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Spinal Cord Injury & Multitrauma

Spinal Cord Injury & Multitrauma at Gaylord

Leading the way in spinal cord injury and multitrauma expertise

Our multitrauma and spinal cord injury (SCI) programs are considered among the best in the nation. A team of interdisciplinary specialists creates a plan forward based on your specific goals and sets in motion the therapies that will help you achieve them. Patient and family education, when needed, state-of-the-art technology, and community reentry programs support your recovery. Gaylord is CARF-accredited and has specialty accreditations in spinal cord injury, brain injury, and stroke – a distinction held by few others in the world. We are a partner site of the Spaulding New England Spinal Cord Injury Center - one of 18 Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Model Systems in the U.S. We work with other leading programs to improve spinal injury care and outcomes.

Our Approach

We leverage clinical expertise, cutting-edge research, and advanced technology to deliver unparalleled results.

As a national leader in spinal cord injury and multitrauma recovery, Gaylord’s program combines research, technology, and human talent to create the most independent life possible for each patient.

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Inpatient

We offer all-private rooms outfitted with ceiling-mounted lifts, a team comprised of physiatrists, certified rehab nurses, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, wound care experts, state-of-the-art technology and aquatic therapy, all ensuring that your path to recovery is unparalleled.

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Outpatient Therapy

Experience our exceptional outpatient program for spinal cord injury and orthopedic multitrauma at two convenient locations (Wallingford and North Haven, CT). Our dedicated neurorehab therapists, cutting-edge technology, wheelchair clinic and aquatic therapy ensure personalized care and a path to recovery that fits your life.

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Outpatient Medical Services

Our physicians are board-certified physiatrists. Physiatry is the medical specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). Gaylord physiatrists use multiple treatment options to achieve maximum functional recovery, whether the deficit was the result of an injury or illness. Examples of conditions treated include but are not limited to, sports injuries, work-related accidents, stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, amputations, and orthopedic injuries.

Our Spinal Cord Injury & Multitrauma Expertise & Programs

We offer a range of inpatient and outpatient programs that deliver the best possible outcomes

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Adaptive Sports

 

The Gaylord Sports Association is dedicated to helping people with a physical disability experience the benefits of sports and recreation. We offer the most diverse adaptive sports program in the state of Connecticut with 16 different sports. Programs range from introductory clinics to competitive sports teams.

 

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Amputation

 

Gaylord provides exceptional acute medical care and rehabilitation for people after an amputation. With nearly two million people in the US living with limb loss, we offer comprehensive care, addressing various causes like vascular disease, trauma, or cancer. We tailor inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs to their needs with the goal of enhanced independence in daily activities and a seamless transition to a full, active life.

 

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Aquatic Therapy

 

Aquatic therapy for inpatients and outpatients is provided by physical and occupational therapists with advanced training. The goal is to improve strength and flexibility, reduce pain, build endurance, and restore balance.

The 75-by-25-foot therapeutic pool is specially designed for people with disabilities. The water temperature is maintained at a constant 90 degrees. Features include easy wheelchair access; Hydraulic lift and overhead sling transfer lift; Stairs with rails, transfer bench, and warm water jets; Bench in the water for those who need to sit while exercising; and Accessible locker rooms and showers.

 

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Concussion Program

 

Gaylord specialists understand that every concussion is unique, and the priorities for recovery will differ depending on the patient's age and the type and extent of the injury. Our team of physiatrists, neuropsychologists, sports medicine physical therapists, vestibular/balance specialists, and occupationaland speech therapists delivers personalized care for each patient, supporting individual goals for recovery.

 

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Guillaine-Barre (GBS) 

 

Guillaine-Barre (GBS) is a rare autoimmune disorder that disrupts typical nerve function. The condition is caused when a person’s body mistakes its own cells as dangerous and begins to secrete autoantibodies that target nerves. This leads to side effects, often beginning with weakness and tingling in the legs. Depending on the severity of your impairment, an inpatient or outpatient program can be customized for you at Gaylord.

 

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Occupational Therapy 

 

Occupational therapy promotes safe and efficient daily activities, enhancing independence in crucial areas like self-care, parenting, cooking, driving, and work. Specialists emphasize endurance training, simplifying tasks, and home equipment. Easy Street™, a hospital-based simulated community, aids patient recovery and success.

 

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Physical Therapy

 

Skilled physical therapists work with patients to define goals, reduce pain, and enhance mobility, function, as well as personal performance. Gaylord uses advanced technologies and techniques to accelerate rehabilitation and return people to maximum health and quality of life.

 

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Physiatry

 

Physiatry diagnoses and treats conditions that have resulted in temporary or permanent loss of function affecting independence. The goal is to improve quality of life by avoiding surgery and narcotics.

 

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Prosthetic and Orthotic Care

 

Our team evaluates a patient's strength, gait, balance, coordination, medication, and current prosthetic or orthotic use. New technologies are changing the shape of this field, and our clinical staff will introduce patients to the best options available. Whether getting up on a new prosthetic for the first time or you are interested in new technology, we can help.

 

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Spasticity/Baclofen Pump

 

Spasticity is a condition characterized by increased muscle stiffness and involuntary muscle contractions, often resulting from neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury. The baclofen pump is an implanted device that delivers the muscle relaxant baclofen directly into the spinal fluid, effectively managing spasticity, and improving muscle control. This targeted delivery reduces side effects and enhances its therapeutic benefits.

 

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Speech Therapy

 

Speech-language pathologists specialize in treating speech, language, and cognitive issues related to neurological disorders. They aid recovery in speech, comprehension, reading, writing, and other communication skills. Treatment is tailored to individual goals, featuring both one-on-one and group therapy, with family involvement when suitable.

 

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Wheelchair Assessment 

 

Our Wheelchair Assessment Service is led by physical therapists who are certified Assistive Technology Professionals and supported by suppliers of complex rehab technology who assist in advanced equipment selection. They work with clients to identify goals, physical capabilities and challenges, in environments where the equipment must function at the highest possible level. Other services include computerized pressure mapping assessments, standing frame evaluations, custom seat cushion and back support shape capture. Proper evaluation can reduce costs, improve mobility and quality of life, and - equally important - prevent complications that result from ill-fitting equipment.

 

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Wound Care

 

We use an interdisciplinary treatment approach focusing on existing skin or wound issues – especially non-healing and slow-to-heal wounds – along with the prevention of new wounds. Our wound care management process may include negative pressure wound therapy (wound-vac), bedside surgical debridement performed by a staff physician with specialized wound training and credentialing, pulsatile lavage, pain management, nutritional counseling for oral/enteral and parenteral nutrition, seating surface evaluation and utilization of specialized mattress support surfaces. Patients admitted for wound care treatment typically include those with amputations, postoperative wounds, post-traumatic burns, pressure sores, necrotizing fasciitis, and infections, including osteomyelitis. We also educate the patient and family to help prevent any future skin breakdown.

 

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Youth & Adolescent Spinal Cord Injury Program

 

The SCI Adolescent Rehab program is designed to meet the unique physical, emotional, and social needsof teens (ages 15 to 22, with younger patients assessed on a case-by-case basis). Our team works with each patient to maximize every facet of their recovery and independence while helping to establish essential physical and emotional skills. Psychologists and social workers are available to both patients and their families.

 

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Workers Compensation 

 

We offer coordinated, individually managed, team-based, rehabilitative, and complex medical care for injured workers in inpatient and outpatient areas. Treatment plans are created and led by a board-certified medical director with extensive workers' compensation experience and coordinated by a dedicated care manager.

 

Spinal Cord Injury Model System

Part of a national network of spinal cord injury specialists

Gaylord is a member of the Spaulding New England Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center (SNERSCIC)which is one of 18 Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems in the U.S. The Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) program is overseen by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). The NIDILRR awards model system grants to institutions that are national leaders in research and patient care while offering outstanding comprehensive specialty services. The process for becoming a model system is rigorous and the grant must be reapplied for every five years. Co-Principle Investigator: Dr. David Rosenblum, MD is a board-certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation specialist who directs medical education and research at Gaylord Hospital's Milne Institute for Healthcare Innovation. He also has an active SCI practice at Gaylord Hospital and sees patients at Yale New Haven Hospital.

 

Spinal Cord Injury & Multitrauma Resources
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Likelihood to Recommend Our Program
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Satisfied with Inpatient Therapy Program
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1 of 18 model SCI Centers in the US
Technology at Gaylord

We use the latest technology to advance your recovery

Where you choose to receive care can make all the difference. Gaylord offers an extraordinary range of technologies and patient services, all based on the latest research and best practices. 

Hear From A Patient

"If you have the right care team, you can really get through anything"

Jillian Harpin
Hear From Our Staff

Adaptive Sports: A Catalyst to Getting Back Your Life

Katie Joly, CTRS
Hear From Our Staff

"Once you're are Gaylord Hospital, you're at the right place"

Burt Fleischner, Rehab Therapy Aide
Spinal Cord Injury Support Group

Learn about our spinal cord injury support group at Gaylord

Start the road to recovery today