Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
Brain Injury

Brain Injury Program

Our Brain Injury Specialty Program has been CARF accredited since 2015. Our program uses evidence-based practice to promote the best level of care. Each patient receives an individualized treatment plan with the patients and families being an integral part of the process. Initially, each family participates in an evaluation and planning meeting to discuss the needs of the patient, the treatment program and discharge planning. Throughout the rehabilitation stay, the patient’s progress and discharge planning are discussed at a weekly interdisciplinary team meeting.  

Patients receive an average of 4.6 hours of treatment per day from physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, recreational therapy and psychology.

The program coordinates with other services, including the Brain Health and Wellness CenterNeurology, Neurosurgery, Neuropsychology and Trauma Services.

Upon discharge, further support is available from Cincinnati Children’s resources including school intervention, home care, outpatient services and the Brain Health and Wellness Center.


Brain Injury Outcomes Snapshot

Fiscal Year 2022
(July - June)
Number of patients admitted  59
Average number of days in rehab program  18.7
Ages served  1 - 18 years
*Average number of therapeutic intervention hours per scheduled therapy day  4.13
Percent of patients discharged home  83%
Percent of patients able to return to leisure activities by 90 days   69%
Family satisfaction (all 9's and 10's) 96%
Percent of patients who were able to maintain or improve function while in the program  100%

*Therapeutic intervention is defined as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, recreational therapy and psychology.

Prevention Interventions

Members of the inpatient rehabilitation team participate in community outreach opportunities to educate children, adolescents and their families about signs and symptoms of concussion / mild traumatic brain injury.

The inpatient pediatric rehabilitation program participates in safety initiatives through the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Teen Safe Driving Initiative, Bike Helmet Safety Awareness).

The program, through therapeutic recreation and physician input, addresses activities that would place the person served at increased risk for recurrent brain injury and educate the person served and/or his/her family about the preventive strategies to be undertaken for engagement in these activities if they are allowed.

Ryan's Long Journey

A golf outing in 2008 forever changed life for Ryan Korengel. A tree branch hit him in the head during a wind storm, and his traumatic brain injury was so serious his family feared for his life. (See first video below.) Thanks to his doctors and therapists at Cincinnati Children's, Ryan pulled through. Watch the second video to see an update of how Ryan is recovering.

2008: The Brain Injury

2016: Playing College Golf

CARF Accredited

CARF gold seal.

Cincinnati Children’s has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) for our inpatient rehabilitation and pediatric specialty care programs since 1997, for our brain injury program since 2015, and for our cancer and pain programs since 2018. We are the first in the world to receive an accreditation in pediatric cancer rehabilitation and only the second to receive an accreditation in pediatric pain rehabilitation.

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Resources

The following are resources and websites to assist families of children with disabilities and/or special needs due to brain injury.

Safe Kids

Patient safety is always on our mind. Children with disabilities face unique challenges at home, school, pools and playgrounds. If you have a child with disability), take a moment to watch these videos from Safe Kids.   

Topics include:

  • Water safety
  • Choking prevention
  • Poison prevention
  • Fall prevention
  • Burn prevention
  • Fire safety