Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in childhood, and no two children who live with it are alike. Some children walk with a little support. Others use a wheelchair, communicate with a device, or need extra help at mealtimes. What they share is a need for care that treats movement, speech, learning, and health as one connected picture instead of a calendar full of separate appointments. That is the idea behind a Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care center. Children’s Rehab PPEC has two centers, one in Miami Gardens and one in Lehigh Acres, covering all families in South Florida.
What This Costs Your Family
Nothing. Florida Medicaid and Medicaid managed care plans, including Sunshine Health, Children’s Medical Services (CMS), Humana Healthy Horizons, and others, cover PPEC 100% of the time. There is no copay and no out-of-pocket cost for nursing, therapy, or transportation, and we verify your plan for you.
What Cerebral Palsy Looks Like Day to Day
Cerebral palsy is a group of movement and posture conditions caused by damage to the developing brain. Doctors describe it in a few ways. Spastic cerebral palsy, the most common type, brings tight muscles and stiff joints. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy causes slow, twisting movements a child cannot fully control. Ataxic cerebral palsy affects balance and coordination. Many children have a mix of these patterns. The daily details are what families feel most. Mornings take longer. Meals can be slow. A child may need positioning support to sit comfortably, or extra time to shape a word. Those details shape how a child learns, plays, and takes part in family life.
Muscle Tone, Spasticity, and Seizure Safety
Muscle tone in cerebral palsy can shift from tight to loose within a single day, which affects sitting posture and safe swallowing. Our licensed nurses track tone, positioning, and comfort throughout the day, give medications on schedule, and follow each child’s seizure action plan. About 4 in 10 children with cerebral palsy also have epilepsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so seizure precautions are part of routine care here, not an exception. When a child uses adaptive equipment such as orthotics, a stander, or a wheelchair, the team checks the fit daily.
How Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Work Together
At Children’s Rehab PPEC, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy happen in the same building, on the same day, with therapists who are employees of the center rather than outside contractors. Every session is one to one, so children are never grouped together for therapy.
Physical therapy builds mobility, strength, and range of motion. Occupational therapy works on the skills of daily living, such as dressing, feeding, and using hands. Speech therapy supports communication and also addresses the chewing and swallowing problems that often come with cerebral palsy. Because nurses and teachers are steps away, a therapist can adjust the plan the same day a child’s needs change.
A Full Day of Care, Not Just Therapy Sessions
PPEC is a daytime medical program for children from birth through age 21 who need ongoing skilled nursing. Nurses manage medication, feeding support, and daily health monitoring while teachers keep children learning and an activities coordinator keeps childhood in the schedule. Families receive free door to door transportation in a vehicle staffed by a medical professional, and parents get updates through phone calls, photos, or video. On any given day, we have one medical professional for every child in the center.
You do not have to assemble your child’s care from five different providers. Call our team in Miami Gardens or Lehigh Acres, and we will review your child’s needs, verify insurance coverage, and walk you through enrollment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child qualify for PPEC with cerebral palsy?
Yes, in most cases. Children with cerebral palsy who need daily nursing care, such as seizure management, medication administration, feeding support, or tone and positioning monitoring, generally meet medical necessity criteria for PPEC.
Will this cost my family anything?
No. Florida Medicaid and Medicaid managed care plans cover PPEC at 100 percent. There is no copay and no bill to your family.
Can my child attend if he has seizures?
Yes. Our nurses follow each child’s seizure action plan, and seizure precautions are part of routine daily care at both centers.
Can my child get physical, occupational, and speech therapy in one place?
Yes. All three happen in the same building on the same day, one to one, with therapists who are employees of the center.
Is transportation included?
Yes. Door to door transportation is free, in a vehicle staffed by a medical professional, and it accommodates wheelchairs and adaptive equipment.
Can my child attend PPEC and still have a nurse at home at night?
Yes. Many families use both. PPEC covers the day and private duty nursing covers the night, for 24 hour continuous care.