Occupational Therapy
Request an Appointment with codes: Physical Medicine and Rehabiliation Therapy
Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT)
What are the benefits of Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT)?
It might sound like your child doesn’t need occupational therapy until he is old enough to hold down a job. But occupational therapists help your child with the job of performing everyday activities, or “occupations” we often take for granted.
Why does my child need Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT)?
Our patients may need occupational therapy because they are born with a condition that affects their ability to care for themselves, play, rest as needed, or attend school. Occupational therapists work to improve your child’s ability to participate in routine activities. The occupational therapist might provide education and will work with you and educators, medical staff or members of the community to make the environment more suitable for your child.
Occupational therapists may help an adolescent with a mental or cognitive disability by teaching skills to help your child prepare to become more independent, such as time management, budgeting, household chores and use of public transportation.
Examples of conditions in children and adolescents that might require occupational therapy include:
- Amputations of the arm or hand
- Cerebral palsy (CP)
- Congenital anomalies (disorders present from birth)
- Delays in fine motor skills
- Injuries to the upper arms and hands
- Joint contracture and mobilization
- Neurodevelopment treatment
- Sensory motor deficits
- Visual, motor and perceptual development
Children may need occupational therapy temporarily to help regain skills they have lost because of an injury, illness or treatment. Your child may need ongoing occupational therapy or help at various times if she has a chronic illness or a condition that requires some adapting at home, school or in the community.
What happens during Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT)?
Some children are born with a condition that makes it difficult to perform certain tasks. Others have a problem related to physical, mental or emotional development. Occupational therapists can help prevent or delay the sorts of problems that can keep your child from being able to perform activities that children normally can do at certain ages and levels of development. We specialize in using occupational therapy to help children recover from trauma to the arm and hand. We focus on the types of activities that are important for your child’s age and individual wants and needs.
For example, children learn to get dressed on their own, feed themselves, brush their teeth and use pencils or crayons. They learn to sit still by a certain age. If your child has a condition that delays certain skills from developing, an occupational therapist can help your child learn to perform certain skills. Occupational therapists are specially trained to work with children and adolescents, using activities and equipment appropriate for your child’s age.
What can I expect after my child's Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT) appointment?
At the first visit, be prepared to answer plenty of questions about your child’s health or to support your adolescent’s interview with answers about your child’s school or home environment. The occupational therapist will thoroughly evaluate your child during the first visit.
Occupational therapists can help children and families find ways for children and teens to participate in school programs by suggesting how schools can accommodate the child’s needs. They also can help educate children, parents and other family or community members.
Parents can encourage their children by helping them follow through on completing activities or interventions recommended by the child’s occupational therapist.
What Happens After My Evaluation
Results:
The evaluation results will state if your child could benefit from occupational, physical, and/or speech therapy.
- In about 1 week request a copy of the report through the MyChart patient portal
- We will send the report to the doctor that referred your child to therapy and the insurance company, if required.
If therapy is recommended:
REQUEST for INSURANCE APPROVAL
Most insurance companies require approval for therapy. We will submit the evaluation results and therapy recommendations to your insurance for approval. This process can take anywhere from 1 day to 30 days. This is not a guarantee and there are sometimes circumstances that can lengthen or shorten the wait.
INSURANCE APPROVAL RECEIVED
Once the approval or denial for therapy has been received, we will contact you. If therapy was approved we will schedule your child’s next therapy visit.
SCHEDULING
Availability of scheduling at each location will depend on the treating therapists schedule and recommendations
- Consistent Schedule (ie: same day and/or time each week for the time frame of the approval)
- Session to session
- We often have a wait list for therapy in some disciplines for certain times of the day. If your preferred time is not available, we will place your child on a wait list. Please check in often with the front desk for an update on your preferred time if your child is placed on the waiting list.
If you have not heard from us in 2 weeks, we recommend that you call us for an update on your insurance approval and/or scheduling. We want to make sure we are answering your questions as we work through this process together.
What are the prep instructions before Pediatric Occupational Therapy (OT)?
Our pediatric occupational therapists help many children who are being treated as inpatients to gain or regain important skills before leaving the hospital. We also see children regularly for scheduled outpatient visits.
Before your child or adolescent sees an occupational therapist for the first time, it helps to let the child know that the therapist will work together with your child to help solve problems.
Develop a list of questions that you and your child have, and discuss or make notes about the problems your child is experiencing and the types of activities your child has trouble performing. For example, if your child has hypersensitivity to touch, the occupational therapist may ask additional questions about triggers for the problem. If your child had an injury to his or her hand, let the occupational therapist know if one of your child’s greatest concerns is returning to a favorite sport.
