Does your child receive occupational or physical therapy in school, but need more? Is your child in-coordinated and does it interfere with performing daily activities? Is it difficult for your child to focus on one activity? Do you suspect that your child is not developing age-appropriate skills? Is it difficult for your child to make friends or participate in group activities?

For many children, school-based programs are not enough to meet their needs at home. As children grow and progress, they often reach the goals recommended in their school programs, and services are discontinued. Some children have borderline skills and don’t qualify for school-based services at all.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy in the outpatient setting can improve children’s quality of life in many ways. Children with developmental delays, physical and neurological impairments and perceptual and sensory processing disorders benefit from outpatient therapy. In the outpatient setting, therapists can do the following:

• focus on specific non-academic goals
• consider the child’s home and leisure environments
• use evidence-based, as well as state-of-the-art, treatment methods
• suggest creative, fun activities that motivate children to develop skills
• be flexible in scheduling appointments

How can OT and PT help?
The clinical training of occupational and physical therapists gives them deep understanding of the stages of development and the appropriate milestones in a child's physical, mental, and behavioral development. Physical therapists work on improving a child’s strength, range of motion, endurance, and gross motor coordination. Occupational therapists address fine motor skills, visual-perceptual skills, cognitive skills, and sensory-processing. During the school year, AOT’s therapists work with students in schools and preschools. Their school-based expertise and insight carries over to their work in the outpatient setting where they can reinforce and build upon the skills children learn in school.

In outpatient settings, including the home, therapists can go beyond addressing function from the educational perspective and can concentrate on skills needed for success outside school. For instance, they can address basic self-care tasks such as eating, dressing and grooming. They can also work on organization, strength, and coordination skills needed for play and evaluate a child’s need for specialized or adapted equipment. Social skills that are vital for family interaction and friendships can be addressed from a sensory perspective. If sensory processing is a potential concern, our outpatient director may recommend that parents/caregivers fill out a sensory questionnaire prior to scheduling the child for a complete evaluation. This helps us become acquainted with the child’s needs. The family and home environment are always considered in developing a treatment plan.

Associated Occupational Therapists, Inc. (AOT, Inc.) is a locally-owned private occupational and physical therapy practice and is known for its pediatric therapy. We provide these services in our many affiliated outpatient clinics located throughout Allegheny, Westmoreland, Butler and Beaver counties. Sometimes, we can also provide these services in the home.

How to get outpatient services for your child:
If you feel your child needs extra individualized treatment outside of school, you will need a prescription from your child’s physician. We participate in most insurance plans. Our referral coordinator can help you determine your insurance benefits for occupational and physical therapy and obtain the necessary authorizations. Your child is then thoroughly evaluated by our therapist and a treatment plan will be developed which may include a home program with activities to continue to develop skills addressed during therapy sessions.
To reach our referral coordinator, please call 412.299.0704 Ext. 17 or email us at outpatient@aotinc.com. We also invite you to visit our website: www.aotinc.com for more information on AOT and our services. It includes a parent resource section with links to a wealth of helpful websites, instructions for fun crafts, and creative activities suggested by our therapists to reinforce and build skills.

AOT, Inc.
Occupational and Physical Therapy
412.299.0704
outpatient@aotinc.com
www.aotinc.com

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