Habilitation and rehabilitation

Habilitation and rehabilitation must be based on the individual child and the family's life situation and goals. The purpose is that the child who has or is at risk of having limitations in his physical, psychological, cognitive or social functioning, should be given the opportunity to live as independent a life as possible.

Rehabilitation is about regaining lost skills, e.g. if the child gets into an accident and sustains an injury, or needs training after an operation or acute illness.

Habilitation is about learning skills you haven't had before, e.g. if you are born with cerebral palsy or a gene defect that affects psychomotor development, as well as maintaining the skills you have and facilitating coping.

In short, habilitation is about learning new skills, while rehabilitation is about regaining lost skills.

There are several places that offer rehabilitation/habilitation for children and young people.

The habilitation service for children and young people (HABU)

The habilitation service for children and young people (HABU) can be found in all counties.

Where: All hospitals with children's wards must have a habilitation service for children and young people with services for children with functional variation who have a neurological background. This is to be a supplement to habilitation that takes place at the children's bedside posts at the hospitals and habilitation that takes place at the municipal level.

How to get offers there: A referral from a doctor is required to receive an offer of the habilitation service.

What is offered at the habilitation service: The habilitation service for children and young people offers diagnosis, mapping of functions, assistance in planning measures, medical follow-up where necessary, advice, support and information in most places. The offers are given in the form of individual assessment/guidance and as courses and group activities. Day courses at a habilitation service for children and young people provide the basis for training allowance.

Habilitation service for adults (HAVO)

Where:All health authorities offer habilitation services for adults. The health authorities provide the service on an outpatient basis, but also offer follow-up in the patient's own home, at a clinic, or through home visits. This depends on the need and type of services.

How to get offers there:A referral from a doctor is required to receive an offer of habilitation services. Child habilitation/child and adolescent psychiatry should take the initiative for collaboration when it is assumed that patients need habilitation in specialist health services after the age of 18.

What is offered at the habilitation service:The habilitation service for adults offers in most places assessment, mapping and observations of functions, diagnosis, medical and psychological treatment and initiation of environment-based treatment measures. Follow-up of these, as well as advice, guidance and training for patients, relatives and others. The services are provided in the form of individual assessment/guidance and as courses and group activities.

Competence: At the habilitation, there are employees with a multidisciplinary background, both paediatricians, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, clinical nutritionists and occupational therapists usually work at the habilitation service for children and young people.