What is the process?
Answer to question 0
Question 3
What is the process?
My child is very smart, but is having a very hard time “getting it” at home and at school. Are occupational therapy services right for him/her?
Yes! Recently, there has been a trend of children needing occupational therapy services even though they are very bright and seem to be doing well in school but just are not quite “getting it.” Often, this can described as a processing difficulty. They may be getting the information, but cannot process it fast enough or don’t know how to process the information they are getting, so they seem “lost” or “not with it.”
My child takes forever to do his/her homework? Is an occupational therapy evaluation appropriate for him/her?
Yes! This is a processing issue as well. Your child may understand the information but for some reason cannot get the information from their brain to the paper quick enough. Often, if you ask them the answer they are able to provide you with the answer verbally but it may take them a long time to write the answer down on paper. This is because the brain is not processing information fast enough to allow for multitasking (thinking and writing at the same time). Occupational therapy should be able to address this issue.
My child has horrible handwriting and a lot of difficulty copying from the board. Is an occupational therapy evaluation appropriate for him/her?
Yes! Difficulty with handwriting and copying from the board are red flags for processing difficulties, as well. When copying from the board your child must have good hand/eye coordination, good body awareness and good visual/fine motor skills. If they are having difficulty multitasking and have poor hand/eye coordination, then it is going to be very hard for them to look and write at the same time. Occupational therapy can help by addressing core foundational skills such as, hand eye coordination, eye strength, grip strength, body awareness and overall processing speed.
Do you currently offer speech therapy or physical therapy?
At this time, we do currently offer speech therapy! We are currently looking to offer physical therapy in the near future if enough interest is generated. If you are interested in this service, please let us know as we will be deciding the appropriate time to add more services.
At what age should I start getting my child therapy services?
As soon as you notice a delay or something not quite right. The earlier the intervention the better! Children learn quicker & easier at much younger ages. Also, there are fewer habits to break when the child is younger. We provide services to children ages 0-21.
What insurance do you accept?
We currently accept Medicaid of AL,Tricare, Tricare Prime, BCBS of AL, & All Kids. As of Feb. 9, 2014 we will no longer accept United Healthcare. If you wish to continue or begin services with us and you have UHC, you will be required to pay up front and then request reimbursement from UHC. We do provide services for clients with a variety of other insurance companies but the family is responsible to pay the fees up front and then, request reimbursement from their insurance company.***
Please call the office to find out updates on this information. (Updated on Site 2/9/2014).
How do I get started at Bluebird Pediatric Therapy Services, Inc.?
The easiest thing to do is call or email us and we will provide you with the rest of the information needed to get started.
What do I need to bring on my first visit to Bluebird Pediatric Therapy Services, Inc.?
What can I expect on my first visit?
Upon arrival to the clinic, you will need to sign in on a form located on a small pedestal tabletop to the left of the seating area. After signing in, you are welcome to be seated and a therapist will greet you as soon as they are finished with their previous client.
You & your child will then be asked to follow the therapist to the evaluation room (which has toys and a desk and chairs) where you will be asked basic questions about your child’s past medical history and his/her needs. Then, your child will complete a series of evaluation tests with the therapist. These tests are based on play and will be administered in a way that is playful and encourages them to do the best they can without letting them know that they are being tested. Typical evaluation sessions last between 1 to 1 1/2 hours and may need to be completed over more than one session. Upon completion of the evaluation, the therapist will set up a follow up appointment with you to discuss the results and come up with a plan for your child.
What can I expect after my first visit?
After the initial evaluation is completed, you will meet with the therapist and discuss whether your child would benefit from therapy. If so, in collaboration, we will set up a plan to enable your child to meet their goals in the best way for them. Typically, all sessions will be 1-on-1 treatment sessions lasting between 30-60 minutes. The amount of visits per week will also be determined when setting up the plan (1-3 visits per week are typical). Your child will then attend the sessions where we will work on the skills needed to meet their overall goals. You will be provided with handouts and home programs after most sessions to further enhance your child’s skills at home.
How can I help carryover my child’s therapy at home?
You will be provided with handouts and home programs to help enhance your child’s skills at home. You are the key factor in your child’s success, as daily intervention is the best intervention. We typically recommend 10-15 min daily carryover of the items given to you after treatment sessions. Try to incorporate these activities into games or daily routines as much as possible to make the activities enjoyable for your child, as well as the whole family.
How long will my child need therapy for?
Depends on the child and their needs. Some children are able to meet their goals in a short amount of time, whereas others it may take more time. Upon completing your initial evaluation you will be given a time frame with an approximation of how many visits we believe your child will need.
What is Integrative Listening Systems(iLs)?
iLs is a program that is often used at Bluebird in conjunction with occupational therapy to help speed up processing skills. During treatment sessions, your child will wear specialized headphones with classical music, while completing tasks to address coordination, balance, hand eye coordination, visual perceptual skills, handwriting, etc. This helps to improve the multiprocessing center by allowing your child to do more than one thing at a time (they are listening and doing tasks at the same time). It also helps to make all of the sensory systems (sight, touch, hearing, taste, smell & vestibular) work together by activating multiple systems at one time (almost always activating hearing, sight, touch and vestibular at the same time). This program has helped many children be able to function more appropriately in their daily lives. This program has proven to be effective with children who simply just take a long time to do their homework, as well as with children who have diagnoses of ADD/ADHD, autism, auditory processing, brain injuries and many more. To learn more about the program please email any questions that you may have or ask your therapist. You may also check out the iLs website for more information. http://www.integratedlistening.com/.
My child is very smart, but is having a very hard time “getting it” at home and at school. Are occupational therapy services right for him/her?
Yes! Recently, there has been a trend of children needing occupational therapy services even though they are very bright and seem to be doing well in school but just are not quite “getting it.” Often, this can described as a processing difficulty. They may be getting the information, but cannot process it fast enough or don’t know how to process the information they are getting, so they seem “lost” or “not with it.”
My child takes forever to do his/her homework? Is an occupational therapy evaluation appropriate for him/her?
Yes! This is a processing issue as well. Your child may understand the information but for some reason cannot get the information from their brain to the paper quick enough. Often, if you ask them the answer they are able to provide you with the answer verbally but it may take them a long time to write the answer down on paper. This is because the brain is not processing information fast enough to allow for multitasking (thinking and writing at the same time). Occupational therapy should be able to address this issue.
My child has horrible handwriting and a lot of difficulty copying from the board. Is an occupational therapy evaluation appropriate for him/her?
Yes! Difficulty with handwriting and copying from the board are red flags for processing difficulties, as well. When copying from the board your child must have good hand/eye coordination, good body awareness and good visual/fine motor skills. If they are having difficulty multitasking and have poor hand/eye coordination, then it is going to be very hard for them to look and write at the same time. Occupational therapy can help by addressing core foundational skills such as, hand eye coordination, eye strength, grip strength, body awareness and overall processing speed.
Do you currently offer speech therapy or physical therapy?
At this time, we do currently offer speech therapy! We are currently looking to offer physical therapy in the near future if enough interest is generated. If you are interested in this service, please let us know as we will be deciding the appropriate time to add more services.
At what age should I start getting my child therapy services?
As soon as you notice a delay or something not quite right. The earlier the intervention the better! Children learn quicker & easier at much younger ages. Also, there are fewer habits to break when the child is younger. We provide services to children ages 0-21.
What insurance do you accept?
We currently accept Medicaid of AL,Tricare, Tricare Prime, BCBS of AL, & All Kids. As of Feb. 9, 2014 we will no longer accept United Healthcare. If you wish to continue or begin services with us and you have UHC, you will be required to pay up front and then request reimbursement from UHC. We do provide services for clients with a variety of other insurance companies but the family is responsible to pay the fees up front and then, request reimbursement from their insurance company.***
Please call the office to find out updates on this information. (Updated on Site 2/9/2014).
How do I get started at Bluebird Pediatric Therapy Services, Inc.?
The easiest thing to do is call or email us and we will provide you with the rest of the information needed to get started.
What do I need to bring on my first visit to Bluebird Pediatric Therapy Services, Inc.?
- The intake forms (filled out, if possible)
- Your insurance card
- Driver’s License
- Insurance Verification Form
What can I expect on my first visit?
Upon arrival to the clinic, you will need to sign in on a form located on a small pedestal tabletop to the left of the seating area. After signing in, you are welcome to be seated and a therapist will greet you as soon as they are finished with their previous client.
You & your child will then be asked to follow the therapist to the evaluation room (which has toys and a desk and chairs) where you will be asked basic questions about your child’s past medical history and his/her needs. Then, your child will complete a series of evaluation tests with the therapist. These tests are based on play and will be administered in a way that is playful and encourages them to do the best they can without letting them know that they are being tested. Typical evaluation sessions last between 1 to 1 1/2 hours and may need to be completed over more than one session. Upon completion of the evaluation, the therapist will set up a follow up appointment with you to discuss the results and come up with a plan for your child.
What can I expect after my first visit?
After the initial evaluation is completed, you will meet with the therapist and discuss whether your child would benefit from therapy. If so, in collaboration, we will set up a plan to enable your child to meet their goals in the best way for them. Typically, all sessions will be 1-on-1 treatment sessions lasting between 30-60 minutes. The amount of visits per week will also be determined when setting up the plan (1-3 visits per week are typical). Your child will then attend the sessions where we will work on the skills needed to meet their overall goals. You will be provided with handouts and home programs after most sessions to further enhance your child’s skills at home.
How can I help carryover my child’s therapy at home?
You will be provided with handouts and home programs to help enhance your child’s skills at home. You are the key factor in your child’s success, as daily intervention is the best intervention. We typically recommend 10-15 min daily carryover of the items given to you after treatment sessions. Try to incorporate these activities into games or daily routines as much as possible to make the activities enjoyable for your child, as well as the whole family.
How long will my child need therapy for?
Depends on the child and their needs. Some children are able to meet their goals in a short amount of time, whereas others it may take more time. Upon completing your initial evaluation you will be given a time frame with an approximation of how many visits we believe your child will need.
What is Integrative Listening Systems(iLs)?
iLs is a program that is often used at Bluebird in conjunction with occupational therapy to help speed up processing skills. During treatment sessions, your child will wear specialized headphones with classical music, while completing tasks to address coordination, balance, hand eye coordination, visual perceptual skills, handwriting, etc. This helps to improve the multiprocessing center by allowing your child to do more than one thing at a time (they are listening and doing tasks at the same time). It also helps to make all of the sensory systems (sight, touch, hearing, taste, smell & vestibular) work together by activating multiple systems at one time (almost always activating hearing, sight, touch and vestibular at the same time). This program has helped many children be able to function more appropriately in their daily lives. This program has proven to be effective with children who simply just take a long time to do their homework, as well as with children who have diagnoses of ADD/ADHD, autism, auditory processing, brain injuries and many more. To learn more about the program please email any questions that you may have or ask your therapist. You may also check out the iLs website for more information. http://www.integratedlistening.com/.