Therapy Services

Primary Therapy Offerings

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists treat children in an effort to normalize movement or regain function. Treatments may be indicated for:

Developmental delays (mild to severe) of unknown or known causes.

• Prematurity

• Cerebral Palsy

• Low Tone | Hypotonia

• Down Syndrome

• Torticollis

• Plagiocephaly

• Toe Walking

• Spina Bifida

• Arthrogryposis

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Developmental Coordination Disorder

• Orthopedic and sports injuries

We help children develop functional and gross motor skills through strengthening, stretching, balance activities, play therapy and home activity recommendations.

Additional services provided by pediatric physical therapists include splinting, casting, orthotics and obtaining adaptive equipment.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Occupational therapists work towards maximizing a child’s potential to grow into an independent adult. There is a focus on fine motor, visual-motor, and sensory processing skills needed to complete basic activities of daily living.

While many approaches and methods are utilized, play is often at the core of treatment. Play is the primary motivator and mode that children use to learn new skills. Families may seek occupational therapy services to assist children who are having difficulty with self-dressing, feeding, handwriting, coordinating upper body movements, or interacting with
the environment around them.

SPEECH THERAPY

The focus of pediatric speech therapy is to help the child develop functional and/or age-appropriate communication skills so they can effectively communicate their wants and needs in life settings. Speech-language therapy has a broad scope and may focus on production of sound, articulation, oral motor control, language development, cognitive skill development and augmentative/alternative communication (AAC) to achieve therapy goals. Alaska Pediatric Therapy has speech therapists that are specially trained to support a child's ability to breast and bottle feed as well as chew and swallow solid foods, or increase the variety of foods they can/will eat. 

Supporting Therapy Offerings

HIPPOTHERAPY

Hippotherapy is a treatment strategy that uses horseback riding as a therapeutic tool. The warmth and shape of the horse and its rhythmic movement, in tandem with the rider's responses to that movement can improve the flexibility, posture, balance and mobility of the rider. The therapist guides both the rider and horse to encourage specific motor and sensory inputs.

AQUATIC THERAPY

Aquatic therapy involves treatments or exercises of therapeutic intent performed in a heated pool.

Intensive Model of Treatment

Intense Therapy, Intense Results!
At APT,  in addition or as an alternative to weekly ongoing therapy we use the Intensive Model of Therapy (IMOT) when treating children with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders. This treatment model is increasingly used throughout the world as patients, therapists, and doctors recognize the many benefits and outstanding results. APT therapists create a customized program for each patient that varies in time, duration, intensity, and tools used.  Children often advance to the next developmental skill or higher during the three-to-four week program. Many children gain more progress towards their goals in three weeks of intensive therapy than they do in a whole 12 months of ongoing traditional therapy! 

A typical Intensive program is 5 days a week for 3-4 weeks and varies between 90 minutes to 3 hours per day in duration depending on which services your child needs and/or insurance coverage. 

Not sure where to start? If you think your child may benefit from an intensive period  of treatment, please schedule an intensive evaluation with our front office. 

* We are happy to collaborate with children and families that are currently receiving ongoing services elsewhere and return child's care back over to the primary therapy team at the cessation of the intensive treatment. 

* If your child (0-3) is enrolled in Early Intervention (EI) they likely qualify for both continued EI and private therapy services!  Emerging evidence suggests that “the first 2 years of life are a critical period during which interventions for cerebral palsy could be more effective than in later life.” (1) Intensives are perfect for the 1-3 year olds and above. 

feeding therapy & picky eater interventions

Occupational and speech language therapists are both trained in evaluation and interventions for feeding challenges. 

If a child’s picky eating habits are interfering with their ability to tolerate a variety of foods sufficient to provide a complete diet, their behavior may be linked to sensory processing challenges. A trained therapist can assess whether or not feeding therapy would be beneficial for your child and provide appropriate intervention. Several of our occupational and speech therapists have advanced training in feeding interventions for picky eaters. 

If a child or infant is struggling with the mechanics of feeding, a speech language pathologist or occupational therapist will be able to evaluate for dysfunction and make recommendations or provide direct treatment.  Difficulties with the mechanics of feeding can be manifested in such behaviors as difficulty sucking or swallowing, frequent gagging, aspiration on food, losing fluid out of the mouth while taking a bottle or breast or an infant that is ineffective at breast or bottle feeding. 

Little Explorers Feeding Group
This group allows children to explore foods using a play-based approach, using the Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach to feeding developed by Kay Toomey, PhD. Our goal is to make meal times enjoyable for the child and family. Learn more about the group.
 

Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI)

(DMI) is a therapeutic technique used in physical and occupational therapy to treat children with motor delay by improving automatic postural responses and promoting progress towards developmental milestones.

Visit the DMI website for more information.
Visit our Instagram page for examples of DMI Therapy and more!