published on July 12, 2017
Getting the whole family moving for better health
The World Health Organization and the American Heart Association recommend for kids to be active 60 minutes per day, seven days a week in order to lower the risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. This also offers... Read More
Published on June 27, 2017
Parents often ask, “Why do we have earwax? Why do some children produce so much wax? Can wax buildup cause hearing loss?” Today we're going to answer a few of those questions and give you the lowdown about earwax and hearing!
What is earwax?
Although earwax may... Read More