Speech Therapy, Social Skills Training, Occupational Therapy
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Address: 1301 Pennsylvania Ave SE
| Washington, DC
20003
Rating: 4.89
(36 reviews)
Insurances:
Tricare,
Ages Served:
Children
Care Settings:
In-clinic,
AboutReviewsServicesInsurancesFAQ
About Skills On The Hill LLC
Skills on the Hill is a pediatric therapy practice in Washington, D.C. and Arlington, VA that specializes in supporting and empowering children and families to climb to their fullest potential. Our occupational, speech, and physical therapists have advanced training and specialization to support the development and functional performance of children from birth through teens across home, community, and school settings. Therapy at SOTH is fun and engaging while using your child's interests and motivations as our guide.
Please note that without member information we cannot guarantee that
your specific plan covers these services. We recommend asking the care
provider before beginning services.
Tricare
1301 Pennsylvania Ave SE,DC,20003
Get in Contact
(202) 335-7968
sothdc@skillsonthehill.com
Reviews
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The owner and her staff have been amazing with my youngest son. Their demeanour and patience and unique approach to him have gotten through to him and he has greatly improved ever since he started there. More importantly everyone is very flexible with scheduling and other life happenings so they have worked with us to make everything easier on both me and my son. They genuinely care about my son even when it comes to other aspects of his life. I completely trust Skills on the Hill.
Kaitan Gupta
17 March 2024
google review
I have had the opportunity to volunteer and assist with social groups at SOTH. I absolutely love it and the kids. I am learning so much and the OT is even involving me in the planning and setting up of the activities. I am seeing these kids make so much progress in such a short amount of time. They actually want to come to the group each week which makes me so happy. We have so much fun.
Ella Chapman
17 March 2024
google review
Our 2E child has received occupational therapy at SOTH for the past 6 months with a focus on Zones of Regulation and executive functioning. During this time the SOTH staff connected our family with a program at our childs school that provides additional support that complements his SOTH therapy. Plus our child loves going to SOTH and looks forward to therapy each week. We are so thankful for SOTH and its amazing therapists and staff
Esther L.
17 March 2024
yelp review
My husband missed work and our son missed school as they only offer evaluations at 9am on weekdays. Upon arrival my husband was informed that they dont...
Becca K.
14 September 2023
google review
My 4 year old son has been receiving weekly speech and OT services at Skills on the Hill for the last year and a half. He also attended six weeks of the Early Learners Summer Booster camp last summer and will attend again this summer. Before SOTH we were completely overwhelmed and discouraged as parents. However the therapists have taken my once rigid frustrated anxious fearful and aggressive boy and helped him become the sweet loving social and adventurous kid that I see and enjoy today. I know that there will continue to be challenges for him but I am grateful for the expertise and skilled support we get from the compassionate and patient therapists at SOTH
Angela Henson
17 May 2023
google review
Our son has been receiving occupational therapy OT from Skills on the Hill for 5 years now and we have nothing but positive things to say about Kristen and her team. The therapists are highly skilled and love their trade. When one therapist moved across country we were seamlessly transitioned to a new therapist who is equally outstanding. I really value that the therapists listen to the parents and are responsive to parent input concerning activities and skills they want for their children. The facilities weve been to both in VA and DC are great and well resourced with all the tools of the trade. SOTH is also invested in the communities it serves. For example they helped organize a fathers support group right before COVID and its still functioning. Its a great forum to swap stories and tips with other dads of children with special needs.
Ron Sokolov
17 May 2023
google review
Ive worked with Skills on the Hill at multiple schools over the past 10 years and am always impressed by the level of expertise professionalism and focus on student success that each provider brings to the work I feel super lucky to work and learn alongside their team. They are super responsive to school and student needs and build strong relationships with students and families.
Laura Ressler
17 May 2023
google review
Both of my children have been receiving OT services at Skills on the Hill for 7 years now. They are experienced caring kind fun and all the therapists we have had over the years have always gone the extra mile to help us with whatever obstacles we face. They help both the child and the family navigate the challenges that can come with developmental delays and disabilities.
Margaret Dunn
17 May 2023
google review
My children have been patients at SOTH since they were toddlersinfants. We have been so grateful for the OTs and PTs for the incredible work they have done with both of our kids. The communication has always been strong with the therapists and Kristen and her team have been and will continue to be excellent resources for my husband and I as we continue to navigate our special needs journeys with our children. The camps have been game changers for both kids in addition to the weekly services they have received. Overall this is an excellent practice that we have recommended to other parents and will continue to do so.
Neely Silbey
17 April 2023
google review
Skills on the Hill has been way more than just amazing Not only is my sons OT extremely supportive upbeat and always bursting with creative ideas to help support my sons progress I have found the staff to be well organized and very supportive with wonderful energy. It is obvious everyone at SOTH has a heart for what they do. My son has shown tremendous progress in six months and continues to do well thanks to his OT. He loves his OT sessions and looks forward to them.
Abigail Drake
17 March 2022
google review
Skills on the Hill is a nurturing environment that obviously cares about helping kids. We have had therapy elsewhere and Skills on the Hill is definitely superior. I am so grateful and blown away by my sons progress. We started PT with Ms. Gopi less than a year ago and he has improved by leaps and bounds - literally. She has been incredibly caring and proactive in recommending next steps such as increased weekly sessions and even water therapy. The water therapy has been incredible and I see my sons confidence and capabilities growing daily Ms. Ellen our OT therapist has helped my sons hand strength and writing skills vastly improve among other things such as balance and body awareness. And my son looks forward to his sessions each week. He is also in school and thanks to his extra care at Skills he has not had any problems keeping up. During our short time at Skills he has started navigating steps by himself balances better jumps higher writes better swims swings and countless other daily actions It is wonderful to have a knowledgeable and caring support system clearly committed to my sons progress. Thank you
Jennifer San Pietro
17 March 2022
yelp review
We loved our experience at SOTH. Our 4yo attended OT and also received feeding therapy at the Capitol Hill location for a little under two years. The...
Melissa P.
31 August 2021
yelp review
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Skills on the Hill. I have had the fortune of working closely with Kristen in a professional manner and her...
Lisa P.
19 January 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
Speech therapy is almost always recommended for autistic children since many people with autism have difficulty with social communication. Even if a child is very verbal and says a lot of words, they might need to work on communication skills like:
responding to questions
starting or ending conversation
changing conversation topics
using gestures like pointing
understanding other people's body language
Speech therapy is a big focus in early intervention for autistic children and is usually the starting place for recently diagnosed kids. There is a critical period in the brain for language development and so, it's really important to teach language and communication skills as early as possible, especially if there are any delays in that area. Your child will learn effective ways to communicate which will help them grow into more independent and confident individuals.
It might be obvious when a child struggles with speaking —they are very quiet, say only a few words, or don't speak at all.
Spot speech and language delays like a doctor here.
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
Here are a few alternative options to consider:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT helps by identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It's useful for those dealing with social anxiety or difficulties. CBT addresses cognitive patterns and provides strategies to manage social challenges.
Group therapy: Group therapy offers a supportive space where individuals can practice social skills. They can feedback from peers and a therapist. It allows interaction with others who understand and learn from each other.
Play-based interventions: Play therapy or play-based interventions work well for younger children or those who learn through experiences. Play activities target specific social skills like turn-taking and problem-solving in a safe and engaging setting.
The occupational therapy process includes an OT evaluation before care starts. Here are the four steps your family can expect when starting occupational therapy:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Occupational therapy can also be provided virtually via telemedicine. Virtual therapy is a great option for families in rural areas who may not have access to in-person services, or for families who prefer to have therapy in their child’s home.
Virtual OT allows the opportunity for increased caregiver participation and understanding of a child’s strengths, areas of improvement, and generalization of skills in the child’s home environment. Virtual therapy also provides increased opportunities for caregiver and family education to support the child and the family based on each family’s needs.
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.
Children
Address: 1301 Pennsylvania Ave SE
| Washington, DC
20003
Rating: 4.89
(36 reviews)
Insurances:
Ages Served:
Care Settings:
In-clinic
English
(202) 335-7968
sothdc@skillsonthehill.com
