Information for Parents Visiting Rehabilitation & Specialized Care

At Children's National Rehabilitation & Specialized Care, it's our goal to make your visit as seamless as possible. Whether you are staying overnight or visiting an outpatient location please take a moment to review the information below to better assist with your visit.

Preparing for Your Child's Inpatient Stay

From your child’s first day with Rehabilitation & Specialized Care, our staff begins to plan and prepare for the return home. Your child and family are our top priority. Learn more about our programs.

Learn more about our programs

We happily provide clothing, toys and games for your child during their stay with Rehabilitation & Specialized Care. If you decide to bring personal items, be sure to label each item clearly. Please leave valuables at home as the hospital cannot be responsible for them.

As a parent, you are the most important part of your child’s life. We view you as part of the healthcare team and encourage you to come often. For your comfort, we have a cozy family lounge that you can use any time to watch TV, eat, catch up on emails, or just relax for a bit. The lounge is located on the 2nd floor, near the elevators outside 2 East, and has a restroom just outside the door.

A typical day at our facility will look like:

7 - 8:30 a.m. - Wake up, bath routine, dressing and breakfast
11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Lunch time and "quiet time" for naps and resting
4:30 - 9 p.m. - Dinner, bath routine (if not done in morning), and getting ready for bed (depending on child's age)
10 p.m. - 7 a.m. - Quiet time/bed time

Therapy sessions will be scheduled throughout the day. The therapist will tell you how many times your child will receive therapy during the week and what the days and times will be.

We make sure your child doesn't fall behind with schoolwork. We provide school services to all students enrolled in D.C., Maryland or Virginia public schools.

We want you to visit, attend therapy sessions, and be a part of your child’s care as much as possible. Our goal is to make you feel comfortable caring for your child in your home. During your child's stay we will review the specific training that you will need to care for your child at home. To help you cope with the challenges of a disability or illness, we also offer pastoral care, a family resource library, family teaching apartments and family support groups.

Your children who are at home may have many concerns and questions about their hospitalized sibling. We have healthcare providers who have been trained to present information to your children in the least stressful, most positive way.

Preparing for Your Child's Outpatient Visit

When preparing for an outpatient visit to one of our locations is important please, make sure you have the appropriate address, directions and contact information of the location before you leave for your child's appointment.

Learn more about our locations

Keeping children safe while in our care is our main priority. If your child has a cold or the flu, please reschedule your appointment for a time when your child is well.

Our hours of operation are as follows: