Please bring the patient’s insurance card and a parent/guardian photo ID. You will want to have a list of current medications and relevant medical history.
Comfortable clothing is best. If you are a female with neck or shoulder pain you may want to wear some sort of sports bra to make the area easier to examine. For back problems, wear clothing that will allow the therapist to examine your spine. If you are having hip, knee, or ankle problems, shorts are advised. Proper footwear such as supportive shoes/sneakers is also recommended.
A main goal of therapy is to provide you education and ideas you can use at home. This will help your child get the most out of therapy. It is vital that the child’s parent or primary caregiver be present at each session. Each therapy program is planned to meet the unique needs of your child and family, therefore we require a parent of primary caregiver to take part in the therapy program.
Focus of therapy
- Equip children and their families with the knowledge and skills needed to manage daily challenges after therapy has ended
Goal of therapy
- To help each child develop the skills necessary for the job of living.
Intensive
- 3-11 visits each week
- For children with immediate and complex needs
- For a limited time when children are quickly progressing toward their goals
- When children are at risk of losing function due to a current medical condition
- Changes to the therapy plan are frequent
- Intense family education is provided
Weekly/bimonthly
- 1-2 times per week to every other week
- For children who need frequent therapy and are making continuous progress toward their goals
- Child needs to see a skilled therapist for regular visits for a limited time
- Parents learn to safely perform exercises and activities with their child
- A routine home program is being established
Periodic
- Monthly or at regularly scheduled intervals
- For children showing slower progress toward their goals and for caregivers who are able to
- safely carry out a routine home program
- Are needed to check on function, provide treatment, and update home program
Consultative
- As necessary
Services may be needed after discharge if your child:
- Improves or regresses
- Has planned medical interventions that occur in stages
- Is ready to perform a new task as a result of change in age, developmental stage, life cycle, physical environment, or social environment
- New assistive technology is available
- When appropriate, re-enrollment in therapy for a defined period of time may be recommended
How Frequency is Determined
Many issues are considered, including:
- Child’s ability to benefit from and participate in therapy
- Parents ability to participate in therapy sessions and follow through with activities in the home and community
- Family’s decision related to available resources (time commitment, transportation, and financial resources)
Changing Frequency or Ending Therapy
- Transitioning from one frequency to another is to be expected
Transition occurs when the child moves from one life stage to another, from one functional level to another, from one program to another, or from one environment to another
Discharge occurs when:
- Expected goals and results have been reached
- The family choses not to continue therapy Therapy services no longer produce a functional and/or measurable outcome