- Would my child benefit from services at The
Therapy Place?
- What is the process by which my child will
receive services?
- Does my child’s doctor play a role?
- Does insurance cover these services?
- Is there a waiting list?
- How long will my child be in therapy?
- What kind of outcomes can I expect? How will
my child benefit?
- What do I need to do as a parent or caregiver
to make sure my child gets the most from his or her therapy?
- What does an occupational therapy assessment
consist of and how long does it take?
- What does a speech/language assessment consist
of and how long does it generally take?
- How is therapy at The Therapy Place different
than therapy offered at school?
- What is a co-treatment and what is the philosophy
behind co-treatments?
1. Would my child benefit from services at The Therapy
Place?
If you suspect that your child may have a speech or language
concern, a gross or fine motor problem, or difficulty processing
sensory information, a speech/language evaluation or occupational
therapy evaluation may be warranted. If you have any questions,
an experienced therapist can discuss your concerns and assist
with deciding whether an assessment would be appropriate.
We also welcome you to visit The Therapy Place. We offer tours
of the clinic, as well as the opportunity to observe treatment
sessions and meet with clinic staff to discuss any questions
you have about the services that are offered here.
2. What is the process by which my child will receive
services?
The first step is to complete an intake packet providing
basic information on your child and health insurance information.
A therapist will return your call to schedule an appointment
for an initial evaluation. The evaluation takes approximately
two hours. Once completed, an assessment report will be compiled
with recommendations and sent to you and your child’s physician.
In many cases, prior authorization from the insurance company
is also required, so the appropriate information will be provided
to them as well. Once authorization is received, any necessary
therapy is scheduled. The children receive a regular appointment
time, generally two to three times per week.
3. Does my child’s doctor play a role?
A general rule is that an order from your child’s pediatrician
is required for both assessment and treatment. We can assist
with orders. With some insurance plans, a referral from the
primary physician is required. This is the parents’ responsibility.
4. Does insurance cover these services?
Many insurance plans cover speech, occupational, and physical
therapy services. It is very dependent on the individual insurance
plan, which needs to be checked carefully. Some plans require
prior authorization before services can be rendered. Others
have restrictions on the number if visits per year that are
allowed. Still others require referrals from the primary clinic
your child attends. It is necessary for parents to be aware
of these benefits.
5. Is there a waiting list?
Currently we have openings in all areas of therapy.
6. How long will my child be in therapy?
The length of time that a child spends in occupational therapy
is very dependent on his or her individual needs. The average
length of time is six to nine months, but it can be less or
more. Length of time is also very dependent on follow-through
at home. A strong home component is necessary to the success
of the therapy.
7. What kind of outcomes can I expect? How will my child
benefit?
Children who have sensory integration deficits or sensory
defensiveness tend to be uncomfortable and have difficulty
coping, particularly in unpredictable environments. This can
result in withdrawal, avoidance, or aggressiveness. They oftentimes
have difficulty modulating their arousal levels, which interferes
with their motor skill. As they are better able to modulate
and interpret the sensory input that they are experiencing,
they should be better able to cope and learn, with decreased
negative behavior. Also as their neurological system becomes
more organized and they become more aware of where their bodies
are in space, their motor development will also improve.
8. What do I need to do as a parent
or caregiver to make sure my child gets the most from his
or her therapy?
Parents and caregivers are very critical for therapeutic
progress. As part of your child’s treatment, you will receive
a home program. Since your child is only in therapy two to
three hours per week, carrying over suggestions at home is
necessary for progress. The course of treatment is also decreased
by consistent follow-through at home and across other environments
that your child may be involved in.
9. What does an occupational therapy assessment consist
of and how long does it take?
An assessment generally takes two to two and a half hours
to complete. It generally consists of a developmental motor
test such as Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, or a motor
proficiency test such as Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor
Proficiency. These tests provide standardized scores and information
regarding you child’s motor skills. Sensory development is
assessed through clinical observation, which consists of observations
regarding motor function, postural and ocular responses, muscle
tone and reflex integration, as well as their responses to
movement and tactile stimulation. The third part of the assessment
consists of a parent or caregiver interview, as well as completion
of several forms. These include a Developmental History form
that details pre-, peri- and post-natal information; infant
behaviors; developmental milestones; present behaviors to
varying stimuli (auditory, gustatory, visual, tactile, proprioceptive,
and vestibular); school and home performance, and other testing
that has been done. Parents also complete a Sensory Profile
and a Functional Daily Living Skills Screen. Therapists also
review previous testing.
Once testing is completed, the therapist will compile a report
with recommendations, which is sent to parents to review.
If therapy is recommended, therapy sessions can be scheduled
at this time.
10. What does a speech/language
assessment consist of and how long does it generally take?
The length of the speech language assessment varies, depending
on what the need /referral concerns of the child are. If a
child is coming in for only a speech assessment, assessing
sound production, the assessment is typically completed in
45 minutes to an hour. During this time a standardized assessment
such as the Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation will be administered.
Based on the child’s age and level of cooperation, an oral
motor exam might also be completed.
If a parent has concerns regarding their child’s language
(ability to understand others and/or ability to effectively
express wants/needs) the assessment tends to be longer, lasting
approximately one and a half hours. For younger children,
assessments such as the Preschool Language Scale-4 may be
used. For older children, tests such as the Clinical Evaluation
of Language Fundamentals or the Test of Problem Solving are
typically used.
In addition to completion of standardized assessments, the
child’s speech/language skills are assessed through clinical
observation. A child’s eye contact, means of expressing wants/needs,
and ability to follow simple directions are among the items
the clinician will watch for.
Finally, the child’s parents are asked to fill out a developmental
history, which includes information on pregnancy and birth
as well as information about when the child reached certain
developmental milestones. Depending on the child’s age, the
parents may be asked to fill out a pragmatic language (social
language) checklist as well.
After the assessment is completed the clinician will discuss
results with the parents and make recommendations. Within
a couple of weeks after the assessment is completed a report
containing test results and recommendations will be sent to
the parents as well as the child’s physician. If therapy is
recommended the treatment times can be scheduled at this time.
11. How is therapy at The Therapy Place different than
therapy offered at school?
School therapy needs to be based on your child’s educational
needs. It is also necessary to qualify for those services.
Occupational therapy is considered a related service, meaning
that it must be related to a primary service such as an academic
service (i.e. learning disability or a speech/language service
or physical disabilities, etc.). It cannot be the only service
that your child is receiving. Occupational therapy services
also vary greatly from district to district and they often
are most focused on fine motor issues. Due to time constraints
in the schools, sessions tend to be much shorter in your child’s
school-based programs. Therapists may not be able to provide
the intensity and the frequency that is needed. Often schools
do not have the space for the equipment or the necessary equipment
available to address sensory-based problems. The Therapy Place
has large gyms with a variety of suspended equipment. Therapists
have participated in extensive training focusing on sensory
integration. We emphasize contact with your child’s school
therapist for consistency in treatment and sharing of information
from setting to setting.
12. What is a co-treatment and what is the philosophy
behind co-treatments?
A co-treatment consists of two therapists from different
disciplines who treat your child simultaneously. Sensory input
provided by the occupational therapist stimulates language
learning. Within the therapy session the needed sensory component
can be provided during or directly before a speech/language
task. The collaboration of both professionals provides children
with the best possible intervention.
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