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Pediatric Therapy Services
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We know how challenging and heartbreaking it can be for parents when their child is faced with developmental, neurological and musculoskeletal disorders. At the same time, we also know how resilient and motivated youngsters can be when treated with respect and compassion.
Mercy offers a full range of therapy services, including physical, occupational and speech, provided by therapists who understand the special needs of younger patients. They deliver expert care with a focus tending to the needs of the whole person – body, mind and spirit. We work with patients from birth to young adulthood. Conditions we treat include:
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Cerebral palsy
- Down syndrome
- Swallowing disorders
- Traumatic brain injury
- Feeding difficulty in babies/infants
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Visual impairments and perceptual disorders
- Brachial plexus injury – the nerves that control movement and sensation in the arms and hands
Pediatric Physical Therapy
Physical therapy promotes independence by helping children achieve functional mobility, ability to walk, improve gross motor skills and developmental milestones. Using a full range of techniques and technology, we help restore range of motion, strengthen weak muscles, facilitate proper movement patterns and provide parent/caregiver education. Specialized treatment techniques include:
- Serial casting – a process of applying and removing a series of lightweight, fiberglass casts on an arm or leg over time to stretch the muscles and move the joint a little closer to the correct position
- Balance and coordination training
- Gait training – physical therapy that can help improve the ability to walk
- Functional electrical stimulation – applies small electrical pulses to paralyzed muscles to restore or improve their function
- Kinesiology taping – rehabilitative taping technique designed to facilitate the body’s natural healing process while providing support and stability
Pediatric Speech Therapy
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), often called speech therapists, work with younger patients with cognitive impairments, communication disorders and feeding/swallowing difficulties.
Speech Therapy Treatments
Speech therapy aims to provide patients with functional communication skills as well as to determine the safest diet and feeding strategies. Treatment techniques for speech therapy include:
- Expressive/receptive language training
- Articulation
- Post-NICU feeding/swallowing
- Modified barium swallow studies
- Vital-Stim (for dysphagia patients)
- Pediatric feeding/swallowing
Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy can help improve fine motor skills, visual perception skills, sensory processing abilities and overall self-care through a variety of play-based activities and caregiver/family education.
Occupational Therapy Treatments
The goal is to allow children to become more independent at school, home, play and doing other daily living activities. Specific occupational therapy treatments include:
- Sensory integration
- Cognitive retraining
- Visual perception retraining
- Fabrication of splints
- Environmental adaptations
- Hand writing and other fine motor skills
We know no greater joy than helping children maximize their potential and overcome physical and functional limitations – so they can get back, as much as possible, to enjoying childhood.
Related to this Treatment
At Mercy, we offer comprehensive services to diagnose and treat a full range of conditions, including: