Many times, children who encounter limitations due to complex medical conditions, or illness, require pediatric outpatient therapies. The most common pediatric outpatient therapies are: pediatric physical therapy (PT), pediatric occupational therapy (OT), and pediatric speech therapy (ST or SLP.) It’s not uncommon for children who require one of these therapies to require all three of these of them.
Pediatric outpatient therapies are designed to feel like play to a child, and is typically very effective. They build on skills as they are developed. The ultimate goal for all of them are to improve your child’s quality of life.
Pediatric physical therapy (PT) is used to assist children in reaching their highest gross motor skills and mobility potential. The goal of physical therapy is to help children become as independent as possible with regards to their medical limits. There is a heavy focus on improving a child’s development, restoring function and preventing disability from pediatric conditions, illness or injury.
During PT, a physical therapist will evaluate the child, then formulate an intervention that works with the child and their family. When determining an intervention your therapist will consult with the child’s other medical, educational, developmental, and rehabilitation specialists. Treatment techniques will help your child move, reduce pain, restore function and prevent disability.
Areas and medically complex conditions that benefit from pediatric physical therapy are:
What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?
Pediatric occupational therapy (OT) is used in evaluating and treating fine motor, visual processing, self-help, sensory processing, motor coordination, cognitive and social skills. The goal of occupational therapy is to improve the daily function of tasks in your child’s life. Occupational therapists work one on one with your child to encourage development in skills needed for daily activities. They strive to help your child achieve functional independence in these skills and activities.
During OT, the therapist will focus on the progression of developmental skills. They will also work closely with the child’s other medical, educational, developmental, and rehabilitation specialists.
Areas and medically complex conditions that benefit from pediatric occupational therapy are:
Pediatric PT and pediatric OT may seem very similar in the fact that they both help to improve your child’s quality of life. However, the areas they help with are different. Pediatric PT helps with gross motor skills (large-muscle movements made with the arms, legs, feet, or entire body), pain, strength, joint range of motion, and endurance. Pediatric OT helps with fine motor skills (small-muscle movements made with the hands, fingers, and toes, such as grasping), visual-perceptual skills, cognitive skills, and sensory-processing problems.
Speech Therapists (ST or SLP) specialize in evaluating and treating speech, language, oral motor and feeding disorders. The goal of speech therapy is to develop your child’s receptive and expressive language, articulation and social skills. It’s used to improve your child’s communication skills both verbally and non-verbally.
Areas and medically complex conditions that benefit from pediatric speech therapy are:
Luckily with how often your child may be seeing their physical therapist, occupational therapist, and speech therapist, therapy can take place in their own environment. All of these therapists come into your child’s natural environment whether it’s their school, your home, a medical day care, or any other place they are regularly.
These specialized therapies are covered by Medicaid, Medicaid HMOs, CMS Network and most commercial insurances. Our knowledgeable staff will handle all of the paperwork requirements and process your child’s admission, stress free for you and your family.
ChildrenFirst provides a full range of pediatric Physical (PT), Occupational (OT), and Speech (ST or SLP) therapies for medically fragile infants and children in Central Florida. We provide specialized therapies designed to optimize the development of each child’s independence while helping them reach their full potential.
Our team consists of experienced pediatric rehabilitation therapists, including physical (PT), occupational (OT) and speech (ST or SLP) Therapists, as well as certified therapy assistants. This allows us to ensure your child is functioning at their highest level, meeting developmental milestones and interacting with familiar activities as fully as possible. Our success with your child is partially due to using the latest and most up to date techniques.
Your child will be evaluated through a comprehensive screening and evaluation. We then use the results to design a unique therapy program tailored to your child’s needs.
Here at ChildrenFirst we welcome all children from newborn to age 21. Our skilled therapists are able to see your child at home, school, or day care. We also have the option for your child to be seen at one of our convenient therapy gym locations. If you’re looking for Physical (PT), Occupational (OT) and/or Speech (ST or SLP) therapies contact us today! We look forward to working with your family!