Pediatric Therapy

    Ivinson Memorial Hospital offers a range of therapy services for children.  Specialties in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and audiology are available to meet the needs of children in a friendly setting.  If you are concerned with your child's motor skills, speech development, hearing ability, or functional skills (such as independent mobility, dressing, eating, or other self care skills), ask your doctor if the one of the therapists at IMH could help.
    Physical therapy's primary focus is on a child's movement and gross motor skills.  Therapy focuses on improving motor development and can also address orthopedic problems through bracing.
    Occupational therapy focuses on the child's ability to be as successful as possible in the areas of self-care, education, and play/leisure.  The occupational therapist uses activities to help improve motor skills (particularly fine motor skills, such as handwriting), cognitive skills,  social/behavioral skills, and visual motor/visual perceptual skills.
    The occupational therapist at IMH is also trained to evaluate and treat sensory integration problems.  Sensory integration problems occur when a child's body does not understand this information, it can result in problems such as hyperactivity, responding to touch with aggression or withdrawal, becoming overwhelmed in loud or busy environments, being severely afraid of movements or heights, poor gross motor skills (balance or poor coordination), poor fine motor skills (ex. Handwriting or shoe tying), or excessive difficulty learning new movement activities.  These sensory problems can significantly hinder a child's ability in many areas of life (school performance, social relationships, independence with self-care tasks, etc.).
    Speech therapists evaluate and treat children with delayed or impaired speech or language.  They also help children who have trouble understanding written and spoken language.  Oral motor and swallowing problems are also treated by speech therapy.
    Audiologists provide follow-up and consultation on newborn hearing screening, evaluate the effects of hearing loss on development and education, and the possible effects of multiple ear infections on speech and language development.  They also help in the selection and fitting of hearing aids and other listening devices.  Fitting of custom earplugs for swimming and noise reduction is also offered.  IMH is pleased to offer all of the above services to meet the needs of children in Albany County.  

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