Occupational, Physical and Speech Therapy

CHKD's occupational, physical and speech services work to help children of all ages overcome and adapt to the challenges of developmental delay, disease or accident. Click on the following links for detailed information on the services provided.

For the convenience of patients and their families, CHKD offers assessment and treatment therapy services at multiple locations.

Occupational Therapy

Therapists work with patients to achieve optimal results in one or more of the following areas:

  • Fine motor skills and coordination development
  • Activities of daily living, such as feeding, swallowing, dressing
  • Bathing/hygiene and use of equipment to increase independence and enhance performance
  • Upper extremity and trunk range of motion activities
  • Visual perceptual/visual motor skills
  • Sensory integration
  • Burn care, including scar management and pressure garments
  • Family and patient instruction and education
  • Coordination of care, including discharge needs

Physical Therapy

Therapists work with patients to achieve optimal function in the following areas:

  • Gross motor development
  • Balance and coordination
  • Gait training
  • Strength, endurance and exercise training
  • Lower extremity and trunk range of motion activities
  • Functional independence, including bed mobility, transfers and wheelchair mobility
  • Weight management
  • Burn care and follow-up treatment
  • Evaluation for equipment to increase independence and enhance performance
  • Family and patient instruction and education
  • Coordination of care, including discharge needs

Speech Therapy

Speech therapists work with patients providing both assessment and treatment in one or more of the following areas:

  • Expressive and receptive language disorders
  • Articulation disorders
  • Fluency and voice disorders
  • Swallowing and feeding disorders
  • Cognitive and rehabilitation skills
  • Cochlear implant rehabilitation therapy
  • Aural rehabilitation
  • Therapy for patients with craniofacial anomalies, cleft lip/cleft palate and velopharyngeal insufficiency
  • Sign language
  • Patient and family education and instruction
  • Coordination of care, including discharge needs

Other Specialized Services

  • Aquatic Therapy - Physical and occupational therapists work with children in the water to help relax tight musculature, increase range of motion and improve strength, balance and endurance.
  • Assistive Technology/Augmentative Program - Providing services for children who are unable to functionally communicate verbally or through gestures due to various medical conditions.
  • Car Seat Program - Specially trained therapists offer car seat safety restraint evaluations for patients with special needs.
  • Interactive Metronome - Specially trained therapists use a computer-based training program to improve attention, coordination and timing in children with cognitive and physical difficulties, including ADHD.
  • Serial Casting Clinic - Providing upper and lower extremity casting to increase range of motion for children with contracted or tight musculature. Therapists apply a series of casts to achieve an appropriate alignment and functional range of motion.
  • Splint Clinic - Specializing in creating (fabricating) orthotics, adaptive equipment and hand splints. Examples are AFOs (ankle foot orthosis), knee extension splints, hand splints, Benik gloves and other specialized equipment.
  • Video Swallow Studies - These tests examine the swallowing skills of patients with diagnosed or suspected swallowing dysfunction.
  • Wheelchair Clinic - Certified therapists complete a comprehensive evaluation to determine and prescribe the appropriate wheelchair and seating system.

Contact Us

You can contact us by calling, 757.668.7083, or by e-mailing us at ptotst@chkd.org for an appointment or with any questions you may have regarding OT/PT/Speech.

Locations

  Children's Health Center
733 Volvo Parkway
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Hampton Hampton Roads Pediatrics
2106 Executive Drive
Hampton, VA 23666
Newport News 11783 Rock Landing Drive
Newport News, VA 23606
Norfolk Children's Health Center
850 Southampton Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23507

Children's Health Center
171 Kempsville Road
Norfolk, VA 23502

Virginia Beach 2117 General Booth Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23456

Direct e-mail inquiries to pediatrics@CHKD.org

Copyright © 2004 Eastern Virginia Medical School Department of Pediatrics
Last modified: 07/23/2008