Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
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The Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit (IRU) within St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support children and teens requiring substantial rehab services to recover from illness, surgery, or injury. Patient care is supervised by board certified, fellowship trained pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians and includes support from pediatric hospitalists, rehabilitation nurses and pediatric therapy experts who promote recovery through person...
Occupational therapists focus on independence in daily activities such as eating, grooming, bathing, and toileting. We also help to improve play and school skills, and support interventions to improve vision, cognition, and functional mobility.
Our physical therapists work on strength, range of motion in joints, postural re-education, balance, and coordination to improve the child’s ability to navigate home, school, and community environments.
Speech therapists work to improve speech, language, social communication, cognitive skills, feeding, and swallowing.
Our pediatric PM&R physicians work with the rehabilitation team to maximize the benefits of rehab interventions.
Whether you're visiting us for the first time or returning for ongoing care, St. Luke’s is committed to making sure you have all the information you need.
The inpatient rehabilitation program at St. Luke’s Children's is an intensive interdisciplinary program for children aged 2-13 years who have sustained a traumatic injury or have been impacted by a life-threatening illness. You can expect treatment with speech therapy, occupational and/or physical therapy for a total of three hours per day. During their rehab stay, children will focus on returning to their prior level of function or implementing new or adaptive ways to participate in all areas of their lives.
Your child will be staying on our pediatric unit to focus their continued recovery. Our goal is for you and your family to feel comfortable and safe during this time. Children are welcome to bring items from home to support this goal.
The Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation program at St. Luke's Children's Hospital typically serves patients from 1-13 years of age.
A stay in the hospital can be unsettling, no matter how old you are. We strive to create a warm, nonthreatening, calm, supportive environment to help your child cope with the stress associated with the hospital experience.
The Idaho Ronald McDonald House provides lodging for families who live outside Ada County, who have a child hospitalized or receiving medical treatment in Boise.
Visits from specially trained doggie friends provide cheer, brighten a stressful day, and help our patients relax.
Our Idaho state-certified teachers work with patients so they can keep pace with their classmates, and ultimately return to their community schools and teachers.
Music therapy can be especially powerful during a hospitalization, offering children a way to help manage emotions, cope with stress, and express themselves.
This specialized medical care is for kids and teens living with a chronic or life-limiting condition. We aim to ease symptoms and help with care coordination.
To help ensure you and your family have the support you need, our social workers work closely with your health care team to resolve concerns.
Our chaplains are available 24/7 to support patients and families with the emotional and spiritual issues that often accompany hospitalization.
Bubbles, music, cheers and smiles surrounded 3-year-old Miles, his two siblings and parents as they recently departed St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital after more than 68 days of care and recovery.
When Miles experienced an accidental fall from a window in his home, his family’s world was turned upside down.
First responders rushed him to the care of St. Luke’s Children’s emergency trauma team. His injuries were significant, but little Miles proved he was ready to fight. With his family’s support and that of pediatric care specialists at St. Luke's Children’s Hospital and the pediatric inpatient rehabilitation care unit, Miles regained his ability to walk and has begun talking again.
Around 50 St. Luke’s Children’s team members and Treasure Valley first responders – many who helped the day Miles was injured – lined the hospital hallways to celebrate when Miles graduated from the pediatric IRU. Hugs and words of gratitude were exchanged, and the special send-off continued, with first responders escorting the family to their home.
On the most basic level, a unique program at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital provides just that, helping young patients feel more comfortable via music therapy.
