Achieve & Thrive Occupational Therapy Services
Achieve & Thrive provides individual, one-on-one pediatric occupational therapy for children with:
- Autism/Asperger's disorder
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Feeding disorders
- Developmental Delay
- Pervasive Developmental disorder (PDD-NOS)
- Learning Disabilities
- Sensory Integration dysfunction
- Cerebral Palsy
- Physical and orthopedic disabilities
- Communication and language impairments
- Behavioral and emotional disorders
- Mental retardation
- Down Syndrome
- Genetic disorder
Achieve & Thrive specializes and is trained in:
- Ayres' Sensory Integration Therapy (ASI)
- Beckman Oral Motor Protocol
- Neuro-Developmental Therapy (NDT)
- Oral-Motor and Feeding Therapy
- Infant Massage
Achieve & Thrive provides comprehensive assessments including best-evidence outcome measurement tools including:
- Peabody Developmental Motor Scale (PDMS)
- Wide Range Assessment of Visual Motor Skills (WRAVMA)
- Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT)
- Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS)
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale (ADOS)
- Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (MHA)
METHODS USED BY ACHIEVE & THRIVE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES
Ayres' Sensory Integration Therapy (ASI)
Beginning in the 1960's, Dr. Ayres investigated the way the brain processes sensory information so that it can be used for learning, emotions and behavior, creating sensory integration theory as it is currently used in occupational therapy practice and applied in pediatrics and childhood education. This approach is known as Ayres Sensory Integration.
Beckman Oral Motor Protocol
Beckman Oral Motor Protocol uses assisted movement and stretch reflexes to quantify response to pressure and movement, range, strength, variety and control of movement for the lips cheeks, jaw, tongue and soft palate.
Neuro-Developmental Therapy (NDT)
Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) is a hands-on treatment approach used by physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists. NDT was developed to enhance the function of adults and children who have difficulty controlling movement as a result of neurological challenges, such as cerebral palsy, stroke, and head injury.
Oral-Motor and Feeding Therapy
Oral-motor therapy works on the oral skills necessary for proper speech and feeding development. These skills include: awareness, strength, coordination, movement, and endurance of the lips, cheeks, tongue, and jaw. Oral-motor therapy is often used as a component of feeding therapy to determine why a child is having difficulty in a particular area.
INFANT MASSAGE PROGRAM
Infant massage is a parent education program that promotes the physical and emotional well being of babies. Through nurturing touch, feel closer to your baby, facilitate positive emotional development, enhance bonding and communication, and become healthier and happier.
About the course: This comprehensive parent education course teaches parents and caregivers how to massage their infants. This course is offered once a week for 60-90 minutes, over a period of 5 weeks. Tania will teach parents and caregivers how to use nurturing touch to feel closer to their babies, reduce colic and fussing and become healthier and happier.
Research shows that infant massage improves:
- Sleep patterns
- Circulatory, digestive, and immune systemsBalance and coordination
- Learning and concentration
- Brain and visual development
- Medical outcomes for infants
Infant Massage reduces and relieves:
- Stress hormones
- Depression and anxiety in parents and babies
- Gas and colic
- Teething discomfort
For additional insights and resources on Infant Massage, please read our latest BLOG POST.
FUN WITH FOOD FEEDING THERAPY
Offered as individual or small group sessions to provide a fun and interactive program which addresses the behavioral and developmental aspects of eating while increasing food choices and improving general nutrition. The program addresses food refusal for children who are "picky eaters" and helps children who have difficulties with food textures and/or oral motor difficulties or sensitivities.
PENCIL PUSHERS HANDWRITING PROGRAM
This is an interactive handwriting program in which children are challenged to improve their handwriting legibility and speed by participating in specific handwriting games, yoga exercises and vision exercises. The program addresses the mechanics of printing and cursive writing by assessing and providing treatment intervention for fine motor control, visual-perceptual skills, visual-motor skills as well as ocular-motor control.
Next Steps...
If you would like to learn more about Achieve & Thrive Occupational Therapy Services and how we may be able to help your child, please contact us today.