Frequently Asked Questions
We know that you have questions concerning your child’s development. Check out our most frequently asked questions below for more information!
Q: What therapy services do you offer at Carolina Therapy Connection?
A: We offer occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy services for children birth through 21 years old.
Q: What is Occupational Therapy?
A: Occupational Therapy (OT) promotes health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful occupations. A pediatric occupational therapist and child work together to develop and/or improve the necessary skills for daily living through activity and play, which is a child’s main occupation. Some other occupations a child may have are: learning, going to school, performing self-care skills, etc. Occupational Therapy focuses on developmental skills that are required for fine and gross motor coordination, school readiness, and self-care. OT’s also provide treatment to help improve focus and attention, play and social interactions, eye-hand coordination, regulatory behaviors, and more. Occupational Therapists use play, toys, music, and games to motivate children to achieve the goals of therapy.
Q: Does my child need Occupational Therapy?
A: Take a look at our Occupational Therapy Referral Checklist to help you determine if an Occupational Therapy referral is needed. If you are concerned about your child’s development of feeding skills, motor skills, handwriting/school skills, self-help skills or their ability to handle a variety of sensory input, please contact us to schedule an appointment. A developmental screening is free and will help you determine if an evaluation is necessary.
Q: What is Speech Therapy?
A: Speech and language therapy is concerned with the management of disorders of speech, language, communication and swallowing in children. Speech therapist’s work with children who are exhibiting the following characteristics:
- mild, moderate or severe learning difficulties
- physical disabilities
- language delay
- specific language impairment
- specific difficulties in producing sounds
- hearing impairment
- cleft palate
- stammering
- autism/social interaction difficulties
- dyslexia
- voice disorders
Q: What is Physical Therapy?
A: Pediatric physical therapists evaluate and provide treatment for children who have concerns with motor skills. Your child might need physical therapy to help with developmental delay, a birth defect, chronic illness or an injury.
Physical therapy helps develop the strength and range of motion children need to move through their environment easily and effectively. Physical therapy goals often include help with developmental milestones like sitting, standing, crawling and walking. Physical therapists also assess the need for orthotics, like splints and braces, and recommend adaptive equipment.
Q: Who can make a referral for OT, PT, or Speech therapy services?
A: Parents, schools, doctors, and other professionals that work with your child may make a referral for therapy services. In order to process your claims with insurance or Medicaid, you will need a physician’s referral or prescription to receive an evaluation and therapy. Our office staff will handle all insurance inquiries and will also obtain the necessary doctor’s orders needed for our clients.
A: When you contact the office to make a referral, our staff will contact your insurance company to get an explanation of benefits and information on eligibility. (*Please note that verification of insurance benefits is not a guarantee of payment). We offer financial assistance to clients when there is a financial need and when insurance does not cover therapy services.
Q: What do I need to get started? What is the process to begin services?
A: Please contact our office by phone (252) 341-9944 or email Carolina Therapy Connection if you are interested in OT, PT, or Speech Therapy services for your child. Fill out the necessary paperwork that can be found on our website under “Forms to Get Started“. Mail or fax completed forms to 1925-A Turnbury Drive, Greenville, NC 27858 or (252) 439-0957. Once we receive the completed forms, we will then contact your insurance company to determine your treatment coverage as well as obtain a doctor’s prescription (doctor’s order) for an evaluation from your child’s primary care physician. After we receive all of the necessary documentation, we will set up an appointment for an evaluation.
Q: What’s to be expected during an evaluation?
A: Evaluations are typically an hour long for OT, PT and Speech Therapy services. During an evaluation the therapist will interview the family, perform standardized assessments and clinical assessments, and observe your child within the environment (home/clinic). Evaluations also include a parent/family consultation to discuss testing results and possible treatment options for your child. If after the evaluation we find it beneficial for your child to begin therapy services, the therapist, along with the family, will develop an individualized treatment plan (Plan of Care) with goals for therapy.
Q: Do you perform screenings?
A: Yes, we offer OT screenings lasting about 20 minutes long and are free! Developmental screenings are used to help determine whether your child may benefit from a full OT evaluation. OT screenings also help families identify areas of their child’s development that may require further evaluation using standardized assessments. Screenings look at fine motor (hand skills), gross motor (coordination/balance/strength), visual perceptual (handwriting), self-help, and early learning skills, as well as sensory processing.
Q: How often will my child be seen for therapy?
A: The frequency and duration of therapy varies for each client. If a child is utilizing the Interactive Metronome® as a treatment modality, we prefer for them to be seen at least 2 times per week. For the most part, clients are typically seen 1 time per week for 60 minute sessions for OT and PT and 2x/week for 30 min for Speech Therapy. The frequency/duration of therapy services will be established with the family after a therapy evaluation has been completed.
Q: Is there a waiting list for evaluations and therapy?
A: There is no waiting list under normal circumstances. As soon as we are able to get all of the necessary documentation from your child’s primary care physician and insurance company, if necessary, we will be able to set up an appointment for an evaluation.
Q: What is Sensory Integration Therapy?
A: Sensory Integration Therapy consists of 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 the patient 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. SI therapists may work on lowering a patient’s negative reactions to touch, help patients become better aware of their body in space, and help patients 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.
