Family Health

Not Just Kid Stuff at Cardinal Hill

Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital has served Kentucky for 62 years, and this month it is opening newly renovated facilities to cement its standing as a regional leader in pediatric care.

Changes to the Lyman V. Ginger Pediatric Center will allow Cardinal Hill to consolidate all outpatient pediatric care in one building.

The new facilities will offer the space, staff and technology needed to make Cardinal Hill the place to go for children up to 18 years old with special needs and traumatic injuries.

The first floor of the Lyman V. Ginger building houses Creative Beginnings Childcare, a daycare for children 6 weeks to 5 years old that serves 61 typical children. Each child is screened for physical, occupational and speech therapy needs.

The second floor will offer a variety of treatment rooms staffed by experienced, expert therapists.

“With this renovation, Cardinal Hill is responding to the needs of the community,” Outpatient Program Manager Charlie Workman said. “Previously, families had to go to Cincinnati, Cleveland and Nashville to get treatment that we now offer.

“The community really needed these programs and the experts to do them.”

Some of the highlights of the renovated second floor include:

  • Sensory integration gym with climbing walls, lofts and swings for therapy interventions.
  • Snoezelen room, made possible by a grant from the Children’s Crusade of Louisville. The room offers a quiet, darkened space for children with sensory integration disorder, autism spectrum disorders, brain injuries and other special needs.
  • Assistive Technology room designed to help children make necessary adaptations by operating toys and other devices.
  • Individual treatment rooms that include observation windows.
  • Infant-Toddler Crawler Room for children up to age 3. Additional rooms will be available for older kids who are up and moving around.

Cardinal Hill handles approximately 1,500 visits from 600 to 700 different children kids each month.

Of those visits, 65% are children with special needs and 35% are those with brain or orthopedic injuries.

For years, Cardinal Hill and its team of physical, occupational and speech therapists has offered state-of-the-art injury care.

And that treatment is guided by a caring staff dedicated to patient needs, said Workman, a Cardinal Hill employee for 15 years and a trained physical therapist.

“What kind of care would I want for my family to receive?” Workman said, describing the hospital’s philosophy.

“That’s what drives us. We’re strong advocates for our clients.”

As part of that care, Cardinal Hill has expanded services to include three new therapeutic swimming pools to accommodate children and adults alike.

The renovations will be completed in time for a special grand opening in March.

“I can’t wait – I’m excited!” Workman said.“We are going to have adequate treatment space to meet the needs of the kids that we’re treating.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cardinal Hill’s renovated pediatric center will provide the room and technology for many helpful programs, including:

  • Sensory Motor Group offering children between 4 and 12 help with touch sensitivity, sensory needs, balance and coordination.
  • Motor Planning/Dyspraxia Group offering help with coordination, body awareness, organizing behaviors and sports.
  • Handy Learning offering children ages 3-7 help in strengthening weak hand muscles.
  • Picky Eater Group offering help to children who eat fewer than 20 foods and have poor weight gain.
  • Social Skills Group, which helps children 8-15 with high functioning autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD or other social issues.
  • Reading Group, assisting 4- and 5-year-olds who are struggling with reading.
  • Orthotics & Casting  offering help to children who have a lack of control skills (lack of stability, weakness, unbalanced muscle control and abnormal functional postures).
  • Pediatric Wellness, nicknamed the Fit Kids Club, promotes anti-obesity programs with physical therapists and a registered dietician.
  • Interactive Metronome, which helps children over 4 with autism, brain injury, balance disorders, sensory disorders, cerebral palsy, ADD and ADHA to improve their focus and reduce their aggression.
  • Vital Stim Therapy, which helps children who have suffered strokes with swallowing, eating and drinking issues.
  • Hippotherapy, which is an equine program assisting children with special needs. Cardinal Hill partners with Central Kentucky Riding for Hope at the Kentucky Horse Park.