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- Dr.Joni Redlich PT,DPT
In summer, you may be one of the many families that are trying to make the most of the warmer weather and visit beaches, parks, and playgrounds with their kids.
But as a parent of a child with special needs, things are VERY different for you.
Rather than relaxing and chatting with the other moms and dads as the kids go off and play together…
You’re terrified in case they fall off the climbing frame or trip over as they run and hurt themselves.
For you, getting outdoors is actually a really stressful time, and you don’t feel like you can let them play on their own – even if they want to.
It’s tough for parents of kids with neurological disorders as well.
If your child struggles to interact and communicate, this can lead to them getting frustrated and having tantrums, or being left out of games by the other kids.
Worst of all is the fear of them being bullied by mean kids.
And a time that is supposed to be fun, and a highlight of your week is actually a lot of stress, anxiety, and worry.
Shouldn’t The Therapy My Child Gets At School Help With This?
A lot of parents who reach out to us have children who are receiving some form of therapy in school.
And they are frustrated that it’s not helping their child develop fast enough (or at all).
We understand that it’s frustrating, but it’s really important to remember two things about school-based therapy that your child is going to.
School-Based Therapy Is Too Infrequent For Many
At schools, therapy is often once a week for 30 minutes. This even includes the often 5 minute walk to and from the therapy room, leaving very little time for real work to get done.
This really is not a lot of time for your child to get the specialized care and attention that they need to make progress.
And many kids will struggle to make significant progress with such infrequent appointments.
School-Based Therapy Is Limited In Treatment Options
At our specialist clinic, we have a wide variety of treatment options and facilities available.
This means that we are able to help a wide variety of children with different needs.
Schools often have minimal equipment and treatment options, so unless your child is lucky and just happens to suit what’s offered, it can be really difficult for them to make progress.
School-Based Therapy Is Primarily Designed To Help Your Child In School
The main objective of school-based therapy is to help your child succeed in their school environment.
Getting to and from lessons, carrying their backpacks, eating their lunch, and behaving so they aren’t disrupting the other students are some of the main goals.
And while this is understandable for the school to focus on this, it doesn’t really help you outside of school.
Certainly, some improvements will carry over to other areas of your child’s life.
But when kids are in new environments, this can mean that they go back to square one and it feels like they’ve not made much progress for all their time and effort in school-based therapy.
Make Much Faster Progress With Experts At KidPT
Since 2016, KidPT has helped thousands of children with a variety of developmental challenges move better, learn faster and enjoy themselves more by becoming confident, independent, and capable.
As a parent of a child with special needs, I know you’ve seen lots of doctors, been given lots of advice, and may feel a little lost.
You want what’s best for your child.
You want them to be able to play safely and keep up with their peers.
You want them to feel more confident talking, interacting, and joining in with playtime.
And you also want to feel happier too – knowing that your family is able to enjoy more special moments at the park, on vacation, and at the beach.
So here’s what to do, to get a much clearer picture of the best steps for your child…
Arrange A Free Discovery Session with our expert team who can listen to you and your child’s story, learn about your family, and give you our expert guidance on the best services suitable for their needs.
From here, you will feel much more in control.
And you can decide what the next steps are.
Simply click HERE to arrange your free discovery session now, or call us on (908) 543 4390
More Free Expert Advice For Parents
Read our blog – Top Tips For Sensory Savvy Parents
Read our blog – 10 Fun Occupational Therapy Activities To Try At Home
Follow us on social media… Like Our Facebook Page or Follow Us On Instagram for more helpful tips.