Therapy

Creating a Circle of Compassionate Care

Our therapists provide creative ways to help families work toward achieving their children’s highest capability in eating, moving, speaking, and personal care through occupational, physical, and speech therapies. Social/emotional milestones typically overlap with the other three categories. Thrive SPC’s therapy professionals can make referrals to other care professionals if necessary.

As they grow, babies and children learn to use their bodies to explore their environment, communicate, and complete activities of daily living. Each skill builds upon the previous one along common timelines, indicating a child is growing and learning as expected. We call reaching these skills “developmental milestones.” If your child is not meeting development milestones, therapy may be required.

I am proud to be part of an organization that specializes in providing pediatric Home Health care services to children of all ages. Our unique approach empowers families and care givers to develop the necessary skills to care for their child independently.

- Dan​​​​ Noel, National Director, Visit & Therapy Operations

therapy nurse with little girl in a swing

Occupational Therapy

Developmental delays that impact daily activities may require Occupational Therapy. Thrive SPC’s Occupational Therapists (OTs) help medically fragile and developmentally delayed children achieve independence by developing self-care skills, such as feeding, dressing, bathing, and grooming. Children who have difficulty with movement, sensory issues, and feeding, chewing, and swallowing will have improved quality of life through Occupational Therapy.

Our OTs can help children with many diagnoses, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder/Pervasive Development Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, or Traumatic Brain Injury.

therapy with a child in a wheelchair

Physical Therapy

For children showing delays in movement milestones, Physical Therapy may be required to treat movement problems. Pain, muscles that are too tight or too loose, and limited motion, strength, and coordination can make moving difficult. Our Physical Therapists (PTs) help improve and maintain fitness, function, and quality of life through individual treatment plans.

PTs also evaluate the use of equipment (such as wheelchairs, walkers, and orthotics) and educate on safe transfer in various settings, which enhances a child’s ability to participate in daily activities.

Our PTs can help children with many diagnoses, such as Development Delay, Neuromuscular Disorders, and Spina Bifida.

speech therapy nurse with little girl

Speech Therapy

If your child is having difficulty with communication, Speech and Language Pathology, often called Speech Therapy, may be needed. Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) help children improve their ability to communicate by assessing and treating speech and language disorders. SLPs address a child’s ability to communicate through speaking to others as well as understanding what others communicate to them.

SLPs can evaluate your child’s hearing ability and apply the building blocks of speech and language skills to help a child begin to speak. Assistive technology is introduced to provide other ways to communicate when a child is unable to use his/her voice effectively.

Our SLPs can help children with many diagnoses, such as Dysphagia, Feeding and Swallowing Disorders, and Speech and Language Delays.

Specialized Therapies

Thrive SPC offers occupational, physical, and speech therapies, which often include specialized care to support your child’s progress toward achieving the highest ability to eat, move, and take care of personal needs.

Feeding Therapy

Feeding is a 3-step process that includes:

  • Bringing food to the mouth with the use of hands or utensils
  • Chewing
  • Swallowing

Children born with significant challenges that impair their ability to properly feed are at a high risk for developing complications that can last a lifetime. Thrive SPC’s therapists will evaluate your child and develop a personalized plan of care.

Vital Stim

Vital Stim® is a painless and gentle application of low electrical stimulation of the muscles used for chewing, holding, and moving food around the mouth and swallowing. Children who have difficulty using their lips, tongue, and cheek muscles to chew and move food or those who show signs of food not being safely swallowed, are often successfully treated with this technique. Even children with feeding tubes can benefit from this treatment.

With a physician’s order, a certified Thrive SPC OT or SLP can test and subsequently treat infants and children likely to benefit from this treatment.

Sensory-Supportive Interventions

Children on the Autism Spectrum, those who have Sensory Processing Disorder, and others with sensory issues can exhibit delays in motor development, activities of daily living skills, and social skills. After utilizing standardized tests to identify sensory problems that can stand in the way of development, our therapists with training in multisensory techniques will engage your child in fun and novel ways to help decrease over- and under-reaction to sensory input.

We encourage and invite parent and caregiver inclusion in learning how to support a child’s sensory needs and learning differences, in order to promote the child’s greatest possible independence and improve participation in daily activities.

Assistive Technology

When children need equipment, tools, or other mechanisms to help support them in their daily functions, Assistive Technology can help. Our therapists will evaluate which tools are best suited for your child and can assist in obtaining those tools and help to train the child and the family or caregivers in their use.

As children grow older, their independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) should also grow.

Our OTs can help to determine if your child needs special switches and/or devices that can help to control electronics, appliances, and toys in the home.

Our OTs and PTs can assist with modifications to the home that make entering and moving around it easier. PTs specialize in seating, positioning, and movement equipment, such as walkers and wheelchairs, and can help you determine which of these options are best for your child.