Pediatric Therapy

Ochsner pediatric rehabilitation experts provide services to infants, children and teens with developmental delays, disability, illness or injury, including those with:

• Orthopedic injuries
• Neuromuscular problems  
• Genetic disorders
• Developmental delay  
• Cardiopulmonary disorders
• Traumatic brain injury  
• Sensory integration dysfunction  
• Oral motor and feeding dysfunction  
• Communication disorders  

We also offer specialty rehabilitation services including:

• Interactive metronome
• Pediatric modified barium swallow studies, which is special imaging use to assess your child's swallowing by seeing food and liquid flow through their mouth and throat
• Pediatric pelvic floor therapy

Occupational therapists help your child develop independence with their daily skills, such as learning, playing, socializing and self-care.

Occupational therapy goals are customized to your child's needs and may address a wide range of skills, including:

• Attention
• Fine motor control or coordination, or skills that involve small muscles in the body
• Play skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Regulating their body or emotions
• Self-care and daily living skills, like bathing, dressing or feeding
• Visual perception or processing
• Upper extremity dysfunction

Occupational therapists may also provide services related to:

• Adaptive equipment: devices that help accomplish daily activities, such as eating or walking
• Assistive technology: technology that helps perform functions that may otherwise be more difficult
• Splinting: a plastic, plaster or metal support that immobilizes or protects part of the body

The Ochsner pediatric occupational therapy team includes therapists with specialized training in feeding, infant massage, interactive metronome and sensory integration.

Physical therapists use a variety of techniques and treatments to help children develop, improve, maintain or restore mobility, movement and related skills to improve quality of life and make everyday tasks easier.

Physical therapy (PT) goals are based on your child's developmental level and needs and may address:

• Balance
• Coordination
• Endurance
• Strength
• Flexibility
• Gross motor skills
• Tone management
• Gait training
• Posture

Our pediatric PT team also provides:

• Pediatric pelvic floor therapy
• Prosthesis training
• Adaptive equipment like wheelchairs, seating devices, standing frames and gait trainers
• Serial casting, a series of casts that gradually stretches arm or leg muscles
• Training in the use of orthotics

Currently, pediatric pelvic floor therapy services are only available in Baton Rouge and Raceland, Louisiana.

Pediatric speech-language pathologists (speech therapists) help infants, children and teens with communication, language feeding and swallowing skills.

Our speech therapists provide comprehensive and family-centered care in these areas:

• Alternative and augmentative communication: Options to help those who have trouble speaking
• Speech Sound Issues (articulation): Challenges pronouncing words or sounds
• Childhood apraxia of speech: Difficulty with mouth movements needed for speaking
• Fluency: Issues with the flow of speech, like stuttering
• Receptive and expressive language: Understanding and sharing needs, thoughts and wants
• Social communication skills: Talking and interacting with others, including body language
• Feeding and swallowing: Difficulties with eating, drinking or feeding, including breastfeeding and bottle feeding
• Oral motor dysfunction: Trouble using mouth muscles for speaking or eating

Ochsner is one of only a few Louisiana healthcare facilities offering pediatric modified barium swallow studies. Currently, these tests are only offered at specific locations.

Our team works closely with your child's doctor to treat conditions including:

• Autism spectrum disorder
• Brachial plexus birth injury — an injury to an area from the back of the neck to the shoulder that’s responsible for sending nerve signals from the neck and shoulder to the arm and hand
• Cardiopulmonary disorders
• Cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental conditions
• Down syndrome and other genetic disorders
• Issues related to prematurity
• Muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders
• Musculoskeletal system diseases
• Neurodevelopmental conditions
• Orthopedic disabilities or injuries
• Pelvic floor dysfunction or pelvic pain
• Torticollis — an issue with a baby’s neck muscles that cause their head to tilt to one side
• Traumatic brain injury

Ochsner offers pediatric rehabilitation services at several locations in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Ochsner pediatric rehabilitation locations include:

New Orleans Area:

• Michael R. Boh Center for Child Development in New Orleans
• Ochsner Health Center - Lake Terrace in New Orleans*
• Ochsner Health Center - River Ridge*
• Ochsner Health Center for Children - Destrehan
• Ochsner Health Center for Children - Metairie*
• Ochsner Therapy & Wellness - Belle Meade in Gretna
• Ochsner Therapy & Wellness - Tchoupitoulas in New Orleans
• Ochsner Therapy & Wellness for Children in Metairie

Baton Rouge Area:

• Ochsner Health Center - Bluebonnet South in Baton Rouge*
• Ochsner Health Center - O’Neal in Baton Rouge*
• Ochsner Health Center - Prairieville*
• Ochsner Health Center - Zachary*
• Ochsner Health Center for Children - Baton Rouge
• Ochsner Therapy & Wellness - O’Neal in Baton Rouge

Northshore:

• Ochsner Health Center for Children - River Chase in Covington
• Ochsner Therapy & Wellness – Ochsner Medical Center North Shore in Slidell

Bayou:

• Ochsner Therapy & Wellness - Raceland

West Bank:

• Ochsner Health Center - Lapalco*

Mississippi:

• Pediatric occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy are available in Mississippi through Ochsner Rush.

* Indicates locations with only speech services available.

If you think your child may benefit from pediatric occupational therapy, physical therapy or speech therapy, just ask their pediatrician or primary care doctor for an evaluation referral.

After your child’s doctor submits a referral for a pediatric therapy evaluation, an Ochsner central scheduling team member will call you to schedule an appointment.

Due to the high demand for Ochsner pediatric rehabilitation services, it may take a week or more to receive a call from central scheduling. If your child's physician has submitted a referral, but you have not yet received a call, or if you missed the scheduling call, call 1-877-889-2976 to talk with a scheduler.

For all Ochsner pediatric therapy services, evaluations typically include:

• Discussing parent/caregiver concerns

• Learning about your child's medical history

• Observing your child’s play

• Standardized assessments or evaluations to identify your child's strengths and areas of need

Once the therapist completes the evaluation, they will talk with you about the results and develop an individualized care plan for your child. You will also have an opportunity to ask questions. At the end of the evaluation, you’ll receive information about the next steps and scheduling future therapy sessions.

Whether you're seeing an OT, PT or SLP, there are a few things you can do to get ready for your child's first appointment:

• Arrive 15 minutes early.
• If your child wears a brace orthotic, prosthetic or splints, bring it to the evaluation.
• Talk with your child about what to expect before the day of their appointment — consider using a social story.
• Write down a list of your questions and bring it with you.

For feeding therapy evaluations, your child should arrive slightly hungry. You should also bring:

• An extra bottle, if your child is bottle-fed
• Any adaptive equipment or other specialized equipment used for feeding at home
• Preferred snacks for children who are picky eaters

How often a child attends OT, PT or SLP sessions depends on their individual goals and needs. Based on their evaluation and individualized care plan, your child may receive:

• Weekly therapy: Common treatment with 30- to 45-minute sessions each week for steady progress
• Periodic therapy: Treatment at set intervals, often monthly, when your child's need for therapy decreases
• Episodic therapy: Focused treatment with several sessions each week to achieve a specific goal. This treatment is typically followed by a break and re-evaluation.
• Intensive therapy: High-frequency treatment for rapid gains, often after injury or surgery
• Co-treatment: Two therapists working together with a child at the same time to improve different areas. 

If your child receives multiple pediatric rehabilitation services, their schedule may differ for each therapy service.

The Ochsner pediatric rehabilitation team welcomes parents and caregivers to be present during initial evaluations for occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy. After the initial evaluation, it will depend on your child's unique goals and needs. In some cases, parents can help motivate a reluctant child. In other cases, children may have difficulty focusing on therapeutic tasks with their parents in the room. Whether you join your child during therapy sessions or not, your child’s therapist will ensure you’re updated on all details of their care. They are also available to answer your questions and will talk with you about how you can support your child’s therapy goals at home.