Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit at St. Luke's Children's Hospital: Boise
St. Luke's Children's Visitor Policy
To support the safety of our patients, employees, and providers, St. Luke’s Children's Hospital has adjusted our visitor policy. Learn more
About Our Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
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 personalized intensive rehabilitation plans.
Our team will help you navigate all aspects of your child's recovery care, which will include comprehensive services to address the physical, cognitive, social, psychological, developmental, and educational needs of your child and family. The program offers three hours of therapy treatment (physical therapy, occupational therapy, and/or speech therapy) per day, 5 days a week.
Additional specialty services are available as needed to complement the rehabilitation program, including: neuropsychology, respiratory therapy, nutritional support, and the medical consulting teams of all St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital pediatric specialties.
Related Specialties
Areas of Focus
Supporting Independence
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.
Improving Strength & 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.
Helping Communication
Speech therapists work to improve speech, language, social communication, cognitive skills, feeding, and swallowing.
Maximizing Abilities
Our pediatric PM&R physicians work with the rehabilitation team to maximize the benefits of rehab interventions.
Prepare for Your Visit
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.
Before Your Visit
For Current Patients
Your Inpatient Rehabilitation Stay
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.
Patient & Family Resources
Scope of Services
The Pediatric Inpatient Rehabilitation program at St. Luke's Children's Hospital typically serves patients from 1-13 years of age.
Child Life
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.
Ronald McDonald House
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.
Support Services for Your Child and Family
Animal-assisted Therapy
Visits from specially trained doggie friends provide cheer, brighten a stressful day, and help our patients relax.
K-12 Education
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
Music therapy can be especially powerful during a hospitalization, offering children a way to help manage emotions, cope with stress, and express themselves.
Palliative and Supportive Care
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.
Social Work
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.
Spiritual Care
Our chaplains are available 24/7 to support patients and families with the emotional and spiritual issues that often accompany hospitalization.
