Cancer Rehabilitation
Restoring Quality of Life after a Cancer Diagnosis
When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it is natural to focus on one thing: treating the disease as quickly and effectively as possible. But at Cincinnati Children’s, we focus on the big picture, too. This means paying close attention to how cancer and cancer therapy may affect a person’s ability to learn, play, walk, talk and enjoy life.
When problems arise, outpatient rehabilitation therapy can make a big difference for most children and young adults. But some people need a more intensive approach. In collaboration with the Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, we offer these patients inpatient rehabilitation through our Cancer Rehabilitation Program - the first pediatric cancer rehabilitation program in the world to receive CARF accreditation.
Our program is designed for children, adolescents and young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as for older adults who are experiencing late effects from a childhood cancer. These can include stroke, chronic fatigue, nerve damage and many other concerns.
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.What to Expect
Cancer and cancer treatment can affect a person’s physical, cognitive and social development, causing problems in many areas of life. Sometimes, these problems are related to the specific type of cancer a person has. For instance, a brain tumor may press against the frontal lobe, affecting motor skills or learning skills. A tumor in the lung may affect breathing, and sarcoma located in the joints may affect a person’s ability to walk. Leukemia and lymphoma often cause long-term problems with fatigue.
Cancer therapy itself is often a factor. For example, chemotherapy with certain types of drugs can cause neuropathy, a condition that damages nerves and causes weakness, numbness and pain. A bone marrow transplant can lead to problems such a fatigue and organ damage.
Our cancer specialists have the training and expertise to recognize these problems and quickly identify patients who will benefit from inpatient cancer rehabilitation.
Learn more about what to expect during your inpatient stay, including detailed information about how to prepare, who you'll meet, and how we'll support you and your family throughout the stay.
2024 Cancer Rehabilitation Outcomes
Tracking outcomes and statistics of inpatient pediatric rehabilitation patients and sharing this information with our families is an important part of how we work to continually improve care. It is our hope that this results in a better quality of life for you and your child.
| Number of Patient Admitted | 24 |
| Average Number of Days in Program | 16.8 |
| Ages Served | 1-17 |
| *Average Number of Therapeutic Intervention Hours Per Scheduled Therapy Day | 4.3 |
| **Percent of Patients Discharged Home | 66% |
| Unplanned transfers to acute medical floor | 5% |
| Percent of Patients Able to Return to Leisure Activities by 90 Days | 86% |
| Family Satisfaction (8's, 9’s, and 10’s) | 85% |
| Percent of Patients Who Were Able to Maintain or Improve Function While in Program | 100% |
*Therapeutic intervention is defined as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, recreational therapy, and psychology.
**Some patients are discharged to acute for further cancer treatments.
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