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Complex Chronic Conditions
As an expert in helping medically fragile children achieve their highest potential, Blythedale is well-suited to help transition a child with multiple complex chronic conditions from hospital to home.
Many children come to Blythedale with multiple, complex chronic conditions that impact their function. These chronic conditions - including cerebral palsy, CHARGE syndrome, congenital and chromosomal abnormalities, severe epilipsy - can complicate recovery after surgeries, acute illnesses or hospitalization. Our interdisciplinary team includes experts in pediatrics, pediatric physiatry, neurology, neuropsychology, pediatric pulmonology, orthopedics and other medical specialists. Blythedale also has the largest and most experienced hospital-based pediatric therapy department in New York State.
The goal is to help our patients maximize their functional abilities through comprehensive medical care and rehabilitation. The child’s team works with the family to identify important goals to improve function, foster independence in daily activities, and address the highly specific medical needs of children with multiple complex conditions. Blythedale's on-site, state-of-the-art simulation lab serves as an important training center for parents and caregivers. Coordinated discharge planning provides families with supportive services to help our young patients return home.
Hope for Hiroshy
From the start of his life, Hiroshy and hospitals have gone hand in hand. Born premature at 33-weeks’ gestation in October 2011, Hiroshy was diagnosed with jejunal atresia (an incomplete formation of part of the small intestine), and spent 90 days in the NICU. The newborn underwent numerous...
Complex Chronic Conditions Team
Related Departments
Pediatrics
Dedicated pediatricians for each of our units provide medical care while the child is in the hospital, coordinate the services of the other subspecialties, and supervise the discharge planning process. Family and pediatric nurse practitioners are assigned to the Hospital’s units, as well as...
Nursing
The focus of our care is on the possibilities of each child and family for healing, for learning and for progress. We individualize the plan of care to incorporate each family's goals as we recognize that every child and parent has unique needs and strengths. Our hands-on nursing approach...
Physical Therapy
Treatment plans often include exercise for patients who have been immobilized and lack flexibility, strength, or endurance. In addition, pediatric physical therapists promote development of normal components of movement and gross motor skills. Augmentative therapies provided by Blythedale’s...
Occupational Therapy
Our experienced pediatric OTs are proficient in working with children ranging from medically fragile infants to teenagers recovering from traumatic injuries. Our treatment sessions are child centered using a supportive and playful approach. Services include: Comprehensive evaluation of child’...
Speech Pathology & Audiology
Speech and Feeding Therapy Blythedale is skilled in diagnosing subtle developmental differences that are often difficult to identify. We provides services in the areas of language (understanding and expression of thoughts), speech (or clarity), voice, fluency (or stuttering), pragmatic (or social...
Respiratory Care Services
Respiratory therapists serve as consultants to nurses, physicians, and other members of the health care team. Our staff consists of experienced respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy residents who provide excellent quality care, including inpatient services 24 hours a day, seven days a week...
The Robert Stone Day Hospital
Following an evaluation by an interdisciplinary team at Blythedale (in coordination with the child’s family and community physician), an individualized treatment plan is developed to address the child’s unique medical, therapeutic and developmental needs. In addition, every child is...
The Steven and Alexandra Cohen Pediatric Long Term Care Pavilion
Please click here for a coronavirus update and important visitor restrictions. The Pavilion, which opened in 2016, serves children with complex medical needs, including those who require a longer period of time to be weaned from the ventilator, and premature infants with feeding difficulties,...
Therapeutic and Developmental Support Services
Child Life and Creative Arts Program Child Life Program The Child Life and Creative Arts program at Blythedale Children’s Hospital is dedicated to helping infants, children and their families cope through their medical journey. Our team of Certified Child Life Specialists are trained in the...
Health Home Care Management
What is a Children’s Health Home? A Children’s Health Home isn’t a place! It’s a type of care that allows for health care and service providers in the community to work together to make sure that your child receives the care and support services to stay healthy. What is a...
Parent and Caregiver Training
Parents receive extensive training in managing their child’s condition and necessary medical equipment. If a child relies on medical technology, such as a ventilator, our staff engages parents in a thorough program of education - beginning on day one - so parents become confident and adept in...
The Mt. Pleasant Blythedale Union Free School District
Mt. Pleasant Blythedale UFSD is a New York State public, special act school district, chartered in 1971 to serve the highly specialized needs of the patients of Blythedale Children’s Hospital. Children in grades K through 12, who require intensive rehabilitation and medical care, attend...

Smiles for Ian
There’s a well-known saying, “Home is where the heart is.”
For the Lara family of the Bronx a big piece of their heart was at Blythedale Children’s Hospital. That’s where Ian, their nine-month-old son, has been a patient for more than three months.

Messiah Comes Home
“He is our first child, giving us a run for our money,” said Chappisha Morgan, smiling as she pulled a small shirt over her three-month-old son Messiah’s vertical chest scar. Messiah’s dad, Terrance Mackie, was packing up their belongings for a big family “first”. Their baby boy was going home. “We had a baby three months ago and he’s never been home,” Chappisha Morgan said. “That’s a big day for everybody.”
Amanda's Story
Teen Triumphs at Blythedale with Technology, Tenderness & Time
Diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called otopalatodigital (OPD) spectrum disorder, Amanda was left blind and deaf following additional medical setbacks, but with the love and support of her family---- they found Blythedale and a bright future for Amanda. Experience her story.

We really wanted him home but we knew the best option was to get him the help and treatment he needed, that’s why we chose Blythedale.
- Terrance Mackie, parent