Therapy Services for Children and Adults
If your loved one with developmental disabilities would benefit from physical, occupational, and/or speech therapy, First Step offers a full range of therapeutic services to both children and adults. With a physician’s referral, and after careful evaluation, we will design a program to meet each specific need and allow him or her the best chance of success. Our therapists are highly trained and licensed in their respective disciplines.
Gross Motor Skills Development for Children and Adults
Physical Therapists specialize in helping those who struggle to master gross motor skills such as sitting, standing, walking, climbing, and moving functionally in their homes, school, and community.
Treatment plans may include but are not limited to head/trunk control, ball skills, balance and coordination, walking/running, overall muscle strengthening, and equipment evaluation (wheelchairs, walkers, braces).
For more information, contact the First Step location closest to where you live.
Fine Motor Skills Development for Children and Adults
If your child needs help in the use of fine motor skills and visual motor tasks, occupational therapists play a leading role in evaluating and treating sensory processing disorders.
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, occupational therapy is “skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives. Occupational therapy assists people in developing the ‘skills for the job of living’ necessary for independent and satisfying lives.”
For more information, contact the First Step location closest to where you live.
Skills Development for Children and Adults
For those who have difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings clearly, speech-language therapists offer treatment in the areas of receptive and expressive language, articulation, hearing, voice, fluency, and feeding skills.
Evaluation can provide information to help develop effective strategies. Typical strategies focus on language therapy to develop the important concepts necessary to communicate. Vocabulary development, rehearsal, and practice of using language in social situations are often helpful therapeutic methods.
Students with substantial communication disorders may require extensive specially designed instruction. Language processing disorders may play a role in dyslexia and autism.
For more information, contact the First Step location closest to where you live.
Ways We Approach Therapy
At First Step, we use the following approaches and equipment to offer the best possible plan for your therapy:
Technology and Equipment: High-Tech Tools
The possibilities seem to be limitless when it comes to the ways technology can benefit those with developmental delays or disabilities. Therapy teams determine your child’s need for assistive technology equipment that can increase, maintain, or improve his or her ability to function.
For example, your child might benefit from using augmentative alternative communication technology that virtually enables a machine to speak for him or her. The teams also evaluate how well these tools are working as they’re being used, and make recommendations and changes as needed.
Aural Rehabilitation: SKI-HI Enhancements
For those with hearing difficulties, speech-language pathologists provide educational procedures such as the SKI-HI programs to improve the effectiveness of overall communication ability.
Feeding/Swallowing/Oral Motor: Improvements Abound
If your young or adult child has trouble eating and/or swallowing, the occupational therapy and speech pathology staff at First Step can help. They will evaluate and manage pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders that are often secondary to medical and behavioral disorders including prematurity, central nervous system dysfunction, chronic pulmonary conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, craniofacial anomalies, and developmental delay.
Sensory Processing Education: Putting It All Together
Disorders of sensory processing can interfere with your child’s ability to learn, interact with others, perform tasks and participate in activities. All of our therapy components evaluate and treat such disorders.
Orthotics
Our physical therapists are trained in choosing and constructing appropriate orthotics. These devices help your child maintain a functional alignment of the foot, ankle, and leg. The orthotics are conveniently measured for and fitted on-site.
Home-Based and Center-Based Therapy Services
First Step provides individualized, center-based therapy services within the classroom, on the playground, and in specialized therapy settings. Home-based services are provided for those who are medically fragile or who live in remote areas and lack transportation.