Our Services
Speech Therapy
Our Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are trained in the DIR/Floortime® model which is in line with our approach to treating the whole child. DIR is the Developmental, Individual-differences, and Relationship-based model that has become the foundation for understanding child development and providing support and intervention that helps children reach their fullest potential. The DIR model is also a framework that helps clinicians, parents, and educators conduct comprehensive assessments and develop educational and/or intervention programs tailored to the unique challenges and strengths of each child.
Our SLPs are also trained in the Talk Tools® program which is a highly effective treatment approach to target oral-motor, articulation, and feeding skills. Talk Tools® is a hierarchical approach that utilizes therapy tools to train and transition muscle movements for speech production and feeding.
In addition to specialized treatment approaches, our SLPs have a range of experience with:
Our SLPs are also trained in the Talk Tools® program which is a highly effective treatment approach to target oral-motor, articulation, and feeding skills. Talk Tools® is a hierarchical approach that utilizes therapy tools to train and transition muscle movements for speech production and feeding.
In addition to specialized treatment approaches, our SLPs have a range of experience with:
- Articulation
- Apraxia/Motor Speech Disorders
- Auditory Processing Disorders
- Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC)
- Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
- Cognitive Impairments
- Expressive Language Disorders/Delays
- Feeding Difficulties
- Fluency Disorders
- Literacy and Pre-Literacy Difficulties
- Neurological Disorders
- Oral Motor Impairments
- Phonological Difficulties
- Pragmatic (Social) Difficulties
- Receptive Language Disorders/Delays
- Tongue Thrust
- Voice Disorders
- Written Expression Difficulties
Occupational Therapy
Albert Einstein once said, “play is the highest form of research.” A child’s primary occupation is play. Play is how children learn about their bodies and the world around them. Our therapists practice using a play-based, child-directed approach which makes learning fun!
Occupational therapy uses the term occupation to encompass a person’s role or the daily meaningful activities in which one engages. Licensed pediatric occupational therapists are trained to evaluate motor development and sensory processing to determine why a child may be having difficulty with various performance areas such as fine motor, gross motor, self-care, socialization, and play skills.
Our therapists use a sensory integration frame of reference. A sensory processing disorder is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. According to Dr. Jean Ayers, sensory integration is “the ability to synthesize, organize, and process incoming sensory information received from the body and the environment to produce purposeful goal-directed responses.”
The focus of occupational therapy intervention is to assist the child in responding to everyday challenges in an adaptive and functional manner across all environments (home, school, and community). Evaluation and treatment intervention are provided by our licensed occupational therapists for the following:
Parent education and collaboration with families is one of our top priorities to ensure each child’s success. If needed, our therapists can provide home programs and/or individualized sensory diets to meet the needs of your child. Teacher consultations and school observations can also be provided to develop environmental adaptations and accommodations necessary for improved functional performance within the academic environment.
Our occupational therapists are trained in the following: SIPT (Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests), Handwriting Without Tears®, Therapeutic Listening, SOS Approach to Feeding, Talk Tools® program, Interactive Metronome, and CBIT (Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics).
Occupational therapy uses the term occupation to encompass a person’s role or the daily meaningful activities in which one engages. Licensed pediatric occupational therapists are trained to evaluate motor development and sensory processing to determine why a child may be having difficulty with various performance areas such as fine motor, gross motor, self-care, socialization, and play skills.
Our therapists use a sensory integration frame of reference. A sensory processing disorder is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. According to Dr. Jean Ayers, sensory integration is “the ability to synthesize, organize, and process incoming sensory information received from the body and the environment to produce purposeful goal-directed responses.”
The focus of occupational therapy intervention is to assist the child in responding to everyday challenges in an adaptive and functional manner across all environments (home, school, and community). Evaluation and treatment intervention are provided by our licensed occupational therapists for the following:
- Sensory Integration
- Self-Care Skills
- Oral Motor Skills
- Feeding
- Fine and Gross Motor Skills
- Decreased Strength and Coordination
- Visual Motor and Visual Processing Skills
- Socialization and Play
Parent education and collaboration with families is one of our top priorities to ensure each child’s success. If needed, our therapists can provide home programs and/or individualized sensory diets to meet the needs of your child. Teacher consultations and school observations can also be provided to develop environmental adaptations and accommodations necessary for improved functional performance within the academic environment.
Our occupational therapists are trained in the following: SIPT (Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests), Handwriting Without Tears®, Therapeutic Listening, SOS Approach to Feeding, Talk Tools® program, Interactive Metronome, and CBIT (Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics).
Feeding Therapy
The ability to safely and adequately intake proper nutrition is vital to cognitive and physical development. In addition to meeting our nutritional needs, food is cultural and often the center of social gatherings, which can present social/emotional problems for the “picky eater” or “problem feeder” and the family as a whole. Whether an infant is having difficulty breastfeeding or a school-age child has an extremely limited diet, we believe in taking into account the physical, social, and emotional well-being of each child.
A child’s feeding difficulties can stem from sensory issues and/or oral-motor deficits. Since input to the sensory and motor systems cannot be separated, we believe in evaluating and treating both aspects of feeding. Our goal is to support safe feeding by addressing postural support, muscle tone, sensory processing, and oral sensory-motor skills. Our therapists utilize several approaches including the SOS Approach to Feeding and Talk Tools® program.
SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding is an approach developed by Dr. Kay Toomey that assesses the whole child. It focuses on increasing a child’s comfort level by exploring and learning about food in a non-stressful, playful way.
The Talk Tools® program is a highly effective treatment approach targeting oral-motor and feeding skills. Talk Tools® is a hierarchical approach that utilizes therapy tools to train and transition muscle movements for feeding.
A child’s feeding difficulties can stem from sensory issues and/or oral-motor deficits. Since input to the sensory and motor systems cannot be separated, we believe in evaluating and treating both aspects of feeding. Our goal is to support safe feeding by addressing postural support, muscle tone, sensory processing, and oral sensory-motor skills. Our therapists utilize several approaches including the SOS Approach to Feeding and Talk Tools® program.
SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding is an approach developed by Dr. Kay Toomey that assesses the whole child. It focuses on increasing a child’s comfort level by exploring and learning about food in a non-stressful, playful way.
The Talk Tools® program is a highly effective treatment approach targeting oral-motor and feeding skills. Talk Tools® is a hierarchical approach that utilizes therapy tools to train and transition muscle movements for feeding.
Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) Therapy
Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) is a powerful technique that has been demonstrated to reduce tic severity and reflect a modern understanding of how the brain can be shaped by the environment. CBIT treatment consists of three important components:
Training the child to be more aware of his/her tics and the urge to tic
Training the child to do a competing behavior when he/she feels the urge to tic
Making changes to day-to-day activities in ways that can be helpful in reducing tics
CBIT therapy is once a week for an average of 8-10 treatment sessions. Sessions focus on the identification of the frequency and severity of a child's bothersome tics and on teaching alternative strategies to manage tics with discretion and confidence.
How do I know if my child is right for CBIT?
Because CBIT is highly dependent on your child’s commitment outside of the clinic to adhere to the strategies discussed in session, some children are more appropriate than others. A good candidate for CBIT is aware of their tics, bothered by their tics, and interested in learning how to manage their tics.
How effective is CBIT?
Research shows that over half of those who participate in CBIT will have significant reduction in the frequency and severity of their tics, with an improved ability to function. The American Academy of Neurology supports CBIT as the front line of defense against tics. As for long-term effects, a recent study showed that 87% of participants who thrived with CBIT continued to do well six months after treatment.
Training the child to be more aware of his/her tics and the urge to tic
Training the child to do a competing behavior when he/she feels the urge to tic
Making changes to day-to-day activities in ways that can be helpful in reducing tics
CBIT therapy is once a week for an average of 8-10 treatment sessions. Sessions focus on the identification of the frequency and severity of a child's bothersome tics and on teaching alternative strategies to manage tics with discretion and confidence.
How do I know if my child is right for CBIT?
Because CBIT is highly dependent on your child’s commitment outside of the clinic to adhere to the strategies discussed in session, some children are more appropriate than others. A good candidate for CBIT is aware of their tics, bothered by their tics, and interested in learning how to manage their tics.
How effective is CBIT?
Research shows that over half of those who participate in CBIT will have significant reduction in the frequency and severity of their tics, with an improved ability to function. The American Academy of Neurology supports CBIT as the front line of defense against tics. As for long-term effects, a recent study showed that 87% of participants who thrived with CBIT continued to do well six months after treatment.
Reading Readiness
Our reading readiness program serves children who have completed kindergarten or first grade, who have experienced difficulty in acquiring reading, writing, and spelling skills. During the course of the curriculum, students will practice and learn all components of literacy, utilizing multisensory and engaging activities. This methodology was developed by Neuhaus Education and is based on the research and practice of Dr. Samuel Orton and Mrs. Anna Gillingham. Neuhaus Education and Orton-Gillingham methods are endorsed by the Center for Effective Reading Instruction. Reading readiness is highly effective instructional treatment which breaks down written language into its foundational parts, and then builds it back up through direct, systematic, and diagnostic instruction. Reading readiness is a comprehensive curriculum with multisensory modes of literacy instruction, including:
● Phonemic/phonological awareness
● Letter recognition
● Sound/symbol association
● Handwriting of basic print strokes
● Syllable instruction
● Rhyming
● Basic spelling
● Morphology (forms of words)
● Syntax (sentence structure)
● Semantics (meaning in context)
● Vocabulary
● Basic fluency
● Oral language
● Listening comprehension
The reading readiness curriculum unlocks the code of written English using predictable, structured literacy instruction. At Pediatric Therapy Northshore, routines and procedures are established in a student-friendly, small-group setting. Each concept is systematically and directly taught, with understanding and compassion for the specialized instructional needs of children with reading difficulties.
● Phonemic/phonological awareness
● Letter recognition
● Sound/symbol association
● Handwriting of basic print strokes
● Syllable instruction
● Rhyming
● Basic spelling
● Morphology (forms of words)
● Syntax (sentence structure)
● Semantics (meaning in context)
● Vocabulary
● Basic fluency
● Oral language
● Listening comprehension
The reading readiness curriculum unlocks the code of written English using predictable, structured literacy instruction. At Pediatric Therapy Northshore, routines and procedures are established in a student-friendly, small-group setting. Each concept is systematically and directly taught, with understanding and compassion for the specialized instructional needs of children with reading difficulties.