REHABILITATION SERVICES

At Decatur County Hospital, our occupational therapy department focuses on helping people regain or learn new skills to improve their ability to function as independently as possible.

• Arthritis
• Developmental delay
• Diabetes
• Neurological disorders
• Parkinson’s disease
• Sports injuries
• Stroke
• Traumatic brain injury
• Upper extremity disorders
• Work related injuries

• Bathing, dressing, feeding skills, handwriting, and social skills
• Home safety evaluations
• LSVT BIG^® (Click here to learn more)
• Managing a checkbook
• Meal preparation
• Pain management
• Splinting
• Wheelchair assessments
• Women’s pelvic floor therapy
• Workplace ergonomics

If you feel you or your family member may benefit from occupational therapy but do not see a specific condition or focus area, please call the rehab department at 641-446-2219 to inquire.

In addition to helping patients recover from a fall, illness, or surgery, our Occupational Therapists (Taylor Kohlwey, OTR/L, CLT; and Jennifer Barker, COTA), and Physical Therapist (Rachael Lesan, DPT, ATC)  offer comprehensive, personalized plans developed specifically for pediatric patients. These plans can help identify and meet the needs of children with development delays, injuries, disabilities, and other special needs. Some of the conditions we can treat include:

• Developmental delay including skills such as social, play, fine motor, handwriting, throwing/catching, jumping, running, walking, self-cares, etc.
• Down syndrome, ADHD, cerebral palsy, and autism
• Sensory processing disorders

If you notice the following conditions in your child, it may indicate that he or she could benefit from our pediatric rehab services.

Difficulty handwriting. If your child struggles with handwriting, holding writing devices, forming letters, or other basic skills, therapy can help. With strength training, muscle memory training, practice using different writing utensils, and other techniques, we can help improve your child’s handwriting skills.

Restlessness during class or at home activities. Even though a certain level of restlessness is expected in children, some children experience prolonged difficulty sitting through class, or sitting still during relaxing activities at home. Children who seem overactive, or who cannot sit through class may benefit from our rehab programs to develop coping techniques to displace excess energy.

Difficulty staying on task or transitioning from one task to another. Children who have trouble focusing on one activity, or changing their frame of mind from one activity to another may benefit from rehab therapy. Customized programs help teach children techniques to keep their focus and ignore distractions, and provide strategies and opportunities to practice changing focus when transitioning from one activity to another.

Developing appropriate behavior techniques. Children with certain conditions often struggle in social situations. Our rehab team works with patients who need to learn appropriate behavior in social situations including classrooms, stores, restaurants, and other public places. Children can learn techniques to cope with triggers in these unknown environments, and how to behave in a way that lessens their disruption to others.

Eating. There are many obstacles children must overcome when eating. These obstacles are more difficult for some children than others. If your child has trouble using utensils properly, or struggles with other mechanics of eating, our rehab therapy can help.

If you feel your child could benefit from our rehab services, call us at 641-446-2219 to learn more and schedule an appointment. One of our therapists will work with you and your child to develop a plan to meet their needs, and address your concerns. Each patient receives a customized plan based on their specific needs to ensure your child gets the best treatment possible.