Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service
The Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service (QPRS) provides coordinated family-focused rehabilitation, health assessments and interventions for children and adolescents with a range of disabilities resulting from injury, illness or disease. Our goal is to maximise function, prevent or minimise predictable complications and improve quality of life for children. Our team cares for children and adolescents with:
- acquired neurological injury or illness e.g. brain injury
- spinal cord dysfunction
- cerebral palsy and similar conditions
- limb difference and amputation
- rare complex conditions e.g. achondroplasia for developmental guidance.
Download our Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service fact sheet
View all rehabilitation fact sheets
View all Cerebral Palsy fact sheets
We also provide the following services:
Inpatient Rehabilitation
The inpatient rehabilitation unit is located on Level 8 (8a).
Outpatient Rehabilitation
QPRS provides outpatient rehabilitation services for children accessing tertiary health services through QPRS. This includes group or individual goal directed therapy to support health interventions, splinting, casting and transition to adult services.
Day Rehabilitation Program
The Day Rehabilitation Program is conducted in the day hospital on Level 6 (6e).
Queensland Clinical Motion Analysis Service
Formerly known as the Gait Laboratory, the Queensland Clinical Motion Analysis Service is located on Level 5 of the Centre for Children’s Health Research. More information visit the QCMAS web page.
Specialised Rehabilitation Programs
QPRS has specialised multidisciplinary teams that provide rehabilitation programs tailored to the key clinical areas of limb difference, acquired brain injury (including mild traumatic brain injuries) and spinal cord injury.
- Learning to live with and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) – Tip sheets for kids
- Timetable for growing up – When does it happen?
- Developing skills for growing up – Checklists
Cerebral Palsy Health Programs
QPRS provides tertiary health and rehabilitation programs for children and adolescents with cerebral palsy and similar conditions. These include:
- Hip surveillance
- Botulinum toxin A
- Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR)
- Intrathecal baclofen (ITB)
- Orthopaedic surgery.
Specialist Outpatient Clinics
QPRS runs the following specialist outpatient clinics:
- Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic
- Botulinum Toxin Injecting Clinic
- Physical Assessment Clinic
- Limb Difference Clinic
- Cerebral Palsy Orthopaedic Clinic
- Hip Surveillance Clinic
- Neurocognitive Clinic
- Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic
- Achondroplasia Clinic
- Feeding and Nutrition Clinic
- Spinal Disabilities Clinic
- Spina Bifida Clinic.
Spinal Disabilities Clinic
The Spinal Disabilities clinic (previously known as Spina Bifida clinic) manages Children with a Congenital Spinal Cord abnormality.
This is a Multidisciplinary clinic which includes the specialties of Paediatric Rehabilitation, Orthopaedics, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology and Urology.
How to Refer:
All referrals to the Spinal Disabilities Clinic require named referrals to Paediatric Rehab, Dr Priya Edwards and each relevant specialty via the link Referring patients.
Appointments with other Medical/Allied Health teams are coordinated where possible.
Please contact the Spinal Disabilities team by phone or email.
t: 3068 2736 (general enquiries – Spina Bifida Clinical Nurse)
e: chq.spinaldisabilities@health.qld.gov.au
You can read more about Spina Bifida at – www.spinabifida.org
Statewide Services
Hubs
QPRS funds hub therapy positions at 5 regional centres: Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gold Coast, to provide local support, therapy and co-ordination.
To contact a hub therapist please email QPRS@health.qld.gov.au.
Hip Surveillance
QPRS runs a Hip Surveillance Program which provides monitoring of hip status for early detection of subluxation for all Queensland children with a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy or similar conditions.
Telehealth
QPRS provides the option of telehealth consultations for families and clinicians across Queensland.
Outreach Clinics
QPRS partners with paediatric teams in major regional centres to provide twice yearly multidisciplinary Paediatric Rehabilitation clinics in the following locations:
- Cairns
- Townsville
- Mackay
- Rockhampton
- Hervey Bay
- Bundaberg
- Gold Coast
- Toowoomba
- Mount Isa
View the outreach timetable for more information or phone us on 07 3068 2950.
Education and support
QPRS provides education and support as part of outreach and statewide services.
Who can access this service?
New patients
Referrals are accepted up to 16 years of age (prior to 16th birthday). Patients with an acquired brain or spinal cord injury over 16 years of age and still at school may be referred for consultation.
Existing patients with complex care needs
Referrals are accepted up to their 18th birthday (patients are usually transitioned to adult services by this time).
Catchment area
This service is available to children living in Queensland and northern New South Wales.
Do I need a referral?
You will need a formal referral to access this service.
How do I get a referral?
Referrals are accepted from:
- medical specialists
- general practitioners.
Other referral information
Children with complex conditions should be referred to a general paediatrician for shared care.
Cerebral palsy patients will require a general paediatrician to be involved in their care.
Please bring the following items to your appointment:
- neuroimaging
- hip X-rays (if available)
- assistive devices such as walking aids or orthoses (if used).
Wait times are based on clinical information such as acuity of injury, medical concern, psychosocial complexity, pain and change in function.
Information for health professionals
The Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service (QPRS) provides specialist paediatric rehabilitation for children and young people with limitations of function as a consequence of an acquired injury, illness or disease. Our goal is to maximise function, prevent or minimise predictable complications and improve quality of life for children.
Acquired brain injury (ABI) resources
The Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service has developed a number of resources to help guide health professionals as they provide care and/or support to children and families living with an acquired brain injury (ABI). There is also an ABI schools pack aimed at helping educators support children with an ABI in the school environment.
View all ABI resources for health professionals and educators
Who may benefit from this service
Children with:
- acquired neurological injury or illness e.g. brain injury
- spinal cord dysfunction
- cerebral palsy and similar conditions
- limb difference and amputation
- rare complex conditions e.g. achondroplasia for developmental guidance.
Referral instructions
Referral to QPRS for children with head injury and brain injury guideline (QH staff only)
Specialist referral requirements
- All referrals must be made by a medical practitioner.
- All referrals should be addressed to a named consultant.
- All referrals should be marked Attention QPRS or Attention Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service.
Please refer to the Director or named consultant (as below in the ‘Our team’ section).
Urgent referrals
Contact the rehabilitation registrar or on-call consultant via the hospital switchboard.
t: 07 3068 1111
Useful links
Better Start
Brain Child Foundation
Brain Injury Australia
CanChild
Cerebral Palsy (CP) Alliance
Cerebral Palsy Australia
Cerebral Palsy Support Network
Hemispherectomy Foundation Australia
International Spinal Cord Society
Limbs 4 Kids
Medical Aids Subsidy Scheme
National Disability Insurance Scheme
National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland
Novita Children’s Services
Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre
Queensland Cerebral Palsy Register
Queenslander with a Disability Network
Raising Children Network
RedKite
Ronald McDonald Learning Program
Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne Rehabilitation Service
Spina Bifida Association
Spina Bifida Hydrochephalus Queensland
Sporting Wheelies
Synapse (previously Brain Injury Association of Queensland)
Westmead Children’s Hospital Rehabilitation Service
Our team
Director
Interests
Botulinum toxin injector, spinal disabilities, limb difference and gait analysis.
Paediatric rehabilitation consultants
Dr Priya Edwards
Interests
Acquired brain injury, spinal disabilities, spasticity and movement disorders, limb difference.
Interests
Paediatric rehabilitation, management of cerebral palsy, complex movement disorders.
Interests
Traumatic and acquired brain injury, spinal disabilities, management of spasticity and movement disorders.
Interests
Management of spinal cord injuries and spina bifida, movement disorders and cerebral palsy, and acquired brain injury in children.
Paediatricians
Interests
Working with infants and young children at high risk of cerebral palsy.
Orthopaedic Surgeons
Interests
Hip conditions from infancy to adolescence, sports injuries of the knee and ankle, neuromuscular conditions, paediatric fractures and general paediatric orthopaedics.
Interests
Hip reconstructive surgery, limb lengthening for post-traumatic and congenital deformities.
He completed his undergraduate training at Manchester University before obtaining his Fellowship with The Royal College of Surgeons, London. Following this, A/Prof Walsh completed his Masters in Orthopaedics in Liverpool.
Dr Walsh opened the first gait lab at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool and instigated the inaugural paediatric orthopaedic instructional course for the orthopaedic fellowship of the combined Royal Colleges of Surgeons, United Kingdom.
Interests
Neuromuscular diseases in children and general paediatric conditions.
This service is available at
Rehabilitation (6g)
Rehabilitation Day Unit (6e)
Queensland Children’s Hospital
Level 6
501 Stanley Street
South Brisbane
QLD 4101
View map
Contact details
t: 07 3068 2950 | 07 3068 1111 (after hours via hospital switchboard)
f: 07 3068 3909
e: QPRS@health.qld.gov.au
If you would like to subscribe to our ‘Rehab Rap’ newsletter please contact us via the email address above.
Operating hours
Monday to Friday, 8am-4.30pm.
Related services
Limb Difference Clinic
Queensland Children’s Motion Analysis Service
Resources
Developing the skills for growing up
Learning to live with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) – Tip sheets for kids
Timetable for growing up
View all Cerebral Palsy fact sheets
View all rehabilitation fact sheets