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The goal of speech therapy is to help your child communicate effectively with other people across all environments. This may take the form of using gestures, simple signs, verbal speech, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

Some other common things speech therapists can help with:

• Nonverbal skills, such as signs or gestures
• Forming speech in a clearer way
• Communicating thoughts and feelings clearly
• Understanding and responding to questions
• Discerning facial expressions and their corresponding emotions
• Noticing and understanding body language
• Feeding and swallowing
• Stuttering

The occupational therapy process includes an OT evaluation before care starts. Here are the four steps your family can expect when starting occupational therapy:

1. Complete OT evaluation. An occupational therapist first identifies your child’s strengths and needs through a thorough OT evaluation, also known as an OT assessment or screening. You’ll answer questions about your child’s skills, and your child will most likely demonstrate their skills via hands-on activities with the therapist. Evaluations can last 30 minutes to a few hours.
2. Approve OT plan. The therapist develops a care plan with individualized goals and customized interventions based on your child’s needs. You can also share any specific goals or concerns before approving the OT plan.
3. Start therapy sessions. The therapist works directly with your child and your family, using various strategies and exercises to systematically improve areas of limitations and to build upon a child’s strengths. Some exercises your child might participate in are animal walks, obstacle courses, and therapy swing activities. Your family may learn strategies for supporting your child’s individualized needs at home, such as ways of supporting emotional regulation and sensory processing. The therapist may also recommend tools and techniques to use at home, in the community, or in the classroom to help your child succeed.
4. Monitor your child’s progress. Parents and caregivers can expect ongoing progress monitoring and communication to ensure the child is achieving their short and long-term goals.

Once you find a quality physical therapist you want to work with, here are a few things you need to know:

• There will be an evaluation. First, you can expect an assessment to identify your child’s areas of strength and needs. A physical therapy evaluation usually lasts 30 minutes.
• You’ll review and approve the care plan. The physical therapist will create a care plan, also known as a plan of care (POC), outlining the goals and strategies. They will review this with you and your care team before moving forward with therapy sessions.
• Physical therapy sessions will be fun. PT with children is designed to be enjoyable. The therapist will use strategies and exercises based on your child’s needs. Exercises might involve playing on large stability balls, obstacle courses, movement equipment, stretches, and other hands-on activities.
• Expect home exercises. Physical therapists commonly assign exercises to work on at home. Doing these exercises with your child outside therapy sessions can improve your child’s overall progress.

Yes! Most providers offer physical therapy in their offices or a clinical setting, but many are offering at-home options. Virtual options have become more popular in recent years. You might facilitate care with the guidance of the physical therapist.

Pediatric physical therapy is considered safe and should not hurt. Autistic children spend their time in PT moving and exploring their environment. If you are concerned about your child experiencing pain during certain exercises, especially if they may struggle to communicate and advocate for modifications, speak with their physical therapist about your concerns.