Therapy Services

A Comprehensive Team-Based Approach

Research shows that children succeed best when they are actively engaged, and involved in enjoyable “hands-on” experiences. Therefore, our therapy services are designed to be play-based, interactive and fun for your child. Our services include coaching on techniques and methods you can use at home, during everyday routines, to promote and support your child’s optimal development. We understand that as a parent or caregiver you are the most important person in your child’s life and in the best position to help them develop to the best of their ability.

Using an integrated program model (medical, developmental, mental health), our One Child, One Family, One Team approach ensures that our comprehensive services bring together all providers in a child’s intervention plan to offer the child and family the best possible care at our Birth to Five Center of Excellence.

At the Birth to Five Center of Excellence parents will find the following therapy services for their child:

• • Speech-Language Therapy – The speech-language pathologist’s role is to work with you to help your child to expand their communication and understanding skills. Children communicate in many different ways including using words, pointing or gesturing. Your speech-language pathologist (SLP) will help develop a plan that builds upon your child’s strengths, and expands their communication abilities. The SLP will also look for underlying issues that may be impacting your child’s ability to communicate effectively. Our SLPs have special expertise in the area of diagnosing and treating feeding/eating problems.

• • Occupational Therapy – Therapy will include looking at your child’s small muscle development and coordination. Developing these muscles strengthens your child’s fine motor skills which are used in everyday activities such as bathing, dressing and eating. Therapists may also identify textures, sounds, movements, and other sensory experiences that are upsetting or uncomfortable for your child. Your occupational therapist (OT) will work in partnership with you to identify specific goals for your child and implement a therapy plan. Our OTs also have special expertise in the area of diagnosing and treating feeding/eating problems.

• • Physical Therapy – The physical therapist (PT) will work with you to evaluate your child’s larger motor skills, such as rolling over, pulling up to stand, walking, climbing and other activities that use large muscle groups. Therapists will identify issues with your child’s balance, coordination or strength. Your PT will provide guidance on how you can help your child build skills and be able to fully participate in family routines and activities.

• • Feeding Services – Many young children struggle to eat and this can lead to challenges for the child, parent and entire family. As part of the Birth to Five Center of Excellence, our Feeding Services for Infants and Young Children provides individualized, coordinated care designed to meet the unique needs of each child and family. Feeding Services include comprehensive and individualized state-of-the-art services; assessment, consultation and ongoing intervention/therapy; care coordination; family support and resources; and a full report and family feeding plan developed in partnership with the family, including goals, recommendations and follow-up.

• • Comprehensive Autism Services – If you are worried that your young child might have autism, or if you have been told that he or she does, our team can work with you and your child to get the help you need. Our Birth to Five Center of Excellence uses a relationship-based approach to autism called DIRFloortime^® that can include helping children learn how to play with friends, enjoy back-and-forth communication with others, feel calm, become more flexible in solving problems and handling new situations, and cope with their environment (including different sounds, sights, and textures). Strengthening these skills will help your child thrive at home, at school, and in the community.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL (602) 468-3430 OR EMAIL COE@SWHD.ORG. OUR FAX NUMBER IS (602) 633-8198.

DIRFloortime^® is a registered trademark of the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning, Inc.