Shriners Children's St. Louis Rehabilitation Therapy
Shriners Children's St. Louis offers physical and occupational therapy treatment in a family-centered and supportive environment.
Our Team is Ready to Serve Your Family
The rehabilitation services team shares one focus: children.
That focus dictates every piece of a patient's treatment plan. Children learn most efficiently and work hardest when they play. Our therapists incorporate play into every exercise and functional activity to distract the child from the hard work needed to be successful at physical and occupational therapy.
Physical Therapy
Our physical therapists specialize in treating a variety of acute and chronic conditions impacting children and young adults. They serve children with developmental delays, scoliosis, sports injuries, and conditions of the legs and feet. The therapists create treatment plans to support gross motor skill acquisition, flexibility, strength, return to sports, prosthetic training and post-operative recovery.
Our team will create a custom treatment plan for your child, using a multidisciplinary approach.
Diagnoses include arthrogryposis, cerebral palsy, limb deficiency, torticollis, neuromuscular disorders, developmental delay (gross motor and fine motor) and many more.
The Shriners Children's St. Louis physical therapy team also specializes in Scoliosis Specific Exercise (SSE) - a non-traditional 3-D treatment approach for scoliosis. Our SSE program focuses on educating patients about body awareness while using physical therapy exercise and stretching, with a goal of creating stability around their corrected posture. The program empowers patients by providing them with an active role in their treatment.
Occupational Therapy
Our occupational therapists work closely with patients and families to evaluate and create individualized treatment plans to help patients acquire fine motor skills, and improve independence with activities of daily living, including dressing and bathing. They provide education in self-care and recommend equipment aides, as needed, for patient independence. The team of occupational therapists work in collaboration with the surgeons, prosthetists and other medical professionals to ensure successful improvements in function and established patient goals.
Child Life Therapy
Child life specialists are trained in child development and support the continued development of children through their hospitalization. They maintain a degree and certification in child life with continued learning
Child life specialists have the skill set to provide interventions that support development such as:
- Therapeutic or normalization of play
- Medical play
- Procedural preparation and support
- Diagnosis education
- Emotional literacy and coping
- Grief support related to limb loss and changing lifestyles post-op
Recreational Therapy
Our recreational therapists provide comprehensive, purposeful, developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive family-centered recreation programs. The programs promote and maintain social, emotional, cognitive and physical skill development of the patient while promoting positive attitudes, confidence and independence. This enhances a child’s ability to lead a fulfilling lifestyle.
Additionally, they work closely with a multidisciplinary team to design and implement individualized treatment plans to restore, remediate, or rehabilitate functional abilities to improve or maintain independence and quality of life, as well as reduce activity limitations and restrictions to participate in leisure.
Beyond Clinical Care
Outside of the clinical setting, this group of occupational and physical therapists organizes specialty camps to encourage the social and emotional development of children who share similar orthopedic needs and to support parents with additional resources and networking groups.
Shriners changed our outlook on what pediatric medical care could look like: It doesn't have to be intimidating.
Michelle Burke, OTR/L, has spent many years serving children with orthopedic needs. She earned her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from Saint Louis University. She’s passionate about her patients and their families.
Michelle’s focus includes the evaluation and treatment of children with congenital and acquired upper extremity/hand differences including radial, ulnar and central deficiencies, syndactyly and amniotic band syndrome. Other common diagnoses she treats include cerebral palsy, brachial plexus birth injury, arthrogryposis and generalized developmental delay.
She also has years of experience in the fabrication of custom orthotics, or serial casting, for immobilization, protection or functional positioning of the upper extremity.
She was instrumental in establishing an annual camp in 2008 for patients of Shriners Children’s with upper extremity limb differences, and continues to implement ShrineABILITY Camp today. Michelle has also traveled internationally with our upper extremity surgeons to evaluate and treat children in underserved countries.
“I continue to grow and learn from my patients daily. Their resilience and determination inspires me to be a better therapist and person in the community.”
Michelle Cohen, MOT/ OTR/L, CHT, is a compassionate occupational therapist who works closely with patients and families to create treatment plans that help achieve goals. She earned her master’s degree from Maryville University in St. Louis.
Michelle’s focus includes the evaluation and treatment of congenital and acquired upper extremity and hand differences. Those conditions include radial, ulnar and central deficiency; cerebral palsy, fractures, amputations, arthrogryposis, brachial plexus injuries and developmental delay. She is experienced in the fabrication of custom orthotics, prosthetic training and functional adaptations.
She organizes and executes the hospital’s annual camp for patients with upper extremity differences and their families. SHRINEAbility Camp is an amazing opportunity for patients with upper limb differences to meet other kids with similar appearances and learn from older patients in a fun and collaborative environment.
“I am honored that I have the opportunity to serve such a diverse community of pediatric patients and families at Shriners Children’s. The enthusiasm and excitement of children is infectious throughout our hospital as they learn and master new skills!”
Katie Jaschek, PT, DPT, earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Maryville University. Her focuses are children with scoliosis and orthopedic needs. In addition, she has training in Graston Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization Technique to improve tissue dysfunction following surgery or injury.
As a Rigo Concept-BSPTS Therapist, Katie also serves patients with scoliosis who can benefit from scoliosis-specific exercise (SSE). The ultimate goal of SSE is to retrain posture, breathing and movement so that the spine maintains a more corrected position during daily activities to decrease or prevent pain.
“I love helping kids unleash their full potential and watching them achieve things beyond their wildest dreams. Watching them rise above their limitations inspires me each and every day.”
Courtney Loepker, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist with over 17 years of experience, working primarily with the developmental conditions and torticollis patient populations. She graduated from Saint Louis University with her Master of Physical Therapy in January of 2009 and earned her transitional Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree, also from SLU, in May of 2011.
Over the course of her career, Courtney has worked in several other pediatric hospitals, as well as in the school setting, and brings with her a unique and broad point of view when it comes to patient care. This perspective supports Courtney in both her role as a treating therapist and her current role as rehabilitation manager, where she supports therapists and specialists in caring for patients with a focus on overall health and well‑being, using a family‑friendly approach.
Courtney is incredibly grateful to be a part of the Shriners Children’s St. Louis team and enjoys watching patients grow and meet their goals through all the amazing services provided through the rehabilitation department.
Abby Marcouiller, PT, is a dedicated physical therapist with more than three decades of experience. Abby’s areas of focus include early childhood development and serving patients with complex neurological and orthopedic conditions. She also has expertise in treating patients with leg length discrepancies and deformities.
She earned her physical therapy degree from Rockhurst University.
Erica Morrison, MPT, has served as a physical therapist for many years. She earned her Master of Physical Therapy from Washington University.
Erica has spent the majority of her career at Shriners Children's working with children with limb deficiencies and angular deformities, and teaching children how to become comfortable with the use of their new prostheses. Her expertise also includes the evaluation and treatment of young children who are struggling to meet their gross motor milestones.
Tracy Przysbylski, PT, is a physical therapist with 30 years of experience. Her expertise includes the evaluation and treatment of patients in limb reconstruction and lengthening. She also serves children with complex pediatric orthopedic and neurological conditions.
Tracy cares deeply about her patients and about all children with orthopedic conditions. She regularly travels to serve children through international mission care.
She earned her physical therapy degree from Saint Louis University.
Molly Soto, DPT, is a physical therapist with more than five years of experience. She earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Toledo. Her interest and focus include serving children with developmental delay and orthopedic concerns. She has experience with complex neurological conditions as well as limb deformity and reconstruction. Molly's skills include family-centered and play-based care to help kids meet their developmental milestones.
Brandi Sutter, MPT, is a dedicated pediatric physical therapist with experience supporting children across multiple settings and diagnoses. Her passion is helping children develop the strength, mobility and confidence they need to participate fully in their daily lives at home, in school and in their communities.
Brandi is committed to creating a supportive and engaging environment where children feel motivated to reach their full potential. By combining clinical experience with compassionate care, Brandi strives to empower both children and their families throughout the therapy journey.
Laura Teague, CTRS, has dedicated herself to working at Shriners Children’s for more than 30 years. Her focus is on making each patient and family members feel included in their care and respected throughout the process. She provides opportunities for therapeutic play to help patients experience less fear and anxiety during their hospital stay. Laura also offers individualized activities that support each child’s needs, promoting normalization while increasing socialization, self‑esteem and awareness of leisure. She enjoys working with patients to provide medical preparation and distraction through play, helping to promote positive coping skills.
“I love watching how resilient the patients are no matter what they have gone through here at the hospital.”
Laura earned her recreational therapy degree at The University of Missouri in Columbia.
