Children’s Rehabilitative Services (CRS) Physical Therapy Department Spotlight

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By Linda Thunn, DPT, physical therapist

The Children’s Rehabilitative Services (CRS) pediatric physical therapists provide support and services for children (birth to 21 years) with developmental disabilities, and their families. They aim to develop, restore and improve mobility to improve quality of life.

Pediatric physical therapy benefits children and their families/caregivers by promoting activity and participation in everyday routines, increasing functional independence, improving strength and endurance, facilitating motor development and mobility, and easing the challenges of daily caregiving. Because patient’s are allowed to ”opt in” for services past the age of 21, there are several physical therapists qualified to treat individuals over the age of 21 as well.

Besides treating children one-on-one in the rehab clinic our providers also work in CRS’s Multidisciplinary clinics such as:

• Amputee Clinic
• Cerebral Palsy Orthopedic Clinic
• Cystic Fibrosis Care Center
• Myelomeningocele Planning Clinic
• Spasticity Planning and Follow-up Clinic

Our providers also perform equipment evaluations. They trial each child to determine what works best for them. Those evaluations are done on:

• Adaptive Seating
• Adaptive Car Seats (onsite at NuMotion)
• Forearm Crutches
• Gait Trainers
• Standers
• Walkers
• Wheelchairs (onsite at NuMotion)

A Spotlight on DMG Pediatrics

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By Prabodh Hemmady, MD | Eileen Maddix | Jeanine Pittman

Pediatrics Overview

DMG pediatrics is multifaceted, responsible for patient care in many locations. At Maricopa Integrated Health System (MIHS), there is a robust ambulatory clinic at the Comprehensive Health Center (CHC) where both general pediatric and subspecialty patients are seen.

In partnership with the Ambulatory Care division of DMG, pediatrics staffs primary care physicians at some of the MIHS Family Health Centers (Maryvale, South Central and Mesa). With the implementation of Proposition 480 (“Care Reimagined”), we are hoping to grow pediatric ambulatory care at MIHS. The Pediatric Emergency Department (ED) and inpatient care units at Maricopa Medical Center are also great resources for Phoenix and the surrounding communities.

The Pediatric ED is open 24/7/365 and is staffed by Pediatric ED trained physicians. The inpatient units consist of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and acute care unit. We also care for non-ICU newborns who stay with their mothers on the post-partum unit until discharged home.

Pediatric Subspecialties

Subspecialties at the MIHS CHC include the following fields:

Adolescent Medicine
Neurology
Endocrinology
Gastroenterology
Cardiology
Infectious Disease
Nephrology
Genetics
Pulmonology

Pediatric Residency Program and Medical School Affiliations

DMG pediatrics is a strong partner with Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH) and MIHS in training resident physicians, and for many years it has been known as the PCH/MMC Pediatric Residency Program.

There are 32 categorical pediatric positions per year and well over 100 pediatric residents who rotate through MIHS when the medicine-pediatric residents and the pediatric/pediatric neurology residents are added. The pediatric residency program receives well over 1000 applications and interviews over 275 people for the 32 pediatric spots each year. The residents come from all over the country and bring with them a variety of backgrounds.

The department is also very active in educating medical students from the University of Arizona College of Medicine and Midwestern College of Osteopathic Medicine. We also teach medical students from the Mayo School of Medicine and are excited about the relationship developing with Creighton Medical School.

Learn More About DMG Pediatrics

Would you like to know more about DMG’s Department of Pediatrics? The website is available in Spanish as well as English to better serve our patient population, giving them full access to the great information about us!