A screening for occupational therapy, speech-language therapy and/or physical therapy is a quick 10-15 minute discussion or observation of your child for potential areas of developmental concern. A screening may be over the phone, zoom or in person. A screening is used to determine whether your child may or may not need a formal evaluation.
What is a Formal Evaluation?
There are a variety of evaluation methods and standardized tests that are designed to assess different areas of functioning including visual-motor, visual-perception, gross motor, fine motor, sensory integration and many others. A child’s performance on each of these tests is compared with the average performance of other children in his or her age group. In addition to these tests, clinical observations are made based on discussion between the parent and the therapist. These formal evaluations allow the therapist to see your child’s current level of function, determine if services are needed, and develop client-centered goals and planning for therapy outcomes.
Everything You Need to Know About a Screenings
One of our amazing Occupational Therapist, Kelly Burton, explains everything you need to know about the screening process in the video below. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s development or would like to set up a screening, call our clinic at 252-341-9944!
In 1970, the Autism Society launched an ongoing nationwide effort to promote autism awareness and assure that all affected by autism are able to achieve the highest quality of life possible. In 1972, the Autism Society launched the first annual National Autistic Children’s week, which evolved into Autism Acceptance Month (AAM). This April, Carolina Therapy Connection continues our efforts to spread awareness, promote acceptance, and ignite change alongside so many others across the nation.
How can I participate in doing my part?
The prevalence of Autism in the United States has risen from 1 in 125 children in 2010 to 1 in 59 in 2020. Recognizing this continued increase, the goal is to further increase awareness and global understanding about autism using support, kindness and compassion. Here are just a few ways you can participate this April:
Be informed – This doesn’t just mean looking up what the definition is on google or the signs/symptoms, but also learning how to interact with a person with Autism, and how to help them feel included, confident, safe and happy. Today it is becoming much more common to encounter someone with Autism and with doing the research, there would be a lot less struggle to even just say “hello.” You can view our resources page to learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder and ways to become more educated about the diagnosis. It is so important for the public to gain information directly from those with Autism. Show empathy, learn their perspective and respect their voice!
Show your support – Use hashtags #CelebrateDifferences, #KindnessCounts, #Lightitupblue, and #WorldAutismMonth on social media. On April 2nd, 2021, wear blue to show your support. Autism Awareness month is all about making a month of kindness, towards others and yourself. We all get wrapped into the busy lives we live and forget to stop and say something kind to a coworker, friend, family member, or even a stranger. This is especially the month to be kind to those who are just a little bit different, but so special.
Get involved – A great way to get involved is joining in some type of program with the special needs population. These programs are all over Eastern NC and can also be found on our local resources page. Some of these programs include Special Needs sports teams, day programs for children or adults with Autism, runs or walks that may fund Autism research, and so many more. Get out and volunteer!
Autism Awareness From an Autistic Perspective
The Carolina Therapy Connection staff recently had the opportunity to hear an amazing presentation from Fiona Holler, a high school junior at John Paul II Catholic High School in Greenville, NC. Fiona explained in great detail what it has personally been like for her growing up with Autism. We look forward to looking with her more in the near future with setting up Autism support groups for kiddos and their families! Fiona is an enormous asset to the Autism community within and around Pitt County.
Here are a few points Fiona made during her presentation:
Neurodivergent vs Neurotypical: Neurodivergent people are those who have a differing mental or neurological function from what is considered typical (neurotypical people).
Sensory isn’t just a term for neurodivergent people. We all have sensory needs and we all take in sensory information through our bodies differently.
What is sensory pleasing to one autistic person may be completely different from another autistic person. Examples can include different lighting, specific noises, physical sensations, tastes and smells. Another really important aspect of sensory needs is that they can change. Sensory preferences are not always permanent and change more than people think! A lot of people with Autism often get frustrated when trying to communicate our sensory needs, which can often lead to things like stimming, or burnout.
Stimming refers to how neurodivergent individuals release and express their emotions. The misconception of stimming is that it is always a sign of stress or aggression. The truth is that stimming is used to describe a certain mechanism used to release a range of emotions, whether it be excited, sad, angry, happy, anxious, etc.
Masking refers to when people with Autism push down our stims and coping mechanisms in order to “blend in” with the neurotypical world. Masking doesn’t just refer to pushing down sensory pleasures, it can mean completely changing or disguising yourself as what society believes is “normal.”
Burnout refers to extreme tiredness and fatigue caused by masking, extreme sensory sensations, and/or the presence of extreme emotions (with and without masking).
Often times, a symptom of Autism is “special interests.” These are sometimes associated as a negative symptom. The term is called “special interest” because we as autistics tend to excessively fixate on a specific topic, usually much more than neurotypical people – special interests are good! Even though sometimes we need direct social cues, this doesn’t mean that sharing a special interest is wrong- it’s a matter of when it is and isn’t appropriate to share. Like stimming, these special interests often get frowned upon for how autistic people present them and or which age group the topic is meant for. This is very harmful to people with autism and can give us the wrong idea. Fiona explained that she grew up thinking she wasn’t allowed to express a special interest or stim without being labeled as incompetent.
A final thought: “Being autistic is very hard at times because whether we know or don’t know our diagnosis, it is easy to feel as if we don’t belong in this world of neurotypical people. We are trained to mask and hide our autism a lot of the times rather than to accept and love ourselves for who we are. I find myself knowing how to mask better than how to help myself. This is a very dangerous thing to teach our young autistic children. A lot of things about how autistic people regulate and how/what they think goes unsaid, which is why it is so important that we encourage the open conversation and genuine acceptance of autism. It’s okay to have questions about our diagnosis, just ask us kindly and we will answer the best we can. We’re people too.”
Tummy Time is one of baby’s first exercises—and the most important! It is any period of the day where the child is placed on his or her stomach to play. It is a crucial exercise for baby’s motor, visual, and sensory development. Practicing tummy time helps babies develop the muscles necessary to lift their heads and, eventually, to sit up, crawl and walk. Tummy time is not an activity for sleep! Your baby should always be awake and supervised when lying on their tummy.
Tummy time is important because it:
Helps prevent flat spots on the back of your baby’s head
Makes your baby’s head, neck and shoulder muscles stronger so they can start to sit up, crawl, and walk
Improves your baby’s motor skills (using muscles to move and complete an action)
Alleviates gas and gastrointestinal pain
Helps master head control
Exposes your baby to different sensory environments
Engages and promotes bonding between you and your baby
When should Tummy Time start and how long does it last?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents start tummy time early. In fact, babies born at full term with no health issues can start tummy time as soon as their first day home from the hospital. As a new born, your baby can benefit from 2-3 tummy time sessions every day, lasting around 3-5 minutes each. As they get older and become more able to tolerate tummy time, your baby should gradually practice more each day. When your baby is 3-4 months old, aim to achieve at least an hour total per day. You should continue doing this with them until they are at least 7-9 months old when they begin crawling. At this age, they will be getting the developmental benefits of tummy time while moving, and it is not as essential to have them do it, however, it is still beneficial to have your baby lying on their stomach during play.
Why doesn’t my baby like Tummy Time?
Some babies may not like the tummy time position at first, particularly when they have not yet developed the muscles to lift their head and neck. Eventually, your baby should enjoy lying on their tummy and begin to enjoy play in this position.
Tips for making tummy time more enjoyable:
Place yourself or a toy in reach for him or her to play with.
Lie on your bellies together, side-by-side or face-to-face, on a comfy surface.
Put your baby tummy-down on your chest while you do your sit-ups. Add some funny faces and silly noises with each rep.
Change locations, giving your baby a different view to look at each session.
Entertain your baby with colorful toys that make noises and have lights while lying on their tummy.
Use a pillow or folded towel under your baby’s arms to slightly elevate them when lying on their tummy.
Tummy Time Abilities
At 2 weeks your baby:
Using tummy-to-tummy with you, tummy down carrying positions, and lap soothing positions
Working towards lying on the floor on their tummy
May become irritated when placed on their tummy, especially on the floor
After 1 month, your baby:
Should attempt turn their head while lying on their stomach
Attempting to lift head up, even if they are unsuccessful
At 2 months, your baby:
Spending at least 1-2 minutes lying on their stomach without becoming upset
Doing most exercises on the floor
Tilting their head to one side (Note: ensure they are tilting their head to both sides and watch for early signs of Torticollis)
At 3 months, your baby:
Is beginning to put some weight in their arms, with elbows behind their shoulders
Gaining more head control for longer periods of time
Spending a total of 1 hour total each day lying on their stomach
Visually tracks toys and objects in front of them
At 4 months, your baby:
Lifting their head to a 90 degree angle and keeping it centered
Pushing up on their arms to bring chest off the floor
Lifting head and moving neck simultaneously to visually track you and toys in front of them
At 5 months, your baby:
Beginning to push up on hands with straight elbows
Starting to reach for toys placed nearby and moving/scooting forward
At 6+ months, your baby:
Initiates lying on tummy on their own during play
Reaching and grabbing toys
Pivoting in a circle while on their stomach
Rolling from their tummy to their back and vice versa
Prefers being on their stomach to allow for easier play, movement, and exploring
How can Carolina Therapy Connection help?
We often have parents ask us about tummy time, so our amazing physical therapist, Emily Tower, is here to help! Watch this video to learn more about how you can engage your child in tummy time.
If you have any questions about tummy time or your child’s development, contact Carolina Therapy Connection!
Sensory processing disorder occurs when a child (or adult) experiences more than one significant sensory sensitivity that interferes with everyday life. One’s body must first register the arrival of new sensory stimuli in order to process and respond to it. Some kids have poor registration, meaning they have difficulty recognizing and attending to new sensory stimuli; other kids might have high registration, meaning they feel constantly bombarded by stimuli, even those that are insignificant to a typical person in their environment. Your child might also display sensory seeking or sensory avoidant behaviors in response to their differences in processing. It is important to remember that symptoms and behaviors may be inconsistent, with varying triggers, intensity, and frequency.
Sensory Avoidant Children
The many types of sensory stimuli typically elicit a calming or arousing response. When faced with an extremely arousing, alarming type of stimuli, our body’s fight or flight system can be activated. This leads to behaviors including, but not limited to, running away, yelling or crying, physical aggression, or self-injurious behaviors. Kids who experience sensitivities to certain types of stimuli typically exhibit avoidance behaviors towards the sources of this stimuli. It is possible to desensitize children’s experiences with certain sensory stimuli; however, this process should be designed and monitored by a licensed Occupational Therapist.
Sensory avoidant behaviors might include:
Difficulty with washing or brushing hair
Difficulty with tolerating hair cuts
Difficulty with brushing teeth
Difficulty with trimming nails
Upset by unexpected touch
Difficulty adjusting or tolerating being in a loud, crowded environment
Prefers solo play
Prefers stationary activities – avoids running, climbing, jumping, etc.
Gagging or other extreme response to certain food smells or textures
What is Sensory Integration?
Sensory integration refers to how your body recognizes, processes, and responds to information received by our sensory systems on an individual and combined level. This includes our traditional 5 senses, sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing; however, we also have proprioceptive and vestibular sensory systems.
SENSORY SYSTEMS:
Proprioception is our ability to sense the location, positioning, and movements of our body and its limbs. It allows us to navigate a crowded area without bumping into people and furniture in our path.
Vestibular sensation is housed in our inner ears and uses gravity to sense spatial orientation and movement. This system is responsible for maintaining balance during movement. If you or child is a victim of motion sickness, you have the vestibular system to blame!
Touch, or tactile sensation, comes from receptors in our skin found all over the body. Tactile sensation includes sensations of pain, temperature, pressure, and textures.
Taste
Smell
Sight
Hearing
Understanding Sensory Overload & What You Can Do
Maintain a positive mindset:
Move at your child’s pace. Never force a sensory experience on them. This will lead to broken trust – Remember that your child is experiencing these stimuli as an attack to their state of wellbeing and you are there to support and encourage them.
Start slow – simply tolerating being near aversive sensory stimuli is something to celebrate!
Give your child aspects of the situation to control by using conditional choices
“Would you like to brush your teeth first or take a bath first?”
“Would you like to try the peas or the carrots today?”
“Would you like to use the green or the blue finger paint?”
Desensitizing your child and creating new habits takes time! Progress can seem slow, but don’t get discouraged.
Activity ideas:
Messy play – mud, dirt, water, food play, finger paints, shaving cream, bath bubbles, etc.
Noise cancelling headphones or ear plugs
Window shades or adjustable lights
Include your child in meal preparation process – encourage them to help whether with their hands or using cooking utensils to interact with the many food textures and smells
Food play – This is crucial when trying to expand your child’s diet. Encourage your child to interact with new foods in the most basic manner; the SOS Feeding Approach, used commonly by Occupational Therapists, encourages the following progression with new foods: See –> Touch –> Kiss –> Lick –> Taste –> Chew & Swallow. It is important to allow your child to move at their own pace and allow them to clean off hands or spit out food at any point along the continuum.
Sensory toys – Check out Ark Therapeutic, a leading manufacturer of innovative therapy tools and special needs products! They have great sensory toys, chews and fidgets that can help your child deal with sensory overload.
Finger painting – also try bathtub paint to reduce mess and give child control over cleaning off their hands
Listening to music
Check out this video of our AMAZING Occupational Therapist, Kelly, helping a child overcome a sensory fear.
How can Carolina Therapy Connection Help?
At Carolina Therapy Connection, we offer Sensory Integration Therapy and play-based treatment intervention that is specifically designed to stimulate and challenge all of the senses. Sensory Integration involves specific sensory activities (swinging, bouncing, brushing, and more) that are intended to help your child regulate his or her response to incoming sensory input. The outcome of these activities may be better focus and attention, improved behavior, and even lowered anxiety. Our therapists may work on lowering a patient’s negative reactions to touch, help them become better aware of their body in space, and work on their ability to manage their bodies more appropriately (run and jump when it’s time to run and jump, sit and focus when it’s time to sit and focus, etc.). Various techniques include swinging, deep pressure therapy, which may include squeezing, rolling, etc., jumping on a trampoline, or gross motor play such as wall climbing, balance beam, etc.
Carolina Therapy Connection now has the largest and most state-of-the-art sensory gym in all of Eastern North Carolina! Check out our 360° view of our sensory gym HERE. Our sensory gym is fully equipped with a zip-line, monkey bars, slides, scooter board ramps, ball pit, trampolines, rock climbing wall, and an expansive set of swings to offer a wide-variety of sensory experiences for each child.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a screening for your child, call our clinic at (252) 341-9944 to learn more about what you can do and how we can help!
Carolina Therapy Connection Strives to Meet the Demand in Eastern NC
For over 10 years, Carolina Therapy Connection has embodied a vision of being the regional leader of skilled professionals providing diverse, collaborative services for children and their families. After growing from about 25 families in the first year of the practice, to over 1600 active patients today, we continue to improve the quality of life of children in Eastern North Carolina and provide support and education to parents and families.
Over the past year, our greatest challenge has been tirelessly working to meet the demands and needs of the pediatric population within our community. After becoming the first Certified Autism Center™ in Eastern N.C., it was clear that our next priority was to expand to New Bern! This realization led us to opening a new location in New Bern, North Carolina! Despite the challenges of COVID-19, our amazing team has gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide an exceptional new clinic and prepare for the needs within and around Craven County.
About Our New Bern Clinic
Our New Bern building is 2500 square foot, accommodating for 6 huge offices for our therapists and administrative staff, and a state-of-the-art sensory gym. Our New Bern team consists of Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists, and Educational Specialists. Currently, our team specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Torticollis, Interactive Metronome, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Feeding Therapy, Sensory Processing Disorder and many others! Having an open mind to drive innovation, we believe all our clinics should be an educational resource to provide the community with direct access to the latest research and developments in pediatric habilitative and rehabilitative services.
Through demonstrated excellence in clinical, school, and home-based practice, our therapists provide screening, assessment, consultation, and treatment in the following areas at our New Bern location:
Age-Appropriate Daily Living Skills/ Self-Help Skills
Handwriting Skills
Adaptive Equipment Purchasing and Modification
Articulation and Language Development
Augmentative Communication
Adaptive Equipment Purchasing and Modification
Wheelchair Assessments
Evaluations for Orthotic Devices and Equipment (AFO’s, Helmet, etc.)
Expanding Our Community Outreach Program
Our New Bern administrative staff and therapists have been working hard to reach out to the community to get as much viable information as possible. As we continue developing our community outreach plan for 2021, we are constantly updating our website resources page for in and around Craven County. We are also working hard to ensure that the pediatric offices, daycares and schools are aware of the services we provide. Over the past few months, we have sent out a community survey to better understand how we can partner with with local organizations in making a way for greater resilience within our community. Amidst the struggle of COVID-19, we have also been able to reach out to multiple locations around New Bern by email, phone call, and also by delivering goodie baskets! We are so excited to be working with all these great organizations and can’t wait to see where the future takes us!
Carolina Therapy Connection in Greenville is now the first Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) in Eastern NC!
Carolina Therapy Connection is now the first Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) in Eastern North Carolina. The CAC designation is granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). This certification requires staff to complete autism-specific training and professional certification. Carolina Therapy Connection is one of only two therapy clinics in NC with the Certified Autism Center designation. The Carolina Therapy Connection listing for becoming a Certified Autism Center can be found here.
Carolina Therapy Connection is a pediatric private practice serving children birth through adolescence all over Eastern North Carolina since 2010. Their team consists of occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech language pathologists, and educational specialists. This collaborative approach among an extensive team of specialists can help children develop the foundational sensory skills necessary to improve learning and development.
“We are so excited for Carolina Therapy Connection to become an IBCCES Certified Autism Center! Our entire team of therapists, educational specialists and office support staff are all passionate about providing exceptional services to children and families throughout Eastern North Carolina,” said Cindy Taylor, MS, OTR/L, owner and occupational therapist. “We continuously strive to learn and develop a better understanding of the challenges that our children and families face to implement more effective strategies and deliver greater outcomes. We are so thankful that the advanced autism training and certification allows for us to carry out our mission of ‘informing families, enriching lives, changing futures’ with greater perspective and resources for our families and community.”
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disability that usually appears during the first three years of life. Individuals with ASD exhibit challenges of varying severity in the areas of social interaction, communication, and repetitive/restricted behaviors. Many individuals with ASD have different ways of learning, focusing, and reacting to everyday events. Recent studies estimate one of every 58 children born in North Carolina will be affected by ASD.
Families and individuals with ASD often face severe challenges in navigating the complex world of this disability and in accessing adequate services. Caregivers express their concerns about finding providers that understand the needs of this unique population and are prepared to advocate for their child using a comprehensive team approach.
What is the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) and what do they do?
For more than 20 years, IBCCES has been the industry leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for education, healthcare, and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES provides evidence-based training and certification programs created in conjunction with clinical experts and individuals with autism in order to provide professionals serving individuals with cognitive disorders a better understanding of what these disorders are, industry best practices, and the latest research in these areas.
IBCCES provides a series of certifications that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. These programs are the only training and certification programs endorsed by the largest grassroots autism organization in the world, The Autism Society of America, and recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.
What was required by IBCCES for Carolina Therapy Connection to become the first Certified Autism Center™ in Eastern North Carolina?
All Certified Autism Centers™ meet the following requirements:
Dedicated to serving individuals with autism
At least 80% of staff is trained and certified in the field of Autism
Maintain compliance with National Healthcare/Education Accreditation standards
Committed to ongoing training in autism
Complies with HIPAA and ADA requirements
In order to earn the Certified Autism Specialist (CAS) credential, the Carolina Therapy Connection staff was required to complete these rigorous professional standards set forth by the IBCCES. Furthermore, these standards include a minimum of at least two years experience working with individual’s with autism, 14 continuing education hours that directly relate to autism, and a passing grade on the IBCCES autism competency exam. Check out the Carolina Therapy Connection team page, to see the Certified Autism Specialist credentialing for each staff member.
Receiving this type of certification demonstrates to our clients and colleagues a commitment to promoting a higher standard of care to the autism community. The CTC staff has gained extensive knowledge and understanding in the area of autism and is able to use and apply that knowledge to help create and improve support plans and therapy for those with autism spectrum disorder
The Best Way To Teach My Child How to Tie Their Shoes
Teaching your child to tie their shoes can be a long and frustrating task for parents. Luckily our occupational therapists break it down into easy steps for caregivers to teach their children. With a little practice and repetition, your child will be tying their shoes in no time!
Check out these tips and tricks from our occupational therapists on simple and easy ways to teach your children
What is the best way to teach my child how to tie their shoes? Easy…
*Learning step by step on a shoe placed in front of them (tabletop level)
It is easier for children to learn how to tie their shoes on a tabletop level before learning how to tie it on their own foot.
*Having different colored laces (ex. 1 white lace 1 orange lace)
This way, when explaining step by step, it is visually easier on your child to understand the difference in the laces and see each step visually.
**Practice, Practice, Practice!
It takes time! Do not think it will happen overnight. Continue to practice and they will begin to get the hang of it! Don’t give up!
*Use Backwards Chaining Techniques
Chaining is a technique used in ABA (applied behavior analysis) to teach difficult tasks by breaking them down into smaller parts. Backwards chaining occurs when an Adult does each step of the task and allows the kid to do the very LAST step on their own. Essentially: breaking down the steps of a task and teaching them in reverse order. This gives the child an experience of success and completion with every attempt.
Below are the verbal cues we use for each step based on the way some CTC therapists teach the kiddos how to tie shoes! You can substitute your own steps for alternate methods:
Criss Cross
Orange Under White
Pull Tight
Make a loop
Swoop
Push through
Pull tight
The parent would start by tying the shoe but allowing the child to ‘pull tight’ at the end. Over and over, the parent demonstrates the steps of shoe-tying, slowly, describing the procedure. With time, the parent fades back a step at a time, allowing the child to complete the ending steps instead of having to start with an untied shoe and remember what to do. This will allow the child begin to understand each step of the ‘Tying their own shoes’ process, while visually seeing it multiple times and physically being able to complete the task.
Teletherapy is delivering online therapy services with one of our speech, occupational, or physical therapists through telecommunication technology, often from a distance. Technology can now connect therapists with clients no matter the distance or situation.Telespeech – teletherapy – telehealth – telepractice – telerehabilitation…as with many labels, it’s interchangeable in this regard.We live in a world with constantly evolving technology and new and fancy inventions that keep our brains buzzing trying to keep up. Our basic communication skills are evolving at a rate that is lightning fast (see: Twitter, Facebook, Email). Why shouldn’t therapy services be evolving with the technology, as well?
How does teletherapy work?
Through a secure platform, therapists link to clients via an internet connection, web portal, and two-way live video. Through the platform, the kiddo can interact with the therapist just as he/she would if it was an in-person session. There can be hands-on activities, activities involving the platform, and even interactive games between the two. Often, a caregiver is on the end with the kiddo providing cueing and any “hands-on” techniques that might be needed by the instruction of the therapist.
Have you used any type of video calling on your cell phone? Then you know how the foundation of live video works in teletherapy! Teletherapy sessions are identical to face-to-face sessions, except instead of in person, you’re on a two-way video call.
Does it have the same impact as traditional face-to-face therapy?
Luckily, there has been a lot of research on teletherapy as it continues to grow as a service delivery model. Research has found very few differences between teletherapy and traditional in-person therapy!
With any type of treatment, there isn’t a blanket statement that can be made with a “100% guarantee that this will work!” Just like some children respond better to whole groups than small groups, or some children can wear long sleeves and others can’t – some children will benefit greatly from this method and others will benefit more from a traditional face-to-face, 1:1 setting.
What do I need for teletherapy?
If you have a computer, a microphone, and a camera (which most computers/laptops have automatically now), you’re set! You’ll also need a strong internet connection. As long as you have those items, you can engage in teletherapy sessions.
What are the key benefits of teletherapy?
Convenience! Your child can now engage in therapy without leaving your home and you don’t have to feel like you need to clean up for a clinician to visit your home.
Kids love technology. Yes, there are opposite opinions regarding technology with children as a whole, but sometimes it needs to be embraced. Today’s children just don’t know a time without screens – and that’s OK. Most children love online video interaction and are highly motivated by it. Also, children can feel more comfortable in this setting than with an unfamiliar person. While a lot of adults might not understand the constant connection, kids do.
Access to providers you typically wouldn’t have access to otherwise. Those in rural areas can access therapy in their kitchen instead of having to drive an hour to a rural clinic. If you need a specialized treatment approach (like feeding therapy) that few are qualified in, teletherapy can connect you with that special therapist. The options provided to clients has grown tremendously with the introduction of teletherapy.
Less cancelled sessions
There are no transportation concerns.
Children’s attention may be greater with teletherapy. Children are drawn to technology. The interactive platform and interactive games on the computer with the therapists are motivating and keep a lot of students engaged for longer amounts of time.
Check out this video of our kiddo’s using Teletherapy at CTC!
If you are interested in setting up a teletherapy session for your child, please contact us! We would love to get started with you!
Now offering Occupational Therapy Services in Goldsboro, NC!
With our Greenville expansion and renovation completed, we are now developing therapy services in Goldsboro, NC to carry out our mission of “informing families, enriching lives, changing futures.” Serving the Goldsboro area aligns directly with our vision “to be the regional leader of skilled processionals providing diverse, collaborative services for children and their families.”
We are excited to open a satellite office that will encompass occupational therapy services and grow to include speech language therapy. We offer occupational therapy services in the home, community, and in an office setting for those in and around Goldsboro. Occupational therapy works with children, birth thru adolescence, to develop their skills to engage in everyday activities to their best of their ability.
help kids work on fine motor skills so they can grasp and release toys and develop good handwriting skills
address hand–eye coordination to improve kids’ play and school skills (hitting a target, batting a ball, copying from a blackboard, etc.)
help kids with developmental delays learn basic tasks (such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and feeding themselves)
help kids with behavioral disorders maintain positive behaviors in all environments (e.g., instead of hitting others or acting out, using positive ways to deal with anger, such as writing about feelings or participating in a physical activity)
teach kids with physical disabilities the coordination skills needed to feed themselves, use a computer, or increase the speed and legibility of their handwriting
evaluate a child’s need for specialized equipment, such as wheelchairs, splints, bathing equipment, or dressing equipment
work with kids who have sensory and attentional issues to improve focus and social skills
Interested in learning more about our services in Goldsboro?
Contact us today by phone or email to learn more about our services for your child!
