Therapy Page
Pediatric Speech Therapy
What is Speech Therapy?<br /> Speech Therapy is the assessment and treatment of various speech and communication delays or disorders. Therapy is provided by a certified professional known as a Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP). At Rhythm N’ Beets, we treat the pediatric population (Ages 2-21) with a variety of needs. Speech therapy includes treating articulation, phonological, and apraxia disorders. Communication therapy includes treating expressive and receptive disorders common in children with autism, cognitive delay, down syndrome, etc. Feeding therapy (how well we suck, chew, and swallow) includes treating picky eaters and patients with feed aversions. A swallowing disorder may lead to poor nutrition, weight loss, and other health problems, if not treated early and appropriately. Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) therapy includes working with non-verbal or highly unintelligible individuals who use low or high tech devices. Rhythm N’ Beets offers initial evaluations as well as individual and group therapy.</p> <p>What happens during speech therapy?<br /> The first step is for your child to receive an evaluation, where the SLP collects background history from caregivers, observe your child play and interact in various scenarios, and complete a standardized assessment if necessary. Then the SLP creates a therapy plan for your child, which will include short and long term goals. The child will be assigned homework after every session, in order to practice the strategies that were taught in therapy. This part of therapy is the most important for your child's ongoing success. For young children, therapy sessions are conducted through play, music, and other engaging activities. Older children who are able to sustain attention for an extended period of time will be presented with strategies they can use outside of therapy in order to succeed in school and in the community.
Pediatric Physical Therapy
What is Pediatric Physical Therapy?<br /> Pediatric physical therapy is the assessment and treatment of children with a wide range of injuries or congenital conditions. Therapy is provided by a certified professional known as a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) or a Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA). At Rhythm N’ Beets, we treat the pediatric population (Ages 1-22) with a variety of needs. Physical therapists work with families to improve the child’s independence to actively participate in home, school, and community environments. Children who may benefit from a physical therapist include those who have various injuries, delays in development, genetic disorders, muscle weakness or imbalances, poor coordination or motor planning, or nerve and muscles conditions.</p> <p>What happens during physical therapy?</p> <p>The therapist first conducts a formal evaluation, provides a diagnosis, and collaborates with the child’s primary caregivers to create an individualized plan for intervention. Therapists help improve gross motor skills by using various modalities to improve children's range of motion, strength, flexibility, coordination, and movement patterns. Therapy is conducted through play and can include working on positioning for daily routines, adapting toys, adapting daily equipment, facilitating safety in the home and community, and assisting in transitions across life stages.
Occupational Therapy
What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?<br /> Pediatric occupational therapy is the assessment and treatment of children with a wide range of physical, sensory, or cognitive conditions. Therapy is provided by a certified professional known as an occupational therapist (OT) or an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA). At Rhythm N’ Beets, we treat the pediatric population (Ages 1-18) with a variety of needs. Occupational therapists work with families to improve the child’s independence to actively participate in home, school, and community environments. Children who may benefit from occupational therapy are those with birth injuries, traumatic brain injuries, sports and non sports related injuries, sensory processing disorders, developmental delays, and congenital and genetic conditions.</p> <p>What happens during occupational therapy?<br /> The therapist first conducts a formal evaluation, provides a diagnosis, and collaborates with the child’s primary caregivers to create an individualized plan for intervention. Occupational therapists work with children through play and exercises, to improve delays in fine motor skills, visual motor skills, cognitive delays (problem solving, memory attention), sensory integration issues, and to assist in activities of daily living (e.g., brushing teeth, getting dressed, writing, using utensils, etc.), and organizational skills.