Students enrolled on a full-time basis receive therapy in each discipline an average of 2-3 times per week.

Afterschool therapy is offered on a space-available basis for students who are not enrolled at the Center.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy addresses the child’s general strength and abilities in the areas of gross motor skills and mobility. Each child is screened to determine if an evaluation is needed. After receiving a referral from the child’s physician, an evaluation will be performed. The evaluation looks at the child’s posture, sensory processing, muscle tone and coordination, developmental skills, skin integrity and adaptive equipment. If problems are identified in these areas, physical therapy will be recommended. Physical therapy works with the classroom staff on lifting and carrying the child correctly, positioning the child at the table for classroom activities and on use of special equipment needed for the child to sit, stand, or walk. Direct physical therapy goals and activities are individually established, based on the evaluation. Goals may include learning to sit, crawl, walk, climb step, or throw and catch a ball.

Activities include exercises for strengthening, range of motion, and balance. Ball play games, tricycle riding, and outdoor play are used to improve coordination and endurance. Physical therapy works with the family and local durable medical equipment providers to identify, order, and maintain adaptive equipment to assist the child’s sitting stability, posture, or mobility. Typical equipment includes orthotics (braces), activity chairs, car seats, walkers, special strollers or wheelchairs. Physical therapy also works closely with the child’s physicians when the child has problems with skin breakdown, contractures, or other orthopedic problems.

Occupational Therapy

The occupational therapist’s role is to evaluate a child in the following four areas: Fine Motor Skills, or hand skills: these are assessed by the manner by which a child picks up and releases and object; how they are able to manipulate items in their hands; their pre-writing and scissor skills; and their hand strength and coordination. Visual Motor Skills: these directly influence how a child interprets what he/she sees and how well he or she is able to imitate or copy the same activity. Self Help Skills:, including both feeding and dressing. Sensory Processing, including motor planning and body awareness.

All of these functions interact to affect many areas of a child’s life and daily living skills. After the evaluation is completed, a treatment program and goals are implemented to address all needs. Therapy goals are addressed in both individual and group settings including both yoga and social groups and “Handwriting without Tears” groups. Occupational therapists work in conjunction with other therapies and consults with teachers for maximum carryover into the classroom setting. Occupational therapy may also construct and/or utilize splints and adaptive equipment to increase independence, both at home and at school. Ongoing communication with the family and all outside agencies, i.e. outpatient therapies, early interventionists and outside agencies is maintained in order to ensure that the child’s needs are met.

Speech Therapy

The speech-language pathologist's role is to evaluate a child's communication functioning and implement a planned treatment program in order to maximize his/her communication skills. Speech-language therapy services may include assessment and treatment of receptive and expressive language; auditory processing and memory; articulation, fluency (i.e. stuttering); oral-motor development; and feeding skills. The speech pathologist may also screen a child's hearing and make a referral for further evaluation if needed.

Therapy goals are addressed through a variety of modalities which may include the following: language modeling, expansion techniques and inferential teaching methods; structured activities to teach the specific language concepts of vocabulary and grammar; articulation and phonological training; computer use to teach new concepts or reinforce previously introduced concepts; auditory/listening training; teaching functional use of alternative communication modes such as manual sign language, or picture communication boards and voice output communication devices; and structured training for oral-motor and feeding skills.

Therapy may be conducted individually, in small groups, in larger classroom groups, or in conjunction with other therapies. The therapist may also provide speech services in the classroom within the context of the child's daily routine. Ongoing communication and consultation with the student's family, Meyer Center staff and other community professionals is maintained to ensure the child's needs are adequately met.